**************************BurmaNet*************************** "Appropriate Information Technologies, Practical Strategies" ************************************************************* The BurmaNet News: Tuesday, 27 March 1995 Issue #131 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Contents: *************************INSIDE BURMA************************* BKK POST: KRASAE TO VISIT RANGOON FOR BORDER TALKS BKK POST: SLORC'S DIPLOMACY OF BLACKMAIL NATION: BURMA ARMY'S SIZE DWARFS LEGIMATE DEFENCE NEEDS NATION: BURMESE JUNTA CUTS PRISONERS' SENTENCES TO MARK ARMED FORCE DAY ********************KAREN STATE/KAWTHOOLEI******************** BKK POST: BREAKAWAY REBELS TURN ON THE REFUGEES BKK POST: KARENNI REBEL GROUP SPOKESMAN DENIES SURRENDERING TO SLORC BKK POST: MORE REFUGEES EXPECTED AS FIGHTING GOES ON IN BURMA **************************SHAN STATE********************* THE NATION: BURMESE CLOSE BORDER CROSSING EARLY AMID FEARS OF NEW RAID NATION: THAILAND'S ACTION ON KHUN SA GUERRILLAS ANGERS BURMA JUNTA NATION: RANGOON TO STRIKE AT KHUN SA FROM THE AIR, SAYS REPORT *************************THAILAND************************ NATION: THAI GOVT URGED ACT AS BURMA MEDIATOR NATION: GOVT URGED TO REROUTE PIPELINE *************************INTERNATIONAL****************** THE NATION: 6-WAY MEET SET IN BURMA ON 'PROGRESS' OF MEKONG ************************************************************** The BurmaNet News is an ********************************* electronic newspaper * Iti * covering Burma. Articles * snotpo * from newspapers, magazines, * werthatcor * newsletters, the wire * ruptsbutfea * services and the Internet as * r.Fearoflos * well as original material * ingpowercor * are published. * ruptsthosewhoare * The BurmaNet News is * subjecttoit...Theef * e-mailed directly to * fortnecessarytoremain * subscribers and is * uncorruptedinanenvironm * also distributed via * entwherefearisanintegralpar * the soc.culture.burma * tofeverydayexistenceisnoti * and seasia-l mailing * mmediatelyapparentto * lists and is also * thosefortunate * available via the * enoughtolivein * reg.burma conference on * statesgovern * the APC networks. For a * edbytherule * free subscription to * oflaw...fear * the BurmaNet News, send * is ahab it. * an e-mail message to: * Iam * * no * majordomo@igc.apc.org * taf * * ra * In the body of the message, * id. * type "subscribe burmanet-l" * Aun * (without quotation marks) * gSa * * nS * Letters to the editor, * uu * comments or contributions * Ky * of articles should be * i. * sent to the editor at: ********************************* strider@igc.apc.org In Washington: Attention to BurmaNet c/o National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma (NCGUB) Information Office 815 15th Street NW, Suite 609 Washington D.C. 20005 Tel: (202) 393-7342, Fax: (202) 393-7343 In Bangkok: Attention to BurmaNet c/o Burma Issues PO Box 1076, Silom Post Office Bangkok 10504 Thailand Tel: (066) (02) 234-6674, Fax: (066) (02) 631 0133 [The NCGUB is the government-in-exile, made up of the people who won the election in 1990. Burma Issues is a Bangkok-based non-governmental organization that documents human rights conditions in Burma and maintains an archive of Burma-related documents. Views expressed in The BurmaNet News do not necessarily reflect those of either NCGUB or Burma Issues] ************************************************************** *************THE BURMANET NEWS--MARCH 27, 1995*************** ************************************************************** BKK POST: KRASAE TO VISIT RANGOON FOR BORDER TALKS 25 March 1995 Foreign Minister Krasae Chanawong is shortly to make an unofficial visit to Burma for talks on border problems and economic ties. Speaking to reporter s after inspecting the border situation in Mae Sai district, Dr Krasae confirmed he will visit Burma in his capacity as Foreign Minister. He said the trip is designed to look at the facts and to hold discussions with senior local Burmese officials concerning the problems along the Thai border. "The border problems, which I have learned about on Thai soil, will be brought into a joint discussion with local Burmese represeatatives. Any problems or misunderstandings can be cleared up. "I will take opportunity to listen to accounts of Burma's problems, its views and its objections, so that jointly we can work on resolving them," he said. Dr Krasae said if he gets the opportunity to meet representatives of the ruling junta, he will bring up all key issues, particularly the problems in the Chiang Rai border area and in other northern provinces of Thailand which share a border with Burma. Particular attention will be paid to certain border areas which are important ecinomic zones for both countries, Dr Krasae said. "A decision may not be effective unless the correct facts are discussed jointly," he said. Dr Krasae said he takes the view that Burmese problems are internal matters and local affairs which might not adversely affect overall government policy, and he is optimistic that the tense border situation will ease. "Although internal conflicts may not disappear entirely, we are confident that there will be fewer heavy clashes," Dr Krasae said. A border source said Burmese officials have not been able to ensure the foreign minister's complete safety if he plans to visit Tachilek. This is apparently after former deputy transport and communications minister Charas Puachuay and his team were once barred by heavily-armed Wa United State Army troops from passing along the Tachilek and Kengtung routes towards southern China. That incident casued the Burmese government to lose face, the source said. "Local Burmese officials do not want to take responsibility if something happens during the foreign minister's trip to Tachilek, as it is not an official visit," said a high-ranking official of Mae Sai district. "But our local officials are able to provide solid confirmation that no problems will occur and the minister's request can be complied with," he said. If the minister wants to make an official visit to Burma, he will do so via Rangoon, the source said. After inspecting the current situation along the Mae Sai district border, Dr Krasae said he was confident that problems will not occur if he visits Burma via this route. Regarding trading in Mae Sai, Dr Krasae said he will consult local officials to work on measures to resolve the negative impact on the economy and tourism. The foreign minister said he will propose the setting up of a night bazaar in Mae Sai district to revive local trade and tourism. (BP & TN) BKK POST: SLORC'S DIPLOMACY OF BLACKMAIL By U Thaung 26 March 1995 SINCE the fall of Manerplaw, headlines about BUrma have dominated the Thai press. MOst of the news has been received unfavourably in civilised nations. Activities of the BUrmese miiltary government discourage hopes for peace and democracy in BUrma. Even news about the released of 31 political prisoners, including U Tin Oo, chairman of NLD and party's spokeman U Kyi MAung, is not an encouraging sign from the BUrmese military. I, too, was once a political prisoner and I know very well the price prisoners have to pay for their freedom. There were negotiations before the release of a prisoner. The dialogue would usually statrt about the poltical convictions of the prisoner. MOst of them didi not surrender their deliefs in the first round of talks. Then the parole officer would talk about family anf personer affairs, aiming at the heart of the victim. For a prisoner with great attachment to his son, talk with be abou twhat his son was doing while the father was away. The officers might explain to the prisoner that the boy needed to be help by his father to pass matriculation, something most importment for every young lad in BUrma. "Your young wife is not home at the time," was a warning laced with innuendo. "Your mother's heart problem needed an operation," was aimed at worrying a devoted son. Such pressure cause many victims to lose their mental balance and submt to their jailers. Prisoners are forced to speak aganist their convictions ar at least to become neutralised. Many prisoners who leave BUrma military jails denounce politics as such, if not thier beliefs. Even a person like Ko Yu, a noted revolutionary, was rundered inative before his release from a military prison. Ther were few people like U NU and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi who ewfused to compromise with their jailers. Blackmail tactics used by the BUrmese military are cunning and cruel. The mnay political prisoners of their captors cannot be blamed. Almost all the manoeuvring of the Slorc , involve blackmail. Offering their nation to China is a from of blackmail of civilised nations. The general know very well China was their enemy only a decade ago. But they are aware of the assistance they can obtain from Bejing. It is only too obvious China cannot offer the infrastructure Burma needs to build a modernised nation. Slorc knows products made in China are fragile ad cheap, yet still opened the BUrmese market to that countyr. The reason is to blackmail western nations: " If your desert me, I will be friend Chian." Tha tatic is childish, but it works. Only last week the Japese government agreed to pay the "ransom". It began with a package of food production assistance that might lead to total support for the military government just to counter the Chinese.The United State is blackmailed by Slorc through a Sham war with the MTA of KhunSa. I am certain the aim of BUrmese gengerals in this war is not to defeat the drug problem, but to get help from the US. LAst year, Rangoon's forces marched toward the MTA stronghold before stopping abrupylt and requesting helicopters from the US government. The Americans, although frustrated by the Burmese drug problem, tried to stand strong against the BUrmese generals' blackamail and refused to help Rangoon last year. But I doubt whether the US will give priority to human rights this year. Drug reachig America from the leading opium-producing nation are creating an unbearable problem. Oe day, US government will also yield to the BUrmese military and pay the "ran- som". It is a tragedy. The BUmrese military gets whatever it wants thrught blackmail. t seem any aruel government can blackmail civilised nations are too cowardly to resisit. Lies, nothing but lies, Thai foreign minister Krasae had told the Ambassador David Lambertson that the BUrmese military democracy in improving. I cannot choose to whom I should appeal, the foreign minister or the Ambassador; "Please do not - peat, do not - beleive that." It was stated that the foreign ministercited the preparation of the newconstitution and new election by the Burmese military as an improvement. It is obvious that endeavour is exactly the same as two years ago. There is no BUrmese military. I wonder why the minister cannot see the true situation. The most important fact is the release date of the famous prisoner, Aung San Suu Kyi. The minister has no doubt that she wiil be freed that year. NO BUrmese accept that timing. If the BUrmese military has agreed to relase her in July, Why wait? why not set her free today? For the BUrmese democracy activists, the picture id clear: the junta is playing to time to extort more business and political concessions from the civilised world. I can acheieve this by keeping the natonal leader in bondage. I am willing to give odds of 100-1 to the minister or any other person who thanks that she will be set free in July this year. The military cannot afford to free the national leader. The military is merely asking time to save its neck. It is sad that the minister is insisting that the "constructive engagement" policy is correct. As for the American ambassador, no boubt the knows very well that policy has yielded nothing since it was laid down more tha six year ago. U Thaung is former chief editor of the BUrmese language newspaper, the MirrorDaily . The 67 year old veteran journalist now writes for the New Era Journal, and it base in Mami, Florida. (BP) NATION: BURMA ARMY'S SIZE DWARFS LEGIMATE DEFENCE NEEDS BY AUNG ZAW 27 MARCH 1995 On the evening of July 27, 1977 in the evening Captain Ohn Kyaw Myint was taken out from his cell. The prison official, Chit Maung did not explain the reason. The prisoner was taken by a car to Insein main jail where was put into a small cell to wait till mid night. Ohn Kyaw Myint asked Chit Maung "I'm going to be killed soon?." Chit Maung shook his head. A few hours later when two colonels from the war office arrived in prison together with a judge - Captain Ohn Kyaw Myint's time is up. He was hanged. The captain's crime was attempt to assassinate state leaders including Gen Ne Win. His genuine intention was to save the country. Ohn Kyaw Myint and his friends who were also military officers involved in abortive coup were opposed Ne Win's Burmese Way to Socialism and felt it was in ruin.They had vowed to hand state power over to respected pilotiand and army officers, but Ohn Gyaw Myint was arrested along with a dozen other military officers before the plan could be carried out. Ohn Kyaw Myint was a university students in 1962 when Gen Ne Win staged a coup which ousted prime minister, U Nu. He was swept up into the anti-Ne Win movement, joining the campus rotests. But to the surprise of his friends, he later joined the Defence Service Academy,Burma's West Point. In the wake of Ohn Kyaw Myint's failed coup, Gen Ne Win purged thousands of socialist cadres. Hundreds of military officers were transferred, retired and forced to resign. Ne Win publicly announced more than 50,000 socialist members had been fired. It was, in fact, a second purge as Ne Win dismissed his comrades- in-arms in 1960s. After the purge Ne Win's second generation of military officers were promoted and taken new positions. Those included army officers Saw Maung, Aye Ko, Sein Lwin, Tun Ye.... Indeed Ne Win has brought far-reaching changes into Tatmadaw since the 1962 coup. Ne Win's rise to power was initially met with public support but it took only four months before they were to witness the ruthlessness that was to make his rule. On July 7, a peaceful gathering of hundreds of university students was gunned down by the army and the historic union building was demolished. Ne Win warned: "I have no alternative but to meet dad [sword] with dah and spear with spear." Burmese communists at the time documented the massacre and stated: "Never in the history of the world student movements have so many students killed or wounded in a single incident." Many former students who took part in 7 July affair said: approximately 100 students were killed and many were wounded. They said, from that day on the army became Ne Win's Kha piet saung tat (pocket army). According to the constitution, the role of the Tatmadaw is to defend the country and to protect the citizens. In reality, it's role has been the complete opposite. During the Ne Win era, all soldiers were taught a Burmese history consisting of, "The ethnic rebels are robbers and bandits...the democracy movement was inspired by communists and rightists." Ne Win trusted only his men uniform. The Tatmadaw has been given a privileged status. Ne Win, in an effort to curb resentment among the Tatmadaw, has offered many special privileges. For in stance, the retired military officers were given new jobs at civil administration services government-owned factories to make their fortune. Since the beginningof the Ne Win era, Burma's Defence spendings has been high. In 1986-87 Ne Win regime has spent 20.7% for Tatmadaw while they were spending less than 13.3% for education. They spent less money on health and education. When in July of 1988 Ne Win publicly announced his resignation as a chairman of his party he said: "I have to inform the people throughout the country that when the Army shoots, it shoots to hit, not to the sky," It was Ne Win's last speech in public. The current regime, the State Law and Order Restoration Council does has done carried on from where Ne Win left off. The coup in 1988 was, in fact, not to end the authoritarian rulers but to save them. Peaceful demonstration or anti-Slorc rally's have been invariably crushed and blamed on communists and rightists groups. Ironically, in 1988 alone, thousands of unarmed demonstrators were killed, not because of insurgents or communists but because of the army shot them. Thus, following 1988 massacre, Tatmadaw is more commonly referred to in private the Tha'mataw. Tha' meaning "to kill" mataw is "not enough." In the 1940s Burma army fielded 5,000 men. By 1988 it had risen 200,000. It has since topped 300,000. Analysts note that the present regime's Defence spendings could be even higher than the previous socialist regime. In 1990, Burmese were astonished to learn that a land of Burmese embassy in Tokyo was sold and the S 600 million from the sale spent on the army. More recently Rangoon has bought US$400 million worth of helicopters, ammunition, field guns, six Hainan Class patrol boats armoured vehicles from China. Why do military leaders need such a large military? Is it because of Rangoon leaders have a plan to invade one of its neighbors? Or are they preparing for external threat or foreign invasion? If not, their only intention can be to build up their strength and to threaten their own people. Sadly, the Tatmadaw of today is not what its founder Gen Aung San wanted to see. The dignity and glory of Tatmadaw is has gone. Tatmadaw's sole role is now to prop up Ne Win's third generation. Nevertheless, not all soldiers are brainwashed, bad and corrupted. During the 1988 uprising hundreds of navy and airforce soldiers joined the demonstrations. NATION: BURMESE JUNTA CUTS PRISONERS' SENTENCES TO MARK ARMED FORCE DAY 27 March 1995 Burmese military government said it has cut by one-third the sentences of more than 23,000 prisoners in honour of the 50th celebration of Armed Forces Day, official media reported yester- day. The New Light of Myanmar newspaper said the Minister of House Affairs, Lieutenant-General Mya Thinn, issued a decree reducing the sentences of inmates who have worked on projects that were completed in time for today's celebration. "As a gesture hailing the Golden Jubilee Armed Forces Day, one- third of their sentences... has been reduced," the order said, without adding whether this meant that any of the prisoners would walk free. Bur state-run newspapers, television and radio made to mention of any leniency towards Aung San Suu Kyi, a co-founder of the oppo- sition National League for Democracy (NLD) who has been under arrest in Rangoon since July 1989. There have been renewed rumours in diplomatic circles and among residents on Rangoon that Suu Kyi may be set free soon. Top officials of the ruling State Law and Order Restoration Coun- cil (Slorc) have been busy cutting ribbons and inaugurating a highway, several bridges, a beach resort and television channel - all to be ready in time for today. Armed Forced Day marks the anniversary of the date in 1945 when the Burmese rose to end Japans Word War II occupation. On March 15, the government announced the release of 31 prison- ers, including leading dissidents Tin Oo and Kyi Maung. Their release could mean a revival of the dialogue started be- tween the Slorc and Suu Kyi last September which apparently has stalled since October, diplomats said. Meanwhile, troops of the Burmese military junta suffered nearly a hundred casualties in a battle against opium warlord Khun Sa's Maung Tai Army (MTA), Channel 7 said on Saturday. Thirty-two Burmese troops were killed and 60 others wounded in a two-and-a half-hour clash on Friday with the MTA at Ban Pang Ko inn the east of the country, about 10 kilometres from the Thai border. (TN & BP) ********************KAREN STATE/KAWTHOOLEI******************** BKK POST: BREAKAWAY REBELS TURN ON THE REFUGEES 25 March 1995 Rangoon's recent victory over Karen guerrillas has not stopped fighting in the area. Now refugee camps in Thailand are being attacked. Rebecca Dodd reports. Burma-Thai border, Gemini News Refugee camps in Thailand for Burma's persecuted Karen people are being harassed by a breakaway faction of the Karen resistance movement, probably with the support of the military government in Rangoon. Disruption to the once-sleepy camps is part of the fall-out from rangoon's recent victory over the Karen National Union (KNU), which has been demanding political autonomy since Burma's independence in 1948. A wave of panic spread through one camp after rumours that the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA, a breakaway from the KNU) had poisined water supplies and planted landmines in schools. There is no evidence that the rumours are true. The DKBA has been blamed for the kidnapping of four camp leaders, the murder of several refugees and an attack on a refugee truck in which two pregnant Karen women and a Thai driver were killed. In one camp, the DKBA put up posters threatening that the houses of any Buddhist refugees who did not return to Burma would be destroyed. The organisation split from the Karen Union earlier this year and joined with the military government, the State Law and Order Restoration Council (Slorc), in attacks on the KNU strongholds of Manerplaw and Kawmoorah. Its inside knowledge of the jungle and of the position of KNU-planted landmines is widely believed to have been a crucial factor in the victory. When Kawmoorah fell in February, some 10,000 refugees crossed the Moei river into Thailand, swelling camps along the border to 70,000. The camps have been safe havens for Karen for a decade, and the recent defeats mean there is no longer a KNU buffer zone to protect them. Some camps are only 15 minutes walk from the river_in most places shallow enough to wade through_making them easy targets for the Burma military and the DKBA on the other side. Rising tension has also led to skirmishes between Buddhist and Christian Karen refugees. There has been talk of putting the two sides in separate camps. The DKBA was established by a Burmese monk suspected by the KNU of being a Slorc agent. Buddhists within the KNU have long complained of discrimination from its Christian leadership, but most observers believe that the military junta has strong links with the DKBA. Some believe that many DKBA soldiers are actually Slorc troops. "Our people were weary from a long period of war," says a KNU spokesman. "The monk promised them a lot of things_that they would be well taken care of, that there would be peace. His original monastery was in the same place as Slorc technical command headquarters and there is some evidence that his original followers were also Slorc agents." The refugees_many of whom are unable to comprehend that the attacks could be coming from their own people_also link the DKBA to the Burmese. "I'm very frightened of them," says Naw Buay Pao, a refugee whose husband died fighting for the KNU in 1984. "If they find out I am the wife of a Christian, they will treat me the same way as the Burmese would." The incursions have strained Burmese relations with the Thais, who have a policy of "constructive cooperation" with Slorc, a regime widely condemned for its human rights abuses and for refusing to accept the results of the 1990 general election. During the attack on Kawmoorah, the Burmese fired shells into Thailand and requested permission to mount as attack from the Thai side. the request was denied, and hardliners in the Thai military are reportedly outraged by the shelling. The Thai business community, however_ now the most influential force in Thai politics_is keen to start exploiting teak forests and gem deposits in the region and will work with whoever controls the border. They are said to want refugees to be repatriated as soon as possible, so the area can be turned into a zone of economic actiovity. To this end, suspicions have been voiced that Thai soldiers are providing clandestine support to the DKBA. (BP) BKK POST: KARENNI REBEL GROUP SPOKESMAN DENIES SURRENDERING TO SLORC 25 March 1995 A Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP) executive member has denied surrendering to Burma's ruling State Law and Order Restoration Council (Slorc). His party totally denied Slorc's recent claim that his group had laid down arms, he said yesterday. The KNPP executive member, who did not want to be identified, said Slorc's announcement in Loikaw in eastern Burma on March 21 was "merely propaganda and a big lie to the world." "We will soon issue an official statement denying the announcement," he said. he was referring to reports published in the official Burmese media in rangoon and a radio announcement picked up by foreign news agencies. The announcement said Karen ethnic minority rebels had laid down arms and surrendered to Slorc in Loikaw in Kayah State. According to the KNPP executive member, after the KNPP reached a ceasefire agreement with Slorc, nine official KNPP representatives were sent to Loikaw in March to attend a formal signing ceremony. On March 21, the nine KNPP representatives and Slorc Secretary Major Gen Khin Nyunt attended the ceremony. At the ceremony the head of the KNPP was forced to say the KNPP had surrendered to Slorc. Slorc took the opportunity to broadcast to the world that 7,790 members with 9,000 weapons including mortars, recoilless, and an assortment of guns had surrendered with their weapons said the executive member. Actually no member of the KNPP had surrendered, nor were any arms given to Slorc, the Karen exewcutive member said. "The Karen will continue to implement their political objectives," he said.(BP) BKK POST: MORE REFUGEES EXPECTED AS FIGHTING GOES ON IN BURMA 25 March 1995 More Karen refugees are expected to flee across the border into Thailand to escape continuing battles between Burmese troops and the Karen national Union, according to an official border source. Umphang district chief Apichart Thiawpanich said the refugees have been detained at camps in Ban Tapeupu, Nong Luang and Klo Thor villages. The influx of more than 3,000 refugees followed the Burmese troops's effort to seize the KNU's Azin camp. District officials have been told to prepare for the arrival of another 4,000 Karen refugees who are reported to be ready to abandon their viollages if Burmese troops r3enew their attack on the KNU. It is expected that most of the refugees will make their way through Ban Perng Klerng. The Commander of Task Force 34, Col Direk Yamngamriab, led a medical team from the provincial Red Cross office to the refugee camps to provide the refugees with basec necessities. The commander said about 1,700 Burmese soldiers were geraring for a fresh attack on the KNU. The first group of soldiers will be deployed to suppress the KNU rebels from their Kanele camp further south, while another group will close in on Azin camp in an effort to gain control over the surrounding Karen villages.(BP) **************************SHAN STATE********************* THE NATION: BURMESE CLOSE BORDER CROSSING EARLY AMID FEARS OF NEW RAID 27 March 1995 Without prior official warning, Burmese authorities abruptly closed the side of the Tachilek- Mae Sai border crossing yester- day afternoon, two hours before the normal 6 pm closing time. While no official explanation was given, Thai border authorities and Tachilek residents suspected that the move was to facilitate a house-to-house search by Burmese troops checking point for infiltrators from opium warlord Khun Sa's Mong Tai Army (MTA), which launched a pre-dawn raid on the town last Monday. Speculation and rumours have been running high on both sides of the border that the MTA would attack Tachilek again today, which is Burmese Armed Forces Day. Fears of possible fighting caused a number of Shan and hilltribe people from Burma's southern Shan State to flee into Thailand. The Burmese gave people in Tachilek an hour's notice of the clo- sure. Hilltribe mothers, carrying or holding children, some with babies strapped on their back, were seen rushing across the Mae Sai River Bridge into Thailand shortly before Burmese immigration and police officers closed the crossing at 4 pm Burmese time (4.30 pm in Thailand). When informed of the early Burmese closure, several Mae Sai immi- gration and police officials went into Tachilek to warn Thai tourists or traders to return to Thailand before the deadline. After the closure, Mae Sai district chief Pakdi Rattanaphol went to Tachilek to negotiate the re-opening of the gate for stranded Thai and Burmese traders and commuters caught unawares on both of the border. He said he did not know while the Burmese sealed checkpoint and had learned of it only 10 minutes before the closure. Pakdi said his Burmese counterpart, Tachilek district chief U Htay Maung, told him the order came from higher authorities. Htay Maung told reporters that he did not know if the action was a security move, but he said that a second MTA raid on the town was not possible. The Burmese chief said he did not know how long the closure would last or whether the Burmese checkpoint would reopen today. Pakdi said the closure would benefit Thai traders as tourists would do their shopping on the Thai side. Thai immigration officers said the number of tourists visiting Mae Sai and Tachilek had dropped sharply since the MTA attack, from about 10,000 a day to about 2,000 yesterday. According to Thai border authorities, the Burmese army has move several thousand more fresh troops into Tachilek since the MTA attack. Military and intelligence and patrols were being conduct- ed around the clock, they said. Border officers said about 50 ethnic people from Mong Payak and Mong Ko, about 30 kilometres north of Tachilek, crossed into Baan Pa Daeng Luang in Mae Sai and asked for a temporary refuge in Thailand until the situation returned to normal. They said they fled in fear of more fighting and violence between the MTA and the Burmese army. Pakdi said Thai humanitarian policy towards refugees remained unchanged and that no foreign armed forces would be allowed on Thai soil. he added that he had told Burmese authorities "to try their best to prevent people from crossing into Thailand". "We have tried our best to limit the number of refugees. We have told them [Burmese authorities] to try their best to prevent the people from crossing into Thailand. We allow only mothers and children to come in," said Pakdi. The Mae Sai district chief said Thai security forces had been placed on alert, but he believed a second MTA raid was "hardly possible". (TN & PB) **************************SHAN STATE********************* NATION: RANGOON TO STRIKE AT KHUN SA FROM THE AIR, SAYS REPORT 26 MArch 1995 BURMESE trops are preparing to launch air strikes in their continuing bid to destry drug warlord Khun Sa's MTA army in BUrma's eastern border town of tachilek, THai television said. Channel 7, a military run-channel, quoted an MTA intelligence officer as saying in Thailand'd northern city of Chaing Rai that some assault aircraft of an unknown type or make were aeen landing at a tenporary airfield inside the Burmese Army's 33st headquarters in Tachilek. The MTA officer reportly said Rangoon was likely to strike areas controlled by Khun sa and Ban Ya-ay all within some 20 km of the border with Thailand. The television report said groound fighting took place Thursday in Maug Lung, some 50 km from Tachilek, when some 300 besieged Burmese troops were attacked by about 200 of Khun Sa'a MTA men. The MTA personnel seized 23 machine guns left behind by the soldiers who withdrew late in the day, it said. No casualties reports were given. It reported another major clash early on Friday at Mong Hai, some 23 km from Tachilek with a fierce firefight between some 300 MTA troops and 100 government soldiers. Khun Sa, the professed leader of the ethnic Shan, has demanded greater autonomy from Rangoon. His MTA, whose weapons are allegedly financed by drug profits, controls much of the opium-growing Shan State. Since late February Rangoon hAs sent increasing numbers of troops to crush th erebel leader after it successfully captured two main KNU rebel bases inthe south. It started attacking MTA strongholds in TAchilek on Monday. Also on Friday several thousand BUrmese troops laid siege to the KNU's 6th Brigade headquarters at Kya Inn Seikyi, opposite Thailand's Umpang district, and continued t shell it, Challel 7 said. Other BUrmeese troops raided Karen villages in the area suspected of supporting the KNU. Some 3,000 refugees have already fled the fresh fighting to Thailand, the television reported. (TN) ' *************************INSIDE BURMA************************* NATION: THAILAND'S ACTION ON KHUN SA GUERRILLAS ANGERS BURMA JUNTA 25 March 1995 Burma, in rare criticism of a neighbour, said it was seriously concerned by Bangkok's reaction to an incursion into northern Thailand last week by a group of separatist rebels who had raided Burmese army posts. Burma's state-run television, in a broadcast monitored in Bangkok late on Thursday, quoted a military official as saying Thailand's action towards the rebels of Khun Sa's Mong Tai (Shan state) Army (MTA) was "disturbing and deplorable". Burma's state-run media is widely considered the mouthpiece of Burma's ruling military body, the State Law and Order Restoration Council (Slorc). A group of about 60 guerrillas raided Burmese army positions in the northeastern Burmese border town of Tachilek on Monday. Burma's state media later said three troops, six rebels and two civilians were killed. After the raid, a band of MTA guerrillas fled to the Thai side of the border where they and their weapons were seized. Burmese authorities in Tachilek asked Thailand to repatriate the guerrillas, who instead were sent back to "their native place", Burmese media said, apparently referring to MTA-held territory in Burma. Earlier, Burma's state media alleged the MTA guerrillas attacked Tachilek from "the other country", a term they commonly use for Thailand, which allows refuge to civilians and disarmed soldiers from any side at times of fighting. Thai authorities do not force refugees, dissidents or guerrillas into areas held by their adversaries but push them back into areas considered safe for them, including guerrilla-held territory. "We cannot just push these people back to their deaths. It would not be fair and Thailand would be condemned for it," a Thai army official told Reuters yesterday. Last February, Thai authorities dis-armed about 1,000 Karen guerrillas who entered after abandoning a base just inside Burma. The Karen fighters were allowed to return to a zone in southeast Burma held by their comrades. Burmese television said on Thursday that Thailand should have respected Burmese sovereignty and handed the MTA rebels over to the Burmese army. "There should be mutual goodwill and respect between the two neighbouring countries," it quoted the military official as saying. They would be returned to the country concerned as a gesture of respect for sovereignty of the two countries but the opium trafficking terrorists were not extradited," it said. Thai government spokesman Akapol Sorasuchart yesterday defended Thailand's position in releasing captured members of Khun Sa's army, saying the government's plicy is to disarm such people and send them back if they want to return. "We don't have a policy of arming those who have fled without arms," Akapol said. He also denied reports that Thai authorities in Mae Sai district had sent any of those captured back to their bases in Tachilek. "We simply sent them across at routine border crossings." (TN & BP) *********************THAILAND********************** NATION: THAI GOVT URGED ACT AS BURMA MEDIATOR 26 March 1995 THE Thai government should act as "mediator" in the current fighting between the BUrmese government and KAren ethnic minority rebels along the Thai-Burmese border if it wants to resolve probles of an influx of KAren refugees and to avoid allegation that the government affords help to a certain group inthe BUrmese armed conflict, Army adviser Gen Kitti Rattanachaya said. Kitti said the current fighting between the minority rebels and BUrmese troops was similar to that between Chinese Communist in Malasia and Malasian troop, in which the Thai government successfully acted as a peace mediator for the neighbouring country. "I think the Thai government should act as mediator between the Karen ethnic minority and the BUrmese government ." Kitti said if the Thai government didi not intervene, the fighting could be prolonged indefinitely. "If the Thai government wants to solve the problem of an nflux of KAren (refugees) and to avoid accusation by some groups that it still renders help to the rebels, it should act as a mediator responsible for bringing the two sides (together) to sit down and talk reasonably," he said. (TN) NATION: GOVT URGED TO REROUTE PIPELINE 26 March 1995 THE threat of ethnic BUrmese guerrillas attacks on Thai worker has prompted PM's Office Minister KornDabarasi to prepare a request that the government reconsider the current route of the Electrcity Generating Authority of Thailand (Egat) gas pipeline project running from Burma to Kanchanaburi province. The planned request comes in the wake of two guerrillas attacks earlier this month which killed five members of a survey team and injured several others. "I'll ask the government to consider changing the location of the gas pipeline from Burma,"Korn told the Nation in Nakhon Ratchasima province. The minister, whose office oversees Egat, said the present route of tine runs through areas controlled by Karen and Mon minority groups, who the BUrmese authorities have failed to bring under control. There fore, it would be risky building a 2,800 megawatt electricity generating plant, worth about Bt 10 billion, in Ratchaburi province using the gas from BUrma, Korn said. "I am very worried that the plant would be unable to generate electricity as expexted, after larg einvestment, because of possible attacks by minority groups," he said. Korn said he has discussed the matter with Egat leaders and will propose to the government that the gas pipepline be laid in locations under the full control of BUrmese authorities. Defence Minister Vijit Sookmark said earlier that troops will not be sent into BUrma after construction gets underway. It is planned that natural gsa will be sent from reserves in the Andaman Sea in BUrma to Kanchanaburi, a distance of around 400 km. It would then travel a further 400 km to ratchburi where it will feed an electricity geerating plant. Also participating in the project are the Petroleum Authority of Thiailand and three BUrmese state enterprise firms. The attack on the naturral gas pipeline survey team was carried out on March 7 near the village of Kanbauk in Burma. The slin and injureed victims were BUrmese nationls. French oil company Total said. Total spokeman Joseph Danel announced earlier that the attack was carried out by a "solidly armed force" and occured as the BUrmese workers were carrying out preparatory work on the project. The pipeline is being built by Total and California-based Unocal. If completed, it would carry gas from the coast of Burma to Thailand, going through areas of southeastern Burma in which Karen nd Mon ethnic minority guerrillas operate. But BUrmese studemts announced later that the slain victims included a Frenchman. The BUrmese student said two of the tevhnicians were kiled when froces of the KNU's 10th BAttaian opened fired on three BUrmese military helicopters carrying the pipeline project team to Kan Bauk township in BUrma's southern Tenasserm division. Three others were wounded and aircrafted back to Rangoon but pronounced dead on arrival at Minhaladon Airport, where a Total representative was present. They were flown into the military, not the regular civilian, sector of the airport. "At the airport Mr Herbico of total Co came and received the bodies," said a atatement released by theAl Burma Students Dmocratic Front (ABSDF). It said the one-hour attack took placeabout 10 am as the helicopters, carrying French and BUrmese technicians and a BUrmese military strategist from the Southern Regional Comand, were descending to the ground. The student group said the BUrmese junta, Slorc, deliberately blacked out the information, as they seriously worry about it affecting the investment". Usnally, the ABSDF is an ally of the KNU. KNU also far has declined to confirm or deny the statement of the ABSDF. An ABSDF member said his group released the statement without proor consulation with KNU. (TN) *************************INTERNATIONAL****************** THE NATION: 6-WAY MEET SET IN BURMA ON 'PROGRESS' OF MEKONG 25 March 1995 Ministers from the six countries along the Mekong river basin are scheduled to meet in Burma in April this year to discuss the latest development of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) sponsored Greater Mekong Sub-regional, Economic Development Project, which covers basic infrastructural projects linking Burma, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, and Southern China to the northern part of Thailand. According to Deputy Prime Minister Supachai Panitchpakdi the ADB should complete its final report on transport and energy projects by April. Studies into another four sectors_tourism, telecom, energy and human resources development_will be presented to the ministers latr. The ADB-sponsered joint development projects are a part of the international community's efforts to rebuild the Indochinese countries through region-wide assistance programmes. Speaking at the Private Sector Symposium for Comprehensive Development of Indochina yesterday, Supachai said it's timely for the private sector to actively participate in infrastructural projects, especially when the Indochinese countries are struggling to transform from centrally-planned to market-oriented economies. Sang Ryvannak, the representative from Cambodia, told the participants at yesterday's forum that to achieve the rehabilitation plan, "We need to mobilize funds not only from our traditional sources such as multilateral and bilateral donors but also from the private sector. Private sector participation is important and desirable in the long term for the development of this sub-region," he asserted. Organized by the Japanese government, yesterday's Private Sector Symposium, with more than 200 participants, was a follow-up seminar to February's ministerial meeting for Comprehensive Development of Indochina, held in Japan. At that time, the ministerial meeting agreed to set up three working groups to oversee the development programme in the Indochinese region. The first advisory group, chaired by japan, has been assigned to work on infrastructure projects in the Indochinese region. The group will work with ADB. The second group, chaired by France, has been assigned to work on human resource development. This working group will work closely with the United nations Development Programme (UNDP). The third working group, chaired by Thailand, will work on trade and investment for comprehensive development in Uindochina. They will cooperate with the Working Commission for Asia and pacific (Escap). "The interest from the private sector does not come only from Asians but also from Europe," Supachai said. He added as an example, a week from now a group of 70 top executives from Europe will visit Indochinese countries and Burma. The trip by the European businessmen is a follow-up to the World Economic Forum held in January this year at Davos, Switzerland. Supachai said the private sector might participate in areas such as the renovation of airports and transport routes. He said that the Thai government three years ago approved a US$2 million budget to help renovate parts of the Luang Prabang airport. However, the Lao government has recently told him that the country needs more money because they hope to fully renovate the Luang Pranang Airport. In response, Thailand said it would likely extend assistance comes with help from the private sector. Apart from the airport renovation project, the Thai government also approved a budget of Bt20 million last year to help Laos develop an electricity plant at Pak Chan, an another US$6 million to help renovate a 48 kilometre transport route in Cambodia_route number 5 to link Poipet--Srisophon. The Thai government also has set aside US$15 million in fiscal year 1995 for special technical assistance programmes to countries in Indochina. Sang Ryvannak said in the case of Cambodia, the war-ton country has an urgent need to develop the transport and energy sector to reconstruct its economy, which was completely destroyed by the end of the 1970's. Doctor Bountheuang MounIasy, a representative from Laos, stressed that the Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) alone from bilateral and multilateral donors is not suffeicient to finance the development programmes, and active contributions from the private sector are also needed. Takashi Itedani, a representative from Keidanran the federation of Japanese Industries_said that the private sector is willing to fully engage in sub-regional projects only if the government provides basic infrastructure including a legal framework and qualified human resources. Yukitoshi Funo, a representative from Keizaidouyukai, said the private sector would consider three key factors before they decide to do business in any country. These are cost, delivery and quality of goods. He said that investors would be reluctant to do business in those countries if the investment climate is not supportive. He cited the result odf last year's survey among Japanese businessmen on how they view the Indochinese market. He said over past decades, Japanese and Asian investors have successfully cooperated in promoting marketing activities in the region because of the labour cost. (TN) ************************************************************** NEWS SOURCES REGULARLY COVERED/ABBREVIATIONS USED BY BURMANET: ABSDF: ALL BURMA STUDENT'S DEMOCRATIC FRONT AMNESTY: AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL AP: ASSOCIATED PRESS AFP: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE AW: ASIAWEEK Bt.: THAI BAHT; 25 Bt. EQUALS US$1 (APPROX), BBC: BRITISH BROADCASTING CORPORATION BF: BURMA FORUM BKK POST: BANGKOK POST (DAILY NEWSPAPER, BANGKOK) BRC-CM: BURMESE RELIEF CENTER-CHIANG MAI BRC-J: BURMESE RELIEF CENTER-JAPAN CPPSM:C'TEE FOR PUBLICITY OF THE PEOPLE'S STRUGGLE IN MONLAND FEER: FAR EAST ECONOMIC REVIEW GOA: GOVERNMENT OF AUSTRALIA IRRAWADDY: NEWSLETTER PUBLISHED BY BURMA INFORMATION GROUP KHRG: KAREN HUMAN RIGHTS GROUP KNU: KAREN NATIONAL UNION Kt. BURMESE KYAT; UP TO 150 KYAT-US$1 BLACK MARKET 106 KYAT US$1-SEMI-OFFICIAL 6 KYAT-US$1 OFFICIAL MOA: MIRROR OF ARAKAN MNA: MYANMAR NEWS AGENCY (SLORC) THE NATION: A DAILY NEWSPAPER IN BANGKOK NCGUB: NATIONAL COALITION GOVERNMENT OF THE UNION OF BURMA NLM: NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR (DAILY STATE-RUN NEWSPAPER,RANGOON) NMSP: NEW MON STATE PARTY RTA:REC.TRAVEL.ASIA NEWSGROUP RTG: ROYAL THAI GOVERNMENT SCB:SOC.CULTURE.BURMA NEWSGROUP SCT:SOC.CULTURE.THAI NEWSGROUP SEASIA-L: S.E.ASIA BITNET MAILING LIST SLORC: STATE LAW AND ORDER RESTORATION COUNCIL TAWSJ: THE ASIAN WALL STREET JOURNAL UPI: UNITED PRESS INTERNATIONAL USG: UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT XNA: XINHUA NEWS AGENCY **************************************************************