**************************BurmaNet*************************** "Appropriate Information Technologies, Practical Strategies" ************************************************************* The BurmaNet News:12 APRIL 1995 Issue #145 ************************************************************** NOTED IN PASSING: Contents: *************************INSIDE BURMA************************ THE NATION: BURMA SEEKS INDIAN CAPITAL IRRAWADDY: MEETING WITH TIN OO IRRAWADDY: A LETTER FROM RANGOON IRRAWADDY & BKK POST: AVTIVISTS ARRESTED AFTER RANGOON DEMONSTRATION ABSDF: FORCED LABOUR ON TAVOY-YEBYU RAILWAY ********************KAREN STATE/KAWTHOOLEI******************** THE NATION: KNU READY FOR TRUCE TALKS WITH SLORC ***********************THAILAND****************************** BKK POST: MANDARIN LOOKS TO BURMA HOTEL ************************** SHAN STATE *********************** IRRAWADDY: PHONY WAR AGAINST KHUN SA GETS REAL IRRAWADDY: BIOGRAPHY OF KHUN SA ************************************************************** The BurmaNet News is an ********************************* electronic newspaper * Iti * covering Burma. 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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] **********************BURMA ON THE WEB************************ Information about Burma is available via the WorldWideWeb at: BurmaNet News webpage: http://taygate.au.ac.th/web/michael/bnn/bnn.htm BurmaWeb http://www.uio.no/tormodl FreeBurma website http://199.172.178.200/freebrma/freebrma.htm. [including back issues of the BurmaNet News as .txt files] ************************************************************** ************************************************************** BURMA SEEKS INDIAN CAPITAL 11 April 1995 Burmese Trade Minister Tun Kyi yesterday urged Indian indus- trialists to invest in his country, saying their countries' first agreement to govern border trade would help to boost business ties. "India tops the list of countries in the developing world and we are keen to expand trade," Lieutenant General Kyi told a business chamber here. "The recent border agreement is a step in the right direction." New Delhi and Rangoon signed the treaty in January 1994 and a border trade post between the two neighbours, which had curso- ry diplomatic links for more than three decades, will reopen tomorrow at a ceremony attended by Kyi. The minister said Rangoon had launched irreversible market reforms in September 1998, ending decades of socialist insula- tion and attracting foreign investment worth $2.3 billion from 17 countries. "Britain and Thailand are the leading foreign investors in Burma," he said, adding that the economy had grown steadily since 1990, with the gross domestic product posting a six-per- cent rise in 1993-94. "There are 120 investment projects at the implementation stage," he said. "We have social and economic reform, we are lifting technical barriers to trade and are going towards privatisation. "we have to do it (liberalise) carefully," he added. Kyi accused the Western media of waging a "disinformation" campaign, saying it sought to dissuade overseas businessmen on moral and economic grounds. "I want you to know the real situation in Burma," he said. "There have been no killings of monks, students and innocent civilians by the military regime ... and we protect human rights and have democracy." "The concept of human rights differs inn the East and the West," he said. Burma's military government has been frequently criticised by numerous countries and human rights organizations for cracking down on dissidents and the prolonged house detention of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi. Khin Maung Oo, a senior trade official accompanying Kyi, said Burma offered three-year renewable tax holidays for joint ventures in which the minimum foreign capital participation would be 35% of the equity. Indo-Burmese trade grew to $138 million in fiscal 1993-94 form a paltry $27 million in 1989-90, but is far below the potential. Meanwhile, the historic Burmese city of Bagan is set to have a $23 million luxury hotel following a memorandum of understanding with Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group Ltd, it was announced yesterday in Hong Kong. In a statement, Mandarin Oriental said the single-storey hotel, set amid landscaped gardens, would comprise 100 suites 'in full harmony with the cultural and environmental sensitivities of the region.' It is to open in mid-1997, added the group, which is controlled by Hong Kong-based Jardine Matheson ltd and is best known for The Oriental in Bangkok and the Mandarin Oriental in Hong Kong. (Bp) KNU READY FOR TRUCE TALKS WITH SLORC 11 April 1995 The Karen National Union is ready to negotiate a ceasefire with the State Law and Order Restoration Council as soon as the Burmese government wants, said a KNU source living near the Thai-Burmese border line in Tak Province. The stance was proposed by KNU president Gen Bo Mya in his letter sent on April 2, 1995, to a reconciliation committee set up by the Slorc, the source said yesterday. The committee consists of a legal expert, Tun Aung Chin, retired military officers, Aye Soe Myint and Saw Richard, a priest, Saw Mar Gay Gyi and a university lecturer, Saw Ka Daw, according to the source. The reconciliation committee responded in another letter dated April 3, 1995, that Gen Bo Mya's letter had already been sent to Let Gen Khin Nyunt, First General Secretary of Slorc, said the source, adding it was expected that Slorc's decision on the cease-fire proposal could be made known soon. The hand-written letter of Gen Bo Mya stated that the KNU wanted Burma to become peaceful and called for the Slorc to be sincere in peace negotiations as previous rounds of talks always failed to yield a positive result due to misunderstanding between both parties, the source said. In his letter, Gen Bo Mya also informed Slorc chairman Gen Than Shwe's recent speech urging all Burmese minorities to join peace talks for the sake of Burma, the source said. The speech was delivered on the occasion of the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the foundation of the Burmese armed forces on March 27, 1995. The request had caused about 40 minorities, including 13 powerful groups, to seal cease-fire agreement with Slorc, the source said. The KNU, which was founded to resist the Burmese Government more than 46 years ago, was supported by a meeting of Burmese minorities, held near the border line recently, to settle its conflict with the Burmese Government, the source said. The meeting was attended by members of the Democratic Alliance of Burma, including Pado Mahn Sha, a KNU representative, U Tin Ohn, vice chairman of the National League for Democracy (NLD), U Tin Saw, a political expert from the New Era newspaper, Moe Thee Zun, chairman of All Burma Students Democratic Front (ABSDF)in South Area, U Mya Saw, member of ABSDF's Central Committee, and U Aung Saw Oh, member of NLD's committee, the source said. (BP & TN) MANDARIN LOOKS TO BURMA HOTEL 11 April 1995 Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, the parent firm of Oriental hotel Bangkok, has entered into a joint venture with Italian- Thai Development Plc to build a 100-room first class hotel in Burma. A memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between both parties and the Burmese Ministry for Hotels and Tourism took place on April 7. The MoU calls for construction of a first calls hotel beside the Irrawaddy River, to the east of Pagan, a tourist destination of historical interest. The project's shareholder structure is: 58% by the Oriental Bangkok, 25% by Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, and 25% by Italian-Thai. The project is expected to commence construction around the end of this year and is expected to be operational about mid- 1997. (BP) ANDAMAN CLUB 'NOT A CASINO' 11 April 1995 The Thai owner of 600-million-baht Andaman Club resort on Burma's son Island opposite Ranong province denies his establishment is a casino. But he said the resort, complete with a 210-room luxury hotel and a 18-hole golf course, was equipped with a "games room" where gambling is allowed to entertain tourists. The resort project, located only five kilometres from the Thai border, faced criticism from various sectors in Thailand who claimed it was gambling den, intended to attract Thai gamblers places inn Macau and Malaysia. The resort is expected to be open soon. Mr Vikrom Ai-siri of Ves Group, which owns the resort project and a number of other business ventures in Burma, said the games room would not be open to the public, but restricted to "exclusive members." "We just have a 'games room with various kinds of slot machines," said mr Vikrom without elaborating. He said the project will boost Ranong's economy by offering a variety of tourist attractions - the Andaman sea, a golf course designed by Jack Nicklaus on the 7,000-rai island, and duty free shopping. "Not everyone likes gambling. There are other attractions in the resort," mr Vikrom, adding tourists can enjoy sightseeing in some beautiful Burmese islands, including parts of the strategic coral of St Mathew island. mr Vikrom said the project is 95 per cent completed, including a pair at Wat Khao Nanghong to transfer tourists to the island. The hotel is preparing to lay a pipeline from Ranong to supply fresh water to the island. The hotel's soft opening is expected at the end of May or beginning of June, while the grand opening is planned for October. The Ves Group is also building a four-star hotel in Ranong to a accommodate tourists prior to going to Son island, also known as the Pulo Ru island. It is scheduled to be completed next year. He said Thai tourists can go there with a border pass. Concerned authorities are working on the possibility of issuing visas to foreigners in Ranong when it becomes a permanent border checkpoint. The Andaman Club is 100 per cent foreign investment under the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) condition. Land is leased for 30 years with an annual rental of US$1.25 million. Mr Vikrom is known to be close to some high ranking officials in Burma. he is also involved inn logging business and a gems cutting and setting factory, jointly with the sate-owned Myanmar Gems Enterprise. (BP) >>>>>>>> The IRRAWADDY <<<<<<<< MEETING WITH TIN OO THE UN's Special rapporteur visited Burma last year and met with some prominent political prisoners including ex-army Gen Tin U. Tin U was freed last month as Slorc marked its 50th anniversary of Armed Forces Day. U Tin U was in good health and seemed to speak freely without fear. He told the Special Rapporteur that inmates had been busy for three days prior to his arrival, painting and cleaning the prison premises. The meeting took place in front of a small shack where he was being kept in isolation. At the outset, U Tin U proclaimed that he was a political prisoner despite the claim of the authorities that he was an ordinary criminal. He stated that he had suffered five months of effective house arrest before being brought before a martial court on numerous charges. He said that he had been charged, in particular, with: (a) inciting the entire population for democracy and human rights; (b) corresponding with parliamentarians of the European Community, Japan and the United States of America; and (c) meeting with military personnel and other groups. U Tin U declared: I love the army, but I love the people more than the army. He stated that after the 1990 elections many people had been detained for a long time without trial as ordinary criminals. He had sought their release and remedies. So, he had come to this fate. U Tin U indicated that his treatment was good. The doctor took good care of him although a shortage of medicines was a problem. His wife came to see him every two weeks. He had access to all the religious books and the New Light of Myanmar, but he received no other information and had no other sources of entertainment. A LETTER FROM RANGOON A correspondent from Rangoon asked about the situation in Thailand and Maner-plaw. Are there any changes? No change here they (military leaders) keep stealing and corrupting! But the letter went on: hundreds of prisoners were taken to Myitkyina, (capital of Kachin State) to construct a airport. Last month, there was a raid on boats carrying goods to black markets. It was believed that Lt-Gen Sein Htwa's son, who is also navy officer, is involved in this illegal trade. About 20 custom officers were arrested. The source in Rangoon explained the arrests. Because the police asked for share but the navy and custom had refused to share. The source continued Secretary One knew about this case but he did not say anything because of the navy's involvement. It was not reported in the New Light of Myanmar. (Inside sources) PHONY WAR AGAINST KHUN SA GETS REAL BY A CORRESPONDENT His Chinese name is Chang Chifu although he is better known as and reviled through out the world by his Shan nameKhun Sa. A former US ambassador in Thailand described him as the worst enemy the world has. Southeast Asia's Pablo Escobar, Khun Sa is currently the target of a major Rangoon offensive. Last month, Burmese military government vowed to take Khun Sa's headquarters at Ho Mong and mobilised more than 10,000 soldiers opposite the base. Slorc's spokesman Col Kyaw Thein branded Khun Sa as just a criminal and the had been excluded from the truce process offered to other ethnic insurgents. Coincidently, the US State Department reently released a statement on Burma saying: Burma remained the undisputed leader in world illicit opium output, providing over 50 per cent of known global production. Rangoon attacked the drug baron's headquarters in 1994 but suffered heavy loses. It was, however, considered part of a Slorc show. This time Rangoon again turned their guns on notorious drug warlord. Rangoon's decision to take on Khun Sa leaves them with nothing to lose but much to gain, analysts noted. If it succeeds, Rangoon's struggle to re-enter the world community will be much easier than before. As no one is going to defend him, attacking Khun Sa is a win-win situation. But the important question remains: Is Rangoon determined to wipe out Khun Sa? On March 13 Rangoon forces bombarded the stronghold. Unlike Mon and Karen insurgent armies Khun Sa's troops countered the government's offensive. Khun Sa's Mong Tai Army demolished a steel bridge in Tachilek. Then briefly attacked Tachilek Airport and staged a pre-dawn raid on the town itself. According to refugees who fled to the Thai soil the battle in Tachilek was fierce. A source in Mae Sai said next target may be the capital of Shan State, Taunggyi . He said Khun Sa's military strategy is much better than Karen. He won't allow Slorc to focus on Ho Mong. Khun Sa's army is regarded as the best-equipped ethnic militia in Burma. His 20,000 troops are armed with a wide array of weapons from AK-47 automatic rifles to SAM7 missiles. Undoubtedly, Rangoon leaders are aware that they will suffer more than the recent battles with Karen insurgents at Kawmoora. But to impress the world community, and most important of all, to sway the US government to resume aid, Slorc has no alternative but to fight. The US government criticized the Slorc, The government of Burma continues to treat counter-narcotics efforts as a matter of secondary importance. Khun Sa is not without his problems. While Rangoon was reinforcing its troops in Shan State, authorities announced on March 19 that five Khun Sa aides in Taunggyi, were arrested on charges of extortion. The arrest followed a sweep by Thai authorities that netted his top lieutenants in Thailand. The Far East Review reported that the The recent arrests have seriously crippled Khun Sa's supply network in Thailand. Further, Bangkok assigned a special military unit, the Naseruan Force, to block supply routes to Khun Sa's headquarters, leading some observers to speculate that the MTA may face shortage of food, ammunition and medicine. Others Burma watchers disagree. There are many routes Khun Sa can use to get supplies. He is still getting them and his army is as strong as before, said one. Nevertheless, even if Khun Sa was wiped out, will the opium production and drug trafficking in Burma halt? Many remained unconvinced. Since Khun Sa is not alone in this business the question raised again how will Rangoon deal with other drug traffickers? The US State Dept's report said: Most of the country's drug production and trafficking is under the control of insurgents armies. The government has no direct control over the activities of these armies, but it has both political and economic leverage with these groups. It has failed to use this leverage on these groups to reduce drug production and trafficking. In 1989 Rangoon had made a peace with the former Communist Party of Burma whose core is predominantly Wa and Kokang, who have been producing and selling their opium for many years. After the agreements were struck they are no longer insurgents and they continue to run their business without trouble. Last year the Far East Review noted: The US embassy in Rangoon reported in a recent analysis that a majority of the 34-40 refineries located in the Golden Triangle's opium-growing area are no longer under Khun Sa's protection. Instead, most of Burma's heroin and are controlled by the narco-insurgent organisations of the Wa and Kokang... these labs suffer little threat of interference from the Burma army. The findings led Washington-based officials to conclude: Maybe we have been misled by all this focusing on Khun Sa. Other traffickers have emerged, some of them even more powerful than he is. The future of bilateral cooperation hinges on Slorc's progress on human rights, democratisation, as well as improvements in Burma's unilateral drug control efforts. In Burma in revolt, opium and insurgency since 1984, Bertil Lintner writes, No anti-drug policy in Burma has any chance of success unless it is linked to a real political solution to the civil war and a meaningful democratic process in Rangoon. The alternative is continuing strife which will keep the heroin flowing. BIOGRAPHY OF KHUN SA Sino-Shan. Born in 1934 in Hpa-perng village in the Loi Maw area of Mong Yai, northern Shan State, of a Chinese father ad a Shan mother. His father died when he was a child, and his mother remarried the Shan myosa of Mong Tawm 9 tax collector under the Mong Yai saopha). Chang grew up with his Chinese grandfather who was the headman of Loi Maw. Joined an armed band in the Loi Maw area in the early 1950s and frequently shifted sides between the government and the rebels. In 1963 his private army was converted into a government-recognised Ka Kwe Ye (home guard) force under the northeastern command of the Burmese Army in Lashio. His forces attacked Shan rebel forces in the area and in return he was allowed to trade in opium and heroin. Became one of Burma's most prominent drug traffickers in the 1960s, but lost to KMT rivals in a famous battle at the Lao-Thai-Burma border junction in July 1967. His fortunes dwindled and he was arrested by the Burmese authorities on 20 October 1969. His men subsequently went underground an on 16 April 1973 kidnapped two Soviet doctors from the hospital in Taunggyi. In exchange for their freedom, Chan was released from Mandalay jail on 7 September 1974. he joined his men underground in February 1976 and moved to Ban Hin Taek near the Burmese border in northern Thailand. He then assumed the Shan name Khun Sa and his former home guard unit was renamed the Shan United Army, ostensibly a rebel army. He was forced out of Thailand in January 1982 but quickly built new bases on the Burmese side of the border, where he established a new working relationship with Burma's military authorities. He merged his SUA with Mong Heng's Thai revolutionary Council on 25 March 1985. Khun Sa became chairman of the TRC (renamed the Shan State restoration Council in 1991) in September 1991 following Moh Heng's death in July. Resigned in July 1992 and Bo Dewing was appointed figurehead leader of the SSRC. Re-elected SSRC president on 12 December 1993. AVTIVISTS ARRESTED AFTER RANGOON DEMONSTRATION FIFTY pro-democracy activists were detained a after a rare public demonstration in Rangoon last month, and those arrested may be at risk of ill-treatment or torture, according to the Amnesty International. In a statement the group said it is gravely concern for the young activities arrested on Feb 20 during the funeral possession for Burma's prime minister, U Nu. The young people gathered peacefully at the side of his funeral procession and shouted a slogans, and than were apparently arrested, the statement said. However, inside sources reported that they sung a song and lid a wreath on behalf of DPNS (Democratic Party for New Society). In fact, DPNS went underground in 1992 and joined the DAB (Democratic Alliance of Burma) at Manerplaw. Amnesty International urgently called on the military authoritis to ensure that none of these activities are tortured or ill-treated while in detention. The statement said two of the demonstrators, Maung Maung and Moe Myat Thu, were badly beaten by Military intelligence agents as they were arrested. Moe Myat Thu was a close associate of Suu Kyi. Another of those arrested, Ni Ni, is a sister of the first student killed in 1988 when mass demonstrations broke out to protest 26 years of one party rule, the statement said. Ni Ni and Moe Myat Thu also have been arrested previously. According to reliable sources: Ye Ye Htun, M.Sc (computer science), Aye Aye Moe, Kalayar, Moe Myat Thu, Aung Zaya, Maung Maung Wan, Maung Maung Oo and Tin Than Oo were arrested. Sources in Rangoon reported about 9 activists were tried on March 10. (BP& BIG) >>>>>>>>>> From A B S D F NEWS AGENCY <<<<<<<<<<<< ALL BURMA STUDENTS' DEMOCRATIC FRONT CENTRAL COMMITTEE HEADQUARTERS Burma Update News April 11, 1995 FORCED LABOUR ON TAVOY-YEBYU RAILWAY LINE In Tennessarium Division, the new railway line from Tavoy to Yebyu, a part of the Ye to Tavoy railway line, will be opened by SLORC in April. To complete construction work in time, the SLORC authorities are forcing the people from four townships, Tavoy, Yebyu, Longlon and Thayetchaung, in Tavoy region, to work as porters. The people in that region were forced to be porters once in every fifteen days, with their own expenses. Moreover, since January 1995, every family has been taking responsibility for the cost of 100 cubic feet of stone for paving the way and supplying for the monthly railway fund from 200 to 500 Kyats regularly. The people who are unable to work as porters are imposed a fine from 1,500 to 2,000 kyats. Each member of Local Law and Order Restoration Council, from respective villages, has to accompany the porters, to the railway line working centers, to perform as an in-charge so that the porters may not escape. At the railway line working center of the Zahar village, between Tavoy and Yebyu township, altogether 300 prisoners are kept in fetter and forced to work. Since November, 1993, Ye-Tavoy new railway line, which is 110 miles long, has been constructed by over 20,000 porters. The SLORC intends to complete it in 1996, the visit Burma year. For paving the way, the ground, 100 meters in width, has to be cleared. To build the main railway line, which is 15 feet wide and 16 feet high, mound has to be piled up. To be porters, not only males but also females and children were forced to work. In constructing it, the soldiers from the SLORC's Light Infantry Regiments, No 343, 402, 403, 407, and 410 are watching the porters and their work closely. Due to the question of the porters, everyday, from 50 to 100 people from the four townships mentioned abo e, escape to the Thai Burma border. The SLORC sponsored National Convention recognized the Self-administered Division and Self-administered Zone On April 7, 1995, SLORC sponsored National Convention, held in Rangoon, recognized the Self-administered divisions and Self-administered zones for the ethnic nationalities, that are Wa, Naga, Danu, Pa-oh, Palaung and Kokant. They are as follows: 1. Self-administered division for Wa (6 townships from Shan State - Hopan, Mongmaw, Panwaing, Na Phan, Manpant and Panyan -- was formed as two districts) 2. Self-administered zone for Naga (Nangyon, La Hae and Lae Shi townships in Sagaing Division) 3. Self-administered zone for Danu (Ywa Ngan and Pindaya townships in Shan State) 4. Self-administered zone for Pa-oh (Hopong, Seseng and Pinglaung townships in Shan State) 5. Self-administered zone for Palaung (Namsang and Mangtong townships in Shan State) 6. Self-administered zone for Kokant (Konggyan and Laukkaing townships in Shan State) Most of the elected representatives, political parties' delegates and most of the indigenous nationalities' delegates objected to the recognition of the Self=administered divisions and Self-administered zones in the present National Convention. They submitted the idea that only when the will of the ethnic nationalities living in the respective areas has been collected, it should be carried out, and for that purpose, a commission should be formed. Nevertheless, Lt. General Myo Nyunt, the chairman of the National Convention Convening Commission, rejected that submission by reasoning that, in order to implement the 6 objectives, the SLORC has the authority to carry out that; and, there was no need to ask. The National Convention was adjourned until October 23. Although, in the initial stages, 702 delegates attended the NC, on September 2, at its fifth session, only 633 delegates were present. ABSDF News Agency ************************************************************** 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. 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