o------------------------- BurmaNet -------------------------o "Appropriate Information Technologies, Practical Strategies" o------------------------------------------------------------o The BurmaNet News: 28 APRIL 1995 Issue #159 o------------------------------------------------------------o NOTED IN PASSING: "The shit has hit the fan." A border relief official on events along the Thai/Burma border today. What Thai authorities are doing to the Mon refugees today is directly connected to Thailand's agreement with Slorc for the purchase of natural gas -it's as simple as that" "The past year has been an encouraging one for the generals who run Myanmar...But just as things seemed to be going right, they have started to go wrong." The Economist magazine, noting signs of success by activists pressuring companies to pull out of Burma. o------------------------------------------------------------o BURMANET: UP TO 1000 DKBA/SLORC TROOPS HIT 4 MORE REFUGEE CAMPS KNU: CONCERNING ATTACKS ON THE REFUGEE CAMPS REUTERS: BURMESE TROOPS BURN KAREN CAMP IN THAILAND THE NATION: WITH A 'FRIEND' LIKE THIS ONE, THAILAND DOESN'T NEED ENEMIES THE NATION: NSC: NO NEED OF FOREIGN FORCE TO HELP MAN BORDER NATION: THAILAND'S PROTESTS OVER BURMESE BORDER INCURSIONS GROW LOUDER ECONOMIST: MACY'S NO LONGER SHOPS AT MYANMAR BURMANET: "BEYOND RANGOON" BURMANET: CHIN LEADER DIES IN INDIAN ARMY CUSTODY AP: BURMA'S RICH-POOR GAP WIDENS AP: GUERRILLAS KILL NINE IN BURMA SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL TO PEPSI, UNOCAL, TEXACO--SAY NO TO BURMA ABSDF-MTZ: SLORC'S HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES AGAINST KAREN REFUGEES ON THAI SOIL NATION: WOMAN REFUGEE JAILED, PARTED FROM ILL BABY> BANGKOK POST: BURMA JUNTA ASKED TO RECONSIDER VISA REQUEST BANGKOK POST: FM HOSTS BREAKFAST TO BOOST ASEAN TIES BANGKOK POST: BURMA ASSURES NO CHANGE IN GAS PIPE ROUTE DESPITE RAIDS BANGKOK POST: CHUAN ISSUES WARNING ON BORDER RAIDS o------------------------------------------------------------o o-------------------------------o The BurmaNet News is an | | electronic newspaper | Iti | covering Burma. 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For a | governedbythe | free subscription to | ruleoflaw... | the BurmaNet News, send | Fearisahabi | an e-mail message to: | t.Iam | | no | majordomo@igc.apc.org | taf | | ra | In the body of the message, | id. | type: subscribe burmanews-l | Aun | [news only mailing list], | gSa | or, for the news+discussion | nS | list, type: | uu | subscribe burmanet-l | Ky | | i. | Correspondance and letters o-------------------------------o to the editor should be addressed to: strider@igc.apc.org o------------------------------------------------------------o BURMANET: UP TO 1000 DKBA/SLORC TROOPS HIT 4 MORE REFUGEE CAMPS April 28, 1995 In their largest incursion to date, as many as 1,000 Burmese army and Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA) troops attacked four Karen refugee camps today. The attacks began early in the morning when "intruder" attacked a section of Me Ta Wa camp. Thai Border Patrol Police fired on the attackers but were forced to retreat. There are as yet unconfirmed reports that one Thai soldier was killed and another taken prisoner. The attacking troops burned the guard post at Me Ta Wa and then moved on to Sho Klo refugee camp at about 10:00am. After burning a section of Sho Klo, they moved on to Kler Klo camp and burned it to the ground. After Kler Klo, they returned to Kamaw Lay Ko and finished the job of destruction they began there on Tuesday. For the first time, the Thai authorities seem to be serious about responding. The Thais have brought up armored vehicles and aircraft and there were reports of running engagements with the intruders. In the words of one usually taciturn border relief official, "the shit has hit the fan." The highway between Mae Sot and Mae Sariang has been closed. No further information is available about casualties. Today's attacks bring to six the number of camps damaged or destoyed this week. The populations of the camps before the SLORC/DKBA attacks were: Mae Ra Ma Luang 4,583 Burned, 4/24 Mae Ta Wa 7,889 Burned in part, 4/19, 4/23, 4/28 (Kler Htay Loo subcamp, 4/23) Sho Klo 8,493 Burned in part (a subcamp) 4/28 Klay Mo Hta 3,659 Burned 4/25 Kler Kho 3,726 Burned in total, 4/28 Kamaw Lay Kho 4,039 Burned in part, 4/25 finished off, 4/28 In the original mutiny, some 400-500 Buddhist Karens defected from the Karen National Union to form the DKBA. There have been persistant reports that the DKBA is commanded by SLORC officers and that Burmese army troops are in the ranks. Burmese army troops have also been reported moving with DKBA forces both inside Burma and Thailand. Given the scale of today's incursion, a degree in rocket science is not required to figure out the DKBA didn't do this by itself. The possibility exists that the "DKBA" troops coming over the border are Karens from the Burmese army who have simply been issued new uniforms. Even prior to the mutiny in December 1994, there were more ethnic Karens in the Tatmadaw than there were in the KNU ranks. o------------------------------------------------------------o KNU: CONCERNING ATTACKS ON THE REFUGEE CAMPS OFFICE OF THE SUPREME HEADQUARTERS KAREN NATIONAL UNION KAWTHOOLEI Statement by KNU Foreign Affairs Department spokesperson concerning attacks on Karen refugee camps on the Thai- Burma border For immediate release: 26.4.95 During recent weeks incidents concerning the security of Karen refugees in Thailand have intensified and the KNU urges the Royal Thai government and the international community to take appropriate measures now to counter what has now become an escalating level of violence and destruction. During the course of two days , the 24th April , separate SLORC forces numbering in hundreds, made up mainly of SLORC soldiers with small numbers of Karen defectors , have attacked large and widely separated refugee camps. The escalating violence Events of the past week demonstrate the escalating the escalating cycle of violence and destruction. * On 19th April a group of about 20 SLORC troops and Karen defectors crossed the Moei River from the SLORC base at Mae Hta War , burned 30 houses and abducted 5 Karen refugees. Threats were made that more such attacks would result of the refugees refused to return to Burma. * On 23th April at 7.30 am about 300 SLORC troops crossed the Moei River to enter the Kler Htay Loo refugee camp not far from Mae Hta War . A clash occurred with camp security forces in which at least one person was killed and the village was burned down. * On the same day at 4.30 pm the SLORC troops attacked Mae Wee Khlo refugee camp inland from Kler Thay Loo. Again at least one person was killed during the fighting . The intruders then forced inland and set up road- blocks on the main Mae Sarieng- Mae Sod road, abducted 9 people and seized a pick-up truck. * On 24 April at 10 am SLORC troops returned to Kler Htay Loo , again clashed with camp security forces and burned Mae Loh village adjacent to Kler Htay Loo camp. A number of Karen refugees were abducted by the attackers. * Also on 24th April, another group of about 200 SLORC troops, including about 10-15 Karen defectors, crossed the Salween river at Pu Mya Loo and proceeded to attack a major new refugee camp at Maramu Khlo [ also known as Mae Ra Ma Luang] with a population of over 4,500 people . It is known that a number of refugees were abducted, that many refugees were injured and that two of the seven sections of the camp were burned as well as the rice store in one section . On this occasion the Thai army's 35th Task Force engaged the intruders. * According to the most recent information, at midnight on the next day, the 25th April, another group of SLORC forces attacked the Kamaw Lay Kho refugees camp between Mae Hta War and Mae Sod which also has a population of over 4,000 people . More than 300 houses were burned. The protection of Karen refugees in Thailand There are approximately 75,000 Karen refugees currently in camps inside Thailand along the Thai- Burma border as a result of the long running civil war and systematic abuse of the civilian population by the Burmese military . This includes approximately 10,000 recent arrivals who fled Burma as a result of the recent military offensive by SLORC troops against the KNU and the resulting withdrawal of the KNU from its headquarter at Marnerplaw and its base at Kawmoorah. The refugees have been allowed by the Royal Thai government to take refuge in Thailand and have been cared for by the Karen Refugee Committee with the help of a consortium of NGOs working in conjunction with the Thai authorities. Their welfare is monitored informally by representatives of Bangkok-based embassies and from time to time by a representative of the UNHCR. In the past , the security of the refugees has not been a major problem. Immediately following the recent SLORC offensive , SLORC troops, together with renegade Karen who defected from the KNU to the SLORC , began intruding into Thai territory , embarrassing unarmed refugees , distributing leaflets urging Buddhist refugees to return to Burma , threatening to destroy refugee camps and even abducting refugees. A number of deaths occurred as a result . These actions caused fear and confusion amongst the refugees. Many fled from established camps to new and less accessible locations and , in many camps , the refugees are still struggling to complete the establishment of adequate shelter in advance of the coming wet season. This will now be a major problem. The earlier threats to the security of the refugees caused by the intrusion of SLORC troops into Thailand, and efforts by the SLORC to force the refugees to return to Burma, prompted the KNU , on 25th February, to appeal for monitoring of the refugee situation on the Thailand -Burma border by an appropriate international body. Subsequent announcements by the Thai military that they would take steps to secure the camps were welcomed by the KNU . It is believed that the UNHCR has requested the Thai government for permission to play at least a nominal monitoring role through the placement of a protection for somewhere near the border, but as yet no action has been taken. The current escalating series of incidents proves beyond doubt that the SLORC is prepared to flagrantly disregard Thai sovereignty and the civil war in Burma has now very clearly crossed international boundaries. It also demonstrates that the level of protection provided so far by the Thai authorities is inadequate and that the SLORC is prepared to bring about the repatriation of Karen refugees who are clearly unwilling to return to Burma because of the persecution of Karen villagers on Karen areas under SLORC occupation. The KNU believes that it is undoubtedly in the interests of the refugees that they return to Burma , but insists that this should only occur through a systematic program of voluntary repatriation in accordance with international principles and practices and that this can only occur when a political solution is found to the political problems underlying the long civil war. That is why the KNU has continued to demand that cease fire negotiations with the SLORC include negotiation of the necessary political settlement . International action needed The disasters at Maramu Khlo and Kamaw Lay Kho points to two inescapable conclusions : 1. It is time for the Thai government and the international community to recognize the threat posed to regional security by the spill over effect of the civil war in Burma and to provide an effective international presence able to provide security to the refugees and to serve as an effective monitoring body in the Thai- Burma border area. 2. More than ever, it is time for the Thai government , the nations of the region and the international community to explore effective ways to bring about an end to the civil war and a political settlement which can bring peace and democracy to Burma. o------------------------------------------------------------o ECONOMIST: MACY'S NO LONGER SHOPS AT MYANMAR Bangkok The past year has been an encouraging one for the generals who run Myanmar. General in in, the finance minister, announced this month that his country had received pledges of $2.59 billion in investment since 1988, and the flow has quickened over the past year. But just as things seemed to be going right, they have started to go wrong. Anti-junta campaigners in America are claiming some success in their efforts to persuade companies to disengage from Myanmar. The latest to pull out is Federated Department Stores, which owns Macy's, Ny's largest shop. This month Macy's said it would stop buying clothes made in Myanmar. Eddie Bauer and Liz Claiborne, two other American retailers, have also pulled out. Levi Strauss withdrew two years ago. Eddie Bauer, which has had demonstrations outside its shops, cited Myanmar's lack of human rights. Macy's said it was put off by corruption in Myanmar. But pressure from the Coalition for Corporate Withdrawal from Burma, which wants a democratic government in Myanmar and the release of the opposition leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, probably also played a part. The coalition says the fall in December in Mannerplaw, headquarters of the Burmese resistance, drew attention to its cause. In February, the city council in Berkeley, California, decided not to buy goods produced by companies doing business in Myanmar. With a long history of radicalism, Berkeley was one of the first towns to take similar action against South Africa. Other bastions of American liberalism, among them Madison, Seattle and the state of Massachusettes, are mulling over anti-Myanmar legislation. Simon Billenness, an investment analyst and anti-junta campaigner, predicts that Myanmar "will be the South Africa of the 1990's." Perhaps not. The anti-aparteid campaign was helped by the political clout of black Americans. There are few Burmese in America, and fewer American businesses in Myanmar. But the American campaign could affect investment in Myanmar by Asian companies. Shops like Macy's and Eddie Bauer are not direct investors in Myanmar; they bought clothes from joint ventures involving companies from Hong Kong and Taiwan. Those companies will have to consider the anti-junta wishes of their clients. The single largest potential investor in Myanmar involves Unocal, a California oil company. Together with Total, a French company, and the Myanmar government, Unocal is engaged in developing gas fields in Myanmarand in building a pipeline that will carry the gas to Thailand. The total investment in the development could be as large as $1 billion. Anti-junta campaigners claim that forced labour is being used in the area of the pipeline and that villagers along the route are being forcibly moved. Because the pipeline would go through territory contested by rebel ethnic groups such as the Mon and the Karen, soldiers are needed to protect it. Unocals's petrol stations in California have been picketed and some shareholders have filed resolutions against the Myanmar investment. So far Unocal is adamant that it will stay the course. Its resolve is certain to be tested further." [picture of Aung San Suu Kyi stating "Americans want Suu Kyi out"] o------------------------------------------------------------o REUTERS: BURMESE TROOPS BURN KAREN CAMP IN THAILAND Category: international MAE SOT, Thailand, April 26 (Reuter) - A group of about 100 Burmese soldiers and members of an allied Karen guerrilla faction crossed into Thailand and set fire to a Karen refugee camp, leaving more than 3,000 people homeless, a Thai army officer said on Wednesday. The army source, based on the border, said the intruders crossed the Moei river, which forms the Thai-Burmese frontier, late on Tuesday night and then entered Kamaw Lay Ko camp in northwest Thailand. They looted and set fire to more than 300 buildings and then took an unknown number of people hostage, both Thai villagers and Karen refugees. The Thais were released before the intruders withdrew into Burma, the Thai officer said. The remainder of the camp's 3,000 inhabitants fled their homes and hid in a nearby forest, he said. Relief workers say Burmese troops and members of the allied Karen faction have launched a campaign of terror against the 70,000 Karen refugees in Thailand in an effort to force them back into government-controlled parts of Burma and deprive the KNU of its civilian support base. ``The current escalating series of incidents proves beyond doubt that the SLORC is prepared to flagrantly disregard Thai sovereignty, and the civil war in Burma has now very cleary crossed international boundaries,'' the KNU said. The SLORC is an acronym for Burma's ruling military body, the State Law and Order Restoration Council. ``It also demonstrates that the level of protection provided so far by the Thai authorities is inadequate and that the SLORC is prepared to use force to bring about the repatriation of refugees who are clearly unwilling to return,'' the KNU added. Thailand has complained to Burma several times about intrusions and violent attacks by Burmese troops and their allies but Burma's military government says any intrusions were by members of the breakaway Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA), not government troops. The DKBA was formed late last year after several hundred Karen fighters mutinied against the main Karen guerrilla force and joined Burmese government troops. ``It is time for the Thai government and the international community to recognise the threat posed to regional security by the spillover effect of the civil war in Burma and to provide an effective international presence able to provide security to the refugees,'' the KNU said. NATION: THAILAND'S PROTESTS OVER BURMESE BORDER INCURSIONS GROW LOUDER April 28 28.4.95/The Nation The Thai Army asked its Burmese counterpart yesterday to help prevent territorial violations by armed forces from Burma , while Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai questioned claims that Rangoon was not aware of the incidents. " We have heard some Karen forces may have been cooperation with Burma, so at least Burmese officials at the border level should have been aware of what happened," Chuan said. Thailand will dodge a further protest note to Burma in order to seek an explanation on the " unacceptable " incursions, Deputy Foreign Minister Surin Pitsuwan said yesterday. " We want Rangoon to ensure us that there will be no repeat of such incidents, which have made Thais unhappy ," Surin said . Additional border patrol police and military soldiers have been dispatched to the area to ensure the people's safety. In Chiang Mai, the Thai Army's request was made after three serious territorial violations, and attacks on refugee camps in northern Tak and Mae Hong Song provinces were staged by several hundred renegade armed Karen last Sunday and Tuesday. The incidents occurred while senior Army leaders from both countries were attending the 11th Thai- Burmese Regional Border Committee in Phitsanulok and Chiang Mai between April 25-27. Several people were killed and injured and over a hundred Karen civilian refugees were forced at gunpoint to cross the Salween River back to Burma. The Third Region Army Commander, Lt Gen Surachet Dechatiwong, who chaired the meeting on Tuesday, unexpectedly cancelled the forum and asked for leave on Wednesday to accompany Army Commander in Chief Gen Wimol Wongwanich on an inspection tour of the Thai border and the camps , some of which were burned down by the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army [DKBA]. Surachet, who held an unscheduled five-hour meeting yesterday morning with his Burmese counterpart southeastern Commander Maj Gen Ket Sein, said after the talks that he had raised the border incidents with Ket Sein and asked the Burmese general " to cooperate" in preventing similar occurrences in the future. He quoted Ket Sein, who is responsible for the areas where the DKBA forces are active, as agreeing to consider the request. Surachet said the Burmese general was not in the country when the violent acts took place and would " have to consider and investigate all the evidence about the incidents" . The Thai general said he could not confirm whether the intruders were DKBA or Burmese forces, but said Thai authorities still have to investigate the incidents and find out the identities of " the foreign forces". Karen refugee officials said both the Burmese and DKBA troops have been involved in the continuing raids and harassment of refugees since February. " We [Thailand] don't know who they [the intruders] were. We did't see clearly [whether they were Burmese or DKBA forces] because they crossed at night," Surachet said. The Burmese team, which was initially scheduled to fly to Bangkok at 7.30 am, could not leave Chiang Mai until about 2.30 pm Surachet told reporters that the delay was because the Thai Army plane , which was to transport the group , was unexpectedly commissioned to fly on another urgent mission. Surachet also played down the last-minute cancellation of a scheduled courtesy call by Burmese delegates to Army commander Gen Womol , saying the Thai general was unexpectedly engaged elsewhere. NATION: WOMAN REFUGEE JAILED, PARTED FROM ILL BABY 28.4.95/The Nation A woman has been locked in jail and separated from her desperately-ill baby following a raid by police on Mon refugees residing at a Bangkok temple, relief sources said yesterday. We Lai, an eight-month -old baby girl, was listed in serious condition at Lertsin Hospital , they said . She was diagnosed as suffering from pneumonia , malnutrition and other complications after spending several days at the Immigration Detention Centre [IDC] on Suanplu Road. Relief sources described the conditions at the jail as " almost intolerable " with temperatures soaring to 43 [degree C] during the day. We Lai , her mother Naing Bai, and 12 other Mon refugees were arrested during a raid on Wat Prok in Yannawa district on April 19, and were subsequently sent to the detention centre , according to the Mon National Relief Committee [MNRC] . The baby was reportedly showing signs of illness at the time . Although Naing Bai's husband is Thai , he is said to suffer from mental illness and is unable to support the family. We Lai and her five year old brother are Thai citizens, but Naing Bai does not have a residency permit , according to the relief agency. On Tuesday , April 25 , Naing Bai was sent to a jail in Kanchanaburi on the first leg of her deportation , sources said. We Lai was noted to have a high fever and was breathing with great difficulty . The baby was rushed to hospital after immigration authorities thoroughly checked her documents , the sources said. She was then placed on oxygen and in a mist tent to assist her breathing . " She has been fighting for her life ever since, " a relief official said . A private charity had offered to pay for the medical services . We Lai's condition was reported to have stabilized yesterday and doctors believed she would live . But Phra Wongsa Pala , chairman of the MNRC, called for her to be reunited with her mother, at least until the baby gets better. " I think this case would shock most Thais if they knew of the situation," Phra Wongsa said . " The authorities should reconsider the situation and allow the mother to return to Bangkok , at least until the baby is discharged from hospital ." Lt Col Jonglak Wongsaked, an officer at the Suanplu detention centre , told The Nation he was recently contacted by relief officials and was now sympathetic to the baby's plight. However , he was alerted to the situation only after Naing Bai had left the IDC and there was wow little he could do to help . Also arrested at Wat Prok on April 19 was Maung Kyan - a Mon who lost both arms and both eyes in a landmine explosion 10 years ago-along with his wife and two children . Maung Kyan recently underwent a cornea transplant operation to restore some of his vision , but relief officials feared his condition would deteriorate because of the unsanitary conditions at the detention centre. They said that because Maung Kyan had been officially listed as a "person of concern" by the United Nations High Commission on Refugees, he and his family had been sent to the Maneeloi camp for Burmese refugees in Ratchaburi where he should be able to be able to recover. Naing Bai, however, does not have such status. MNRC officials said there had been repeated raids on Wat Prok, part of a general crackdown on refugees and illegal immigrants from Burma who are residing in Thailand. They said the crackdown was intended to pressure Mon separatists in Burma to sign a ceasefire with the ruling State Law and Order Restoration Council(Slorc). This would allow a pipeline planned to transport natural gas from Burma to Thailand to through Mon-held territory to be built and secured they added. What Thai authorities are doing to the Mon refugees today is directly connected to Thailand's agreement with Slorc for the purchase of natural gas -it's as simple as that" said Phra Wongsa. Thai authorities, however said, they were merely enforcing the Immigration Act. o------------------------------------------------------------o BURMANET: "BEYOND RANGOON" By U Kyaw Win U=Win%Counseling%OCC@banyan.cccd.edu Thu Apr 27 11:01:35 1995 From: U=Win%Counseling%OCC@banyan.cccd.edu Date: Thu, 27 Apr 95 10:51:41 PDT Subject: "Beyond Rangoon" "Beyond Rangoon" is a compelling story of a young American physician whose husband and young child were murdered in a state-side home robbery. Dr. Laura Bowman, played by Patricia Arquette and her elder syster Andy, also a physician, take a trip abroad to help Laura out of her grief and sort out the remainder of life. They find themselves in Burma in 1988 and is engulfed in the pro-democracy uprising. Laura comes into contact with the Buddhist religion and regains her strength. It is Castle Rock Entertainment's wish that there be no political demonstrations of any sort at the theatres or elsewhere for fear that such would frighten people away from viewing the film. The message is a powerful one and the movie can stand on its own. I therefore request all persons to honor Castle Rock's wish. However, please do promote the film in a positive non-political way. I worked hard as its special advisor five months on location in hot/humid Malaysia, away from my family, . U Aung Ko acted excellently as a supporting actor--something he had never done before, and I am rooting for an Academy Award for him. If you are so moved by the film and its ending, please do give it a rousing standing ovation to honor the memory of those massacred and those still struggling in our beloved homeland. Please go in groups and enjoy the film. I have seen the final cut and you will be moved, I assure you. It will premier in France on 19 May 95; in England on 30 June, USA and world- wide on 25 August 1995. U Kyaw Win o------------------------------------------------------------o BURMANET: CHIN LEADER DIES IN INDIAN ARMY CUSTODY By Michael Beer mbeer@capaccess.org Mr. Sang Hlun and two Chin National Front (CNF) soldiers were arrested by the Indian Border police at the India-Burma border on March 31, 1995. The border police freed the two soldiers but took Mr. Sang Hlun by helicopter to the Assam rifles. No news was heard from him or about him until April 24th, when Indian authorities informed his relatives that he died of malaria and delivered his body. Examination of his body revealed signs of torture. It is believed that he had been tortured to death. At the time of his arrest, Mr. Sang Hlun was the head of the CNF northern command. He was one of the founding members of the CNF and was once the vice chairman. A graduate of Rangoon University, he served until his death as the judge in the CNF affairs. He was 36 years old. The Chin people who occupy the northwest highlands of Burma, are fighting for a sovereign Chinland. The Chin National Front was formed in the 1980s for this purpose. Sang Hlun joined the CNF in 1988 after he fled Burma to escape the brutal crackdown on the pro-democracy movement. In the beginning the CNF was supported by the authorities in India. However, the relationship became strained when the Chins crossed the Nagaland in 1991 to receive training in Kachinland. The Nagas are fighting for independence from India. The then CNF president, John Thang, received aid from the nagas leader Mauva. India outlawed the CNF in India and to this day still accuses the CNF of ties to the Nagas. CNF denies a present connection and asked the Indian authorities to post their men in CNF headquarters for verification. There had been small incidents resulting in casualties. The Indian authorities have arrested a few high ranking CNF officers and incarcerated them. This is the first time a high ranking CNF member has died in the custody of the Indian authorities. o------------------------------------------------------------o AP: BURMA'S RICH-POOR GAP WIDENS Keywords: Asia ACategory: international RANGOON, Burma (AP) -- Khin Shwe earned $50 a month as an engineer when Burma embraced socialism and treated foreign investors like pariahs. Now, he's making millions from hotels, construction deals and overseas trading. As a little boy, Serge Pun fled Burma with his family as private businesses were being nationalized. He's back, having already pioneered credit cards, upmarket shopping centers and laundries. Golf courses and Hawaii Ice Cream parlors are next on his list. ``Six years ago, I never dreamed all this could happen. Now I have a house, a car, money, everything,'' says Khin Shwe, 45, at one of his luxurious hotels overlooking the fast-modernizing Burmese capital. He and Pun are among the first wealthy entrepreneurs in one of the last Asian countries to turn to free enterprise. But their small moneyed elite towers above an impoverished land where the gap between rich and poor is rapidly rising. For much of the last three decades, an ideology mixing socialism, isolationism and military control insured equal poverty for virtually everyone. After crushing a ``people's power'' revolt in 1988, the military liberalized the economy, sought foreign investment and allowed Burmese expatriates, many of them rich ethnic Chinese, to return. Capitalism is now the name of the game, and Shwe and Pun see themselves as part of the vanguard of growth and general prosperity. For the foreseeable future, general prosperity will have to wait. ``My salary can hardly buy milk powder for my baby,'' says a well-educated hotel employee who works 12 hours a day to earn 3,000 kyat a month. At the unofficial rate to which most prices are pegged, that's about $30. Even worse off are civil servants and members of the intelligentsia who make up a small -- perhaps 5 percent -- but important segment of the population. Government employees earn between $6.50 and $25 a month. Some analysts and critics of the military junta say such hardship, coupled with political repression, could lead to another upheaval like that of 1988. The regime disagrees. ``In an economy of transition, there will always be disparity between the rich and poor,'' said Set Maung, a senior economic adviser to the junta. ``There is going to be jealousy, but as long as people can get by, have food, shelter and clothes, they will be satisfied,'' he said. ``Burmese people are easily contented unless there is great injustice.'' Despite an official minimum daily wage of only 20 kyat, or 20 cents, urban laborers are in great demand due to a building boom, and most won't accept less than 100 kyat, or $1. Some of their increased earning power, however, has been eaten up by inflation running at 20 to 30 percent by official estimates. Farmers, who make up 65 percent of the population, have been enriched by the end to a law forcing them to sell the bulk of their rice to the government at low fixed prices. But by most standards, Burma's countryside is still woefully poor. According to the United Nations, three out of four children in Burma don't complete primary school; 40 percent of children under 3 suffer from malnutrition; two out of three people drink unsafe water; 95 percent of women can't get contraceptives; and only 2 percent have access to electricity. Such problems, rooted in decades of misrule, cannot be blamed on Burma's current regime. But critics point out that since seizing power six years ago, the junta has more than doubled the size of the armed forces to some 300,000 personnel, and spends 30 to 40 percent of the national budget on the military. o------------------------------------------------------------o AP: GUERRILLAS KILL NINE IN BURMA ACategory: international RANGOON, Burma (AP) -- Guerrillas belonging to a drug warlord's militia burned down a sawmill, killing nine workers and seriously injuring eight others, a government-run newspaper reported Wednesday. The attack occurred Sunday night in the so-called ``Golden Triangle'' area where the borders of Burma, Thailand and Laos meet. The region is the source of much of the world's heroin supply. About 50 guerrillas belonging to a militia run by Khun Sa, one of the top Burmese drug traffickers in the area, tied up their captives and beat them with wood planks, the New Light of Myanmar newspaper said. The privately owned sawmill 290 miles northeast of Rangoon produced ties for a railroad being built nearby. The motive for the attack was not immediately known. Khun Sa is wanted in the United States on charges of heroin trafficking. Late last year, the government began an offensive against Khun Sa's forces after several years of avoiding clashes. About 10,000 guerrillas belong to his militia. o------------------------------------------------------------o SEATTLE CITY COUNCIL TO PEPSI, UNOCAL, TEXACO: SAY NO TO BURMA [Press release from the student group at the University of Washington] Seattle--April 25,1995-- The Seattle City Council is urging U.S. corporate giants Pepsi, Unocal, and Texaco to join "an international economic boycott of Burma until the human rights violations cease and control of the government has been transferred to the winners of the 1990 democratic election." In a resolution adopted by an 8-0 vote here Monday afternoon, the City Council noted that investment by Pepsi, Unocal, and Texaco "supports the military government and it's cruelty towards the Burmese people." Consumer and shareholder pressure is rising against the handful of American companies active in Burma, which is ruled by a military junta regarded by the United Nations and the United States as one of the world's most repressive regimes. Widespread abuses include torture, rape and forced labor, with a complete lack of free expression and association. City Council member Martha Choe sees the campaign for human rights in Burma as the natural sequel to the victorious anti-apartheid movement, which she also backed. "We realize that what cities do on matters like this is important and does make a difference," she says. "Seattle is an influential voice on the Pacific Rim, so this vote sets a key precedent," says Larry Dohrs of the Seattle Campaign for a Free Burma. "The situation in Burma is so desperate that liberals, conservatives, and moderates al agree that pressure on the Burmese junta must increse." Other local governments around the U.S. are also becoming involved in the Burma democracy campaign. On February 28, the Berkeley, California, City Council banned city contracts with companies doing business in Burma. Similar laws are pending in New York City, Santa Monica, and the State of Massachusetts. Campus activism is also on the rise: On March 16 the University of Washington Board of Regents passed a measure to support shareholder resolutions aimed at limiting U.S. business involvement in the military ruled Southeast Asian country. "Actions by universities, cities, and states are setting the stage for federal sanctions, similar to those against the apartheid regime," says Simon Billenness of the Coalition for Corporate Withdrawl From Burma. "The momentum is growing rapidly." Several U.S. companies have already left Burma, including Eddie Bauer, Macy's, Levi Strauss, and Liz Claiborne. Coca-Cola and Reebok also refuse to do business with the Burmese junta. o------------------------------------------------------------o ABSDF-MTZ: SLORC'S HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES AGAINST KAREN REFUGEES ON THAI SOIL Date: 25th April, 1995 Deliberately regarding on the recent event that as many as 300 Slorc troops under the name of DKBO swept into Mae Lor Ta and Mae Wee Klu refugee camps, deep inside Thailand's Tha Song Yang District, early on 23.5.95, killing two Karen refugees, abducting several people and threatening to burn the camps down. Recalling on the fact that 20 Slorc troops, on 23.1.95, intruded into Thailand and attacked the five trucks carrying the karen refugees from Mae Pho Hta, a village on Thai side of the Thai-Burma border at the junction of Moei and Salween rivers, to a new refugee camp site at The loh Thi Hta in which two karen women and a Thai driver were killed , and 10 others, including four small children were seriously injured, Recalling on the several rounds of Slorc's manipulated abduction of the KNU officials and Karen refugees including a senior Buddhist KNU official, namely, Man Yin Sein and other five karens from Mae La refugee camp in Thailand on 9.2.95, Recognizing the value of all human life and regretting any loss of life in Burma created by Slorc's war against the people, Emphasizing Slorc's human rights abuses not only in the country but also its increased extension to the outside of the country now, Emphasizing with increased concern about the security of the Karen refugees and all Burmese refugees who are staying under much scare of attacking by Slorc troops in the refugee camps on Thai soil, Denounces extended Slorc's rights abuses by killing refugees, harassing unarmed refugees, threatening to destroy refugee camps and abducting refugees even on the Thai soil. Demand the Slorc to stop its mounting human right violation inside and outside of Burma. Appeal earnestly to the Thai government to effectively step up the security measures for the protection of the Karen refugees and all Burmese who are now taking refuge in Thailand in order to prevent any intrusion of Burmese troops inside Thailand which violate the Thai sovereignty and also not allow to happen like these events again. Appeal earnestly to the UN and international community, to seriously consider to reach a correct resolution toward the escalating insecurity problems and to see the refugees on Thai soil are being effectively protected, by establishing a UN monitoring program and international participation. Foreign Affairs Office Central Leading Committee All Burma Students' Democratic Front WITH A 'FRIEND' LIKE THIS ONE, THAILAND DOESN'T NEED ENEMIES 28 APRIL 1995 THE Thai army needs to adopt a more clear-cut response to the frequent violations of Thai territory by a Karen faction know to be in language with the Burmese military junta. Like it or not, the half-hearted reaction by Army Commander-in-Chief Gen Wimol will most probably rekindle criticism about the controversial ties between Thai military generals and the internationally-condemmed Slorc. The latest attacks on Karen refugee camps in Tak and Mae Hong Son provinces on Tuesday were reportedly carried out by soldiers of the DKBA , established after a few hundred Buddhist Karen became dissatisfied with the Christian-led KNU. Thai border officers said Slorc has often claimed no connection or control over the DKBA, despite the fact that it helped create the new group in December. Wimol visited the affected camps on Wednesday to see first hand the border situation, and said the Army would not resort to violent retaliation. He proposed that a safe area be found deeper inside Thailand for the Karen refugees in order to hamper future intrusions. A testy Wimol was sarcastic when commenting on how Thailand should respond to the aggression. "Of course, we can fire artillery over (the border). But what if the shells kill innocent people and children? We will be criticized again?" The Army Chief seems to be missing the point here. A Thai "response" does not necessary mean a violent retaliation. A tough official protest demanding clarification would be enough as an initial response. The government and the Foreign Ministry, of course, have a role to play in the blatant violations of Thai sovereignty. But the military, as the nation's guardian against its enemies, has a frontier responsibility. Thai border officers, who asked not to be named, said territorial violations and become "a normal daily practice" of the DKBA forces, and that security along the 250-kilometre Thai-Burmese frontier "is becoming increasingly difficult to control". Yet the Army's initial response to reports on the refugee camps attacks tended to make people believe that nothing serious was happening at the border. And the first serious Thai reaction came from Government House, not the military. In a statement issued earlier this week denying serious border violations, the Army said it would "never allow foreign troops to cross on to Thailand soil and any force attempting to do so would face a drastic response". The stern statement only added to the large loss of face when it was confirmed that major incursions had taken place and that battle were fought on Thai soil. "It's better to have friends than enemies," Wimol has often said. There was no need, insisted, to dance to the tune of the West which doesn't understand Thailand's security situation, being a country surrounded by several trouble-plaguded neighbours. (TN) THAILAND'S PROTESTS OVER BURMESE BORDER INCURSIONS GROW LOUDER 28 APRIL 1995 THE Thai Army asked its Burmese counterpart yesterday to help prevent territorial violations by armed forces from Burma, while Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai questioned claims that Rangoon was not aware of the incidents. "We have heard some Karen forces may have been cooperating with Burma, so at least Burmese officials a the border level should have been aware of what happened," Chuan said. Thailand will lodge a further protest note to Burma in order to seek an explanation on the "unacceptable" incursions, Deputy Foreign Minister Surin Pitsuwan said yesterday. "We want Rangoon to ensure us that there will be no repeat of such incidents, which have made Thais unhappy," Surin said. Additional border patrol police and military soldiers have been dispatched to the area to ensure the people's safety. In Chinag Mai, the Thai Army's request was made after three serious territorial violations, and attacks on refugee camps in northern Tak and Mae Hong Son provinces were staged be several hundred renegade armed Karen last Sunday and Tuesday. The incidents occurred while senior Army leaders from both countries were attending the 11th Thai-Burmese Regional Border Committee in Phitsanulok and Chiang Mai between April 25-27. Several people were killed and injured and over a hundred Karen civilian refugees were forced at gunpoint to cross the Salween River back to Burma. The Third Region Army Commander, Lt Gen Surachet Dechitiwang, who chaired the meeting on Tuesday, unexpectedly cancelled the forum and asked for leave on Wednesday to accompany Army Commander in Chief Gen Wimol on an inspection tour of the Thai border and the camps, some of which were burned down by the DKBA. Surachet, who held an uncheduled five-hour meeting yesterday with his Burmese counterpart Maj Gen Ket Sein, said after the talks that he had raised the border incidents with Khet Sein and asked the Burmese general "to cooperate" in preventing similar occurrence in the future. He quote Ket Sein, who is responsible for the area where the DKBA forces are active , as agreeing to consider the request. Surachet said the Burmese general was not in the country when the violent acts took place and would "have to consider and investigate all the evidence about the incidents". The Thai general said he could not confirm whether the intruders were DKBA or Burmese forces, but said Thai authorities still have to investigate the incidents and find out the indemnities of "the foreign forces". Karen refugees officials said both the Burmese and DKBA troops have been involveed in the continuing raids and harassment of refugees since February. "We (Thailand) don't know who they (the intruders) were. We didn't see clearly (whether they were Burmese or DKBA forces) because they crossed at night," Surachet said. The Burmese team, which was initially scheduled t fly to Bangkok at 7.30 am, could not leave Chaing Mai until about 2.30pm. Surachet told reporters that the delay was because the Thai Army plane, which was to transport the group, was unexpectedly commissioned to fly on another urgent mission. Surachet also played down the last minute cancellation of a scheduled courtesy call by Burmese delegates to Army commander Gen Wimol, saying the Thai general was unexpectedly engaged else-where. (TN) NSC: NO NEED OF FOREIGN FORCE TO HELP MAN BORDER 28 April 1995 NATIONAL Security Council secretary-general Charan Kullavanijaya said yesterday Thailand does not need help from any foreign force to maintain peace along the Thai-Burmese border as it is able to cope with the itself. The NSC chief made the statement in reply to an AFP report that the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) had requested that a permanant monitoring force beplaced on the Thai-Burmese border, following attacks on ethnic Karen refugee camps in Thailand by Rangoon troops. The wire-service report also said the UNHCR representative in Thailand, Reprecht von Arnim, had sent a letter to Gen Charan on March 20 which offered an "international presence" at the Thai-Burmese border but the NSC had not yet responded. Concerning this matter, Gen Charan said he had not yet received such a letter. The letter he had received contained a UNHCR request for permission for its men to cross the border into Cambodia from Aranyaprathet. "The situation at this stage has not reached a point where we would have to ask for help from any contry. If they want to help, they should call for the Burmese to stop killing each other. By doing this they would help improve the situation on the Thai-Burmese border," the NSC chief said. Gen Charan said Thailand dopes not regard the KArens who fell to the Thai side of the border because of fighting inside Burma as refugees. "We have provided humanitarian assistance to these they have been attacked and plundered while on Thai sol where thet expected protection. (TN) NSC: NO NEED OF FOREIGN FORCE TO HELP MAN BORDER 28 APRIL 1995 ECONOMIC growth has underlined the need for an efficient manpower developmetn steategy for the Mekong sub-region, Deputy Foreign Minister Surin Pitsuwan said yesterday. "It is therefore a priority to upgrade the human resources and human capabilities to the fullest and in compliance with the rapid economic change," he added. The deputy foreign minister was opening a gathering of regional experts on "Human Resourecs Develpment in the LOwer Mekomg Basin." The Mekong River Commission Secretarite convened the three-day meeting t work out national and regional human resources development strategies for Cambodia, Laos, Thailand and Vietnam. The Asian Development Bank has initiated 11 possibleprojects for human recources development in all six riparian states of the Mekong, which include China and Burma. The HRD projects "cover all dimensions of the regions socio-economic well-being, namely education, health care, enviroment , tourism and economic planning," Mr Surin said. The project would completement the 1994/95 Work Programme prepared by the MAekong Secretariat for the four Lower Basin States. The programme emphasises environmental management and trainning on the legal aspects of international cooperation for water resources development. The four countires should keep up the momentum of this "cooperative sprit" inorder to convine Burma and China to join projects that would benefit the Mekong sub-region as a whole, he added. (BP) FM HOSTS BREAKFAST TO BOOST ASEAN TIES 28 APRIL 1995 FOREIGN Minister Krasae Chanawongse ohsted an informal gathering over breakfast for minister from the Association of Southeast Asian NAtional and the four whould be member countries - Burma, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam. Dr Krasae said the breakfast meeting on Wednesday in Bandung was intended to further warnm relations between the ten countries which will all eventually be included under the ASEAN u,brella. Vietnam willl be admitted as a full member at the annual meeting of ASEAN foreign ministers in Brunei in July. Laos has been an observer for two years and Canbodia is expected to sign the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation this July, paving the way for it to obtain observer status. It's only a matter of time before Burma joins also. The minister were in Bandung to attend a commemorative ceremony marking the 40th anniversary of the Asian African Conference in 1995 which led to the founding of the Non-Aligned Movement six years later in Belgrade. (BP) BURMA ASSURES NO CHANGE IN GAS PIPE ROUTE DESPITE RAIDS 28 April 1995 Burma has given an assurance that the route of the gas pipeline project will not be changed despite the deaths of five Burmese workers last month, according to a senior Burmese official. National Planning and Economic Development Minister David Abel said that all the proposals for the route of the pipeline have been surveyed and a suitable one selected. "The present route is suitable. Both offshore and onshore were surveyed simultaneously. We have camps already and the foreign contractors are there, surveying the route," he told reporters. In February Thailand and Burma signed an agreement to purchase natural gas from the Yadana gas field to supply Thailand. Last month the camp was attacked by a guerrilla group, killing five workers. Prime Minister's Office Minister Korn Dabbaransi met Burmese Energy Minister Khin Maung Thein over the weekend at the Ban Ei Taung border site in Kanchanaburi, where the pipeline is expected to be laid. They also briefed each other on whether there is a possibility of changing the route for security reasons. Brig-Gen abel admitted that five Burmese workers were killed during the attack on the camp by insurgents. Deputy Energy Minister Tin Tun said the area was safe, saying about 16 foreign engineering experts are now living in the jungle. "The whole area is very safe, but there will sometimes be sporadic terrorist attacks. What about the bombings in Colorado City or at London Airport? You don't say London Airport is not safe," he told the Bangkok Post. Brig-Gen Abel said the project would be completed in 1998 as expected. The investment cost of US$ 580 million for building a gas pipeline from the field to the Thai-Burmese border was also ready to be implemented. Under the agreement, Burma will supply 525 million cubic feet per day to Thailand for 30 years. French oil company Total, the US-based Unocal and Thailand's PTTEP joined in the investment. There is another natural gas field Yetagun, operated by the US-based Texaco, Premier and Nippon Oil which is expected to be another source to supply 250 million cubic feet of gas per day to Thailand. The Thai and Burmese authorities are still negotiating the matter of power supply. The Burmese preferred producing in Burma, setting up a power plant and selling power to Thailand, according to U Tin Tun. He said: "If the price rises, they might sell to Thailand. If not, they can set up a petrochemical or power plant in Burma. "But I think it's more economical and more efficient to produce power on the Burma side and send power to Thailand, because constructing a transmission line is easier than a pipeline. However, he said that it depends on the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand, which is the authority buying the gas. (BP) CHUAN ISSUES WARNING ON BORDER RAIDS 28 April 1995 Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai has ordered relevant government agencies to take strong retaliatory action over the border incursions in northern Thailand, saying Rangoon could not deny knowledge of the border violations. He said Burmese government has denied that the armed men who crossed into Thailand to abduct Karen refugees were people under its control. "But deep down Rangoon knows that the violations were committed by Buddhist Karens," he said. Mr Chuan was referring to the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army which broke ranks with the anti-Rangoon Karen National Union to fight alongside Burmese troops in its drive against rebel forces along the Thai border. The Prime Minister said Bangkok could not tolerate the abduction of refugees from under the care of Thai authorities. He has instructed Defence Minister Vijit Sookmark to immediately protest the incursions. "I personally told the Defence Minister we will not let the problem pass without doing anything because it involves national sovereignty, no matter what excuse Burma may come up with," Mr Chuan told a group of journalists from the Reporters' Association of Thailand who made a courtesy call on him at Government House yesterday. Mr Chuan, the Democrat Party leader, told reporters in a separate interview he believed that the DKBA must be coordinating with Burmese troops in their operation at the border and he is confident that at least the local Burmese authority is fully aware of the collaboration. He said he has told the Defence Ministry to order the Army to promptly retaliate should there be a recurrence of border violations. The Prime Minister confirmed that a Thai government official had been detained by the intruding force an act which the Government could not accept and had ordered strong retaliation. Deputy Foreign Minister Surin Pitsuwan told reporters Thailand will protest and seek a clarification from the Burmese government over the raids on two refugees camps on Thai soil in Tak and Mae Hong Son. The Thai military was currently collecting information on the incident for the Government to take action against the Burmese military regime, he said. The two Burmese refugee camps in Tak and Mae Hong Son provinces were razed by fire, causing more than 10,000 refugees to flee deeper inland. This incident was the latest in a series of brazen border incursions by Burmese troops and elements of the renegade Democratic Karen Buddhist Army. Mr Surin said the Premier had expressed serious concern over the Burmese intrusions and demanded further measures be taken by the Thai Government. Army Commander-in-Chief Gen Wimol Wongwanich visited the burned-out camp in Tambon Mae Tarn in Tha Song Yang District on Wednesday to examine the area himself in order to bring back more information for consultations with the Government. "We will demand a guarantee from the Burmese authorities that they would prevent such incident from recurring," he said. The retaliatory measures against the offending Burmese soldiers would depend on the Interior and Defence ministries, he said, adding that the Foreign Ministry was only the mediator to express Thailand's concern. Mr Surin said there was no need to ask for assistance from other countries to help look after the refugees along the border as Thailand could take care of them temporarily. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has expressed its will to the Thai Government via the National Security Council (NSC) to have representatives in the Burmese refugees camps, but the NSC said it had received no such request. Meanwhile, Burma yesterday denied any responsibility for Tuesday's attacks. Third Army Region commander and chairman of Thai-Burmese Border Committee Lt-Gen Surachet Dejatiwong yesterday informed his Burmese counterparts Maj Gen Khet Sein and Maj Gen Saw Tun about the raids during a four-hour closed-door meeting in Chiang Mai. Only a few officers were seen attending the meeting. However, the high-ranking Burmese military officers reportedly asked both Thai and Burmese authorities to investigate and verify who the intruders are. The intruders managed to round up a number of refugees and take them back to Burma after torching the two refugee camps. The Third Army commander also asked the Burmese to help look into this matter since the intruders has crossed into Thailand from Burma. Maj Gen Surachet later told reporters that "we should not assume the identity of the intruders before the investigation is completed." "There are several groups of Burmese minority rebel forces in Burma. The attacks occurred at night so it is better for both sides to send their officials to investigate first. At the moment we could not say the intruders are Burmese because it might be wrong," the general said. He said he did not receive an order from Gen Wimol informing him of what action the military should take if there are more attacks by intruders. Meanwhile Maj Gen Surachet said Thai and Burma had discussed solutions to solve border problems. Thailand had raised two incidents, one concerning the death of a Thai villager who was shot by Burmese troops in Chaing Rai's Mae Sai District, and the other involving the arrest of two Thais from Tak's Mae Ramat District. He said Burma was unhappy about the report on the death of the Thai villager in Mae Sai. The Burmese officers said the incident occurred during a tense situation. The Third Army commander said the Burmese promised not to let such incidents happen again. The Burmese side also promised to inform Thailand about Somyos and his wife Sunet Sanjum who were arrested by Burmese troops on Thai soil in Mae Ramat District and are now in jail in Myawaddy. The two sides also agreed to immediately send a technical team to inspect erosion of the Moei River bank where Thailand has lost a large area. The meeting of the Thai-Burma committee closed yesterday in Chiang Mai after the venue of the meeting was moved from Phitsanulok. Meanwhile, officials said in Tak yesterday some 2,000 Karen refugees have been rendered homeless and face possible food shortages because of the damage to the camps. Officials of the Karen Refugee Committee said 458 shelters at the border camps in Tak and Mae Hong Son were destroyed in the raids while part of their food supply was also destroyed. (BP) BURMA JUNTA ASKED TO RECONSIDER VISA REQUEST 28 April 1995 Boutros Boutros-Ghali, the United Nations secretary-general, has complained to the Burmese government over its refusal to grant a visa to Michael Aris, the husband of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, according to the British Broadcasting Service on Tuesday. Mr Aris last visited his wife at Christmas last year. Mrs Suu Kyi is currently in her sixth year of house arrest in the suburbs of Rangoon. A spokesman for the UN secretary-general said Dr Boutros-Ghali had asked the Burmese government to review its decision. According to a BBC correspondent in New York, the chief spokesman for the UN chief said Mr Boutros-Ghali had recently learned "with grave concern" of the Burmese government's decision to refuse Mr Aris a visa. The spokesman said the secretary-general had now asked the Burmese government to take a prompt review of its decision. He did not say how the protest was made, but did say that as yet there had been no reply from the Burmese government. Mr Aris has in the past been allowed access to his wife, and it is unclear precisely why permission has been refused this time. One theory is that the Burmese junta was angered by his bringing out a statement from his wife after his last visit. The UN has been trying to persuade the Burmese government to improve its human rights record for some time. It has called for the release of Mrs Suu Kyi and other political prisoners ever since it began a dialogue with the Government at the end of last year. *Meanwhile, the Seattle City Council has urged US corporate giants Pepsi, Unocal and Texaco to join "an international economic boycott of Burma until the human rights violations cease and control of the government has been transferred to the winners of the 1990 democratic election." The Council also requested the US government to enact South African-style sanctions against Burma. In a resolution adopted by a unanimous 8-0 vote in Seattle on Monday, the City Council noted that investment by Pepsi, Unocal and Texaco "supports the military government and its cruelty toward the Burmese people." Consumer and shareholder pressure is rising against the handful of American companies active in Burma, which is ruled by a military junta regarded by the United Nations and the United States as one of the world's most repressive regimes. Widespread abuse includes torture, rape and forced labour, with a lack off free expression and association. City Council member Martha Choe sees the campaign for human rights in Burma as the natural sequel to the victorious anti-apartheid movement, which she also backed. "We realise that what cities do on matters like this is important and does make a difference," she said. "Settle is an influential voice on the Pacific Rim, so this vote sets a key precedent," said Larry Dohrs of the Seattle Campaign for a Free Burma. "The situation in Burma is so desperate that liberals, conservatives and moderates all agree that pressure on the Burmese must increase," he added. Other local governments around the US are also becoming involved in the Burma democracy campaign. The Berkeley City Council in California in February banned city contracts with companies doing business in Burma. A similar law is pending in the State of Massachusetts, the first state-wide measure to be offered. Campus activism is also on the rise. The University of Washington Board of Regents on March 16 passed a measure to support shareholder resolutions to withdraw from the military-ruled Southeast Asian country. (BP) NATION: DEMOCRACY MARKING TIME WITH THE GENERALS lATEST UN REPORT OFFERS DEMENDING REVIEW OF RANGOON'S NATIONAL CONVENTION By AUNG ZAW 28 APRIL 1995 Burmese Foreign Minister U Ohn Gyaw told his Thai counterpart Dr Krasae Chanawongse recently that Burma's political and economic system had changed since 1988. His superior, the State Law and Order Restoration Council (Slorc) Secretary One Lt-Gen khin Nyunt added, "Democracy and human rights are good and Burma wants both." But for most Burmese, there has been very little in the way of poltcail developments to cheer over the past few years. In particular, the moribund national convention which is supposed to be paving the way for new elections is progressing at a snail's pace. Since the 1990 May election, the results of which the military junta ignored, Slorc has moved to tighten its grip on the country. In 1992, it established the National Convention Convening Commission, which was comprised mostly of Slorc's leaders, including Maj Gen Myo Nyunt, who was also responsible for the killings of street demonstrators in 1988. Its task was to handpick candidates to attend a National Convention that would be tasked with drawing up the guidelines for drafting a constitution - a constitutiontailor-made by Slorc. Prior to the Convention, six objectives were formulated, one of the which was underlining of the military's leading role in politics. Western diplomats boycotted the convention, and Australian Foreign Minister criticised the whole exercise as undemocratic. The opposition protested and called it a "sham" and leaflets were distributed by underground student groups and NLD (National League for Democracy) members. Independent source estimate about 100 people were soon rounded up. In September 1993, a delegate was arrested and sentenced to 20 years for distributing leaflets at the said national convention. Shortly after this, a dozen activists who protested against the convention were arrested and jailed. The remaining leaders of the NLD, which won the 1990 elections in a landslide, had no choice but to attend the convention. Nevertheless, many NLD members from various districts and towns urged their leaders to protest the convention. They secretly circulated pamphlets urging a boycott On Jan 9, 1993, the Convention. began. Of the 702 delegates who attended, only 107 were elected members of parliament and while 49 were party representatives. The rest were chosen by the military. But to the surprise of most, it was abruptly adjourned. It has resumed since then, but has been adjourned repeatedly. Among some of the things agreed at the convention was the granting of self-adminstration status to six smaller ethnic grops living in regions dominated by larger minority groups in Shan State. By doing so, many believe that Slorc is using its old "divide and rule" tactic to contain dissent. A Shan dissident in Bangkok said, "I don't think Slorc is serious in forging national reconciliation. They are just trying to divide us." Rumours are rife that Slorc was facing a lot of unexpected opposition even from its handpicked delegates. Opposition leaders including NLD members were warned not to oppose Slorc's objectives and have since been put under surveillance. As had been expected, the convention does not amount to anything meaningful as far as the oppressed Burmese are concerned. Opposition leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi said the convention is a farce. "The convention is only a ploy by the Slorc to legitimize its control." UN Special Rapporteur Professor Yozo Yokota, who has been assigned to monitor the human rights situation in Burma, said in a recent report that the delegates who have been attending the convention have no freedom of movement at all and have to stay in the compound (Kyaitkasan ground) where it is being held. Yokota strongly requested a meeting with the NLD members at the UN office in Rangoon, but the Slorc arranged a meeting instead at a government guest house. The NLD members reportedly told Yokota that they had been notified to meet with Special Rapporteur only three hours before. The NLD delegates told the Special Rapporteur that most of their proposals in the convention had been ignored except for a very few ones. Additionally, the NLD delegates told the Special Rapporteur that they are not allowed to publish or distribute any documents or newsletters. During the conevntion, they were told to read statements previously approved by the chairman. When the NLD members asked if they could organise meetings around the country, they were told to seek permission from the Slorc. Rangoon residents close to the delegates reported that their movements are strictly controlled. A source said, "They are like prisoners." Yokota's recent report said, "Delegates are not totally freed to meet with other delegates inside the compound. They are not entitled to leave the compound without authorization. When they leave the compound, delegates are not allowed to take out any written or printed materials. It was also reported to the Special Rapporteur that when the delegates return to their states to see their families they are sometimes harassed by the local authorities." The report continued: "There is one sergeant clerk for each domitory where the delegates are housed. It was reported that these people also observe the observe the activities of the delegates." On a recent interview given by Yokota, he said: "I am under the impression that the delegates' movements are restricted. And this I think should be changed. They should be given more freedom to exchange views with others. But that is not the case." Earlier, Yokota had suggested the distribution of the Burmese translation of the universal declaration of human rights to all the delegates to enable them to study it and try to see if some provisions are relevant to the constitution they are drafting. "When I visited Burma last November, I raised this issue. Unfortunately, the government has not done anything about it. Only five or six copies of the English text, apparently printed by the United Nations are available. Obviously, they were not widely used," Yokota concluded. (TN) o------------------------------------------------------------o BURMANET SUBJECT-MATTER RESOURCE LIST BurmaNet regularly receives enquiries on a number of different topics related to Burma. The scope of the subjects involved is simply too broad for any one person to cover. BurmaNet is therefore organizing a number of volunteer coordinators to field questions on various subjects. If you have questions on any of the following subjects, please direct email to the following coordinators, who will either answer your question or try to put you in contact with someone who can: Arakan/Rohingya/Burma- [volunteer needed] Bangladesh border Art/archaeology/: [volunteer needed] Campus activism: tlandon@u.washington.edu "Tim Landon" Boycott campaigns: tlandon@u.washington.edu "Tim Landon" Buddhism: NBH03114@niftyserve.or.jp Buddhist Relief Mission Fonts: "Fonts", c/o burmanet@igc.apc.org History of Burma: [volunteer needed] Kachin history/culture: 74750.1267@compuserve.com Karen history/culture: Karen Youth Organization, c/o burmanet@igc.apc.org Mon history/culture: "Hongsyawaddy", c/o burmanet@igc.apc.org Naga history/culture [volunteer needed] [Burma-India border] Pali literature "Palmleaf", c/o burmanet@igc.apc.org Shan history/culture: [volunteer needed] Tourism campaigns: bagp@gn.apc.org "Attn. S. Sutcliffe" World Wide Web: FreeBurma@POBox.com Volunteering: "Volunteer coordinator", c/o burmanet@igc.apc.org If other categories should be added to this list, please suggest them. o------------------------------------------------------------o INFORMATION ABOUT BURMA VIA THE WEB: Information about Burma is available via the WorldWideWeb at: FreeBurmaWWW http://199.172.178.200/freebrma/freebrma.htm. [including back issues of the BurmaNet News as .txt files] BurmaWeb: http://www.uio.no/tormodl Burma fonts: http://www.cs.bham.ac.uk/~lka/burmese-fonts/moe.html Ethnologue Database(Myanmar): http://www-ala.doc.ic.ac.uk/~rap/Ethnologue/eth.cgi/Myanmar BurmaNet News (most recent issue only): http://taygate.au.ac.th/web/michael/bnn/bnn.htm o------------------------------------------------------------o CONTACTING BURMANET BY SNAILMAIL, FAX OR PHONE: 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 NCGUB email: ncgub@igc.apc.org [Note: new address!] In Bangkok: Attention to BurmaNet c/o Burma Issues PO Box 1076, Silom Post Office Bangkok 10500 Thailand Tel: (066) (02) 234-6674, Fax: (066) (02) 631 0133 Burma Issues email: durham@mozart.inet.co.th The NCGUB is a government-in-exile, formed by representatives of the people that 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. -------------------------------------------------------------- NEWS SOURCES REGULARLY COVERED/ABBREVIATIONS USED BY BURMANET: -------------------------------------------------------------- ABSDF-DNA: ALL BURMA STUDENT'S DEMOCRATIC FRONT [DR. NAING AUNG] ABSDF-MTZ: ALL BURMA STUDENT'S DEMOCRATIC FRONT [MOE THEE ZUN] 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 o------------------------------------------------------------o