------------------------ BurmaNet ------------------------ "Appropriate Information Technologies, Practical Strategies" ---------------------------------------------------------- The BurmaNet News: May 23, 1995 Issue #178 THE NATION: ARMY STEPS IN TO REDUCE TENSION AFTER BOMB BLAST IN BORDER AREA NCGUB: COMMEMORATIVE ACTIVITIES FOR DAW AUNG SAN SUU KYI BURMANET: LETTER--"SLORC'S INTRANSIGENCE" BURMANET: LETTER TO BURMESE PRO-DEMO GROUPS IN AUSTRALIA ABSL (INDIA): THE BURMA STUDENTS MOVEMENT IN INDIA ---------------------------------------------------------- o-------------------------------o The BurmaNet News is an | | electronic newspaper | Iti | covering Burma. Articles | snotpo | from newspapers, magazines, | werthatcor | newsletters, the wire | ruptsbutfea | services and the Internet as | r.Fearoflosin | well as original material | gpowercorrupts | are published. | thosewhowielditand | The BurmaNet News is | fearofthescourgeofpowe | e-mailed directly to | rcorruptsthosewhoaresub | subscribers and is | jecttoit.Theeffortnecess | also distributed via | arytoremainuncorruptedinan | the soc.culture.burma | environmentwherefearisanint | and seasia-l mailing | egralpartisnotimmediat | lists and is also | elyapparanttothose | available via the | fortunateenough | reg.burma conference on | toliveinstates | the APC networks. 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 ------------------------------------------------------------- INFORMATION ABOUT BURMA VIA THE WEB AND GOPHER: 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 TO ACCESS INFORMATION ABOUT BURMA VIA GOPHER: gopher csf.colorado.edu. Look under the International Political Economy section, then select Geographic_Archive, then Asia, then Burma. [If anyone knows the email address of the person running this gopher or the Burma section of it, please contact BurmaNet: strider@igc.apc.org] ---------------------------------------------------------- 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 Boycott campaigns: tlandon@u.washington.edu Buddhism: Buddhist Relief Mission, c/o NBH03114@niftyserve.or.jp Fonts: tom@CS.COLGATE.EDU History: zar1963@violet.berkeley.edu Kachin history/culture: 74750.1267@compuserve.com Karen history/culture: 102113.2571@Compuserve.com Karen Historical Society Mon history/culture: [volunteer needed] 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: Dr. Christina Fink c/o burmanet@igc.apc.org [Feel free to suggest more areas of coverage] ---------------------------------------------------------- THE NATION: ARMY STEPS IN TO REDUCE TENSION AFTER BOMB BLAST IN BORDER AREA 23.5.95/ The Nation The provincial governor called an emergency meeting of security officials yesterday after an explosion ripped through the Burmese side of a border bridge. No injuries were reported. But the incident caused great concern on the Thai side which has had strained relations with the Burmese over the past few weeks, officials said. The early morning blast, reportedly caused by a planted bomb, seriously damaged the bridge crossing the Sai River in Tambon Mae Sai, Mae Sai district. " We have contacted Burmese officials to tell them that Thailand had nothing to do with the incident, " said Mae Sai district chief Pakdee Rattanapol. Provincial Governor Kamron Booncherd headed a four-hour meeting of border security officials. After the meeting he told reporters it was still not known who was responsible for the incident. Sources said Kamron ordered intelligence officials to find out culprit. They said the Thai officials suspected that certain Burmese military element s might have tried to " create a situation", or traders affected by the border closure could have been responsible. Meanwhile, Rangoon has agreed to take back thousands of Karen refugees living in Thailand and provide them with accommodation in government-controlled areas in Myawadi, opposite Mae Sot District in Tak province, said the Secretary -General of the Nation Security Council [NSC], Charan Kullawanijaya. The agreement was conveyed to Army Chief Gen Wimol Wongwanich by Gen Maung Aye, deputy secretary -general of the State Law and Order Restoration Council. Wimol attended an NSC general meeting chaired by care-taker Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai yesterday. According to Charan, Rangoon was given one billion yen worth of humanitarian assistance by the Japanese government to resettle Burmese minorities. On March 17, Tokyo agreed to resume its humanitarian Official Development Assistance programme to Burma after being suspended in 1988 when Rangoon crushed the Burmese pro- democracy movement. The assistance package will be used for agriculture purpose as well as to provide relief aid to Burmese minorities. The NSC chief said the government will seek cooperation from international aid agencies, in particular the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, to provide assistance to the refugees after they return to Burma. " If the returnees face persecution, the international community will share the burden of condemning the Burmese government ," he said. The NSC yesterday called a general meeting among relevant authorities to review the general conditions along the border between Thailand and its neighbouring states and to discus coordinated efforts to deal with the insecurity on the Thai- Burmese border. Charan said the meeting adopted a number of measures that will seal the fate of about 80,000 Burmese and Karen refugees who have lived in Thailand for a long time and others who have fled fighting inside Burma since February . NCGUB: COMMEMORATIVE ACTIVITIES FOR DAW AUNG SAN SUU KYI National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma From: Dear John/Friends: First about NCGUB, ABSDF and others in Bangkok not responding to request from John regarding commemorative activities for Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. Please try to understand the position they are in. Circumstances are such that choosing a low profile is the best option for them right now. They cannot act openly like us. I'm sorry their response discouraged you, John. They are therefore planning something like a full-page newspaper ad, depending on how supportive the local Press will be, and to conduct a letter writing campaign. The NCGUB folks in Washington on the other hand is working closely with different Burmese organizations, including the students, and supportive groups. We have planned a letter writing campaign, protests at Burmese Embassy, a congressional press conference for Daw Suu, a Burmese luncheon for friends of Burma, etc. These activities are planned between May 27 to July 20. You might also be interested to know that Ms. Dayle Spencer (Pangaea) is promoting a Free Aung San Suu Kyi campaign. She is sending out or plans to send out bracelets bearing Daw Suu's name and date of her arrest. People who wear them are to sign a pledge card that they will wear the bracelets until Daw Suu is released. The bracelet (red in color) is attractive and also gets people's attention. Should become even more popular after Beyond Rangoon. Thank you all for caring so much about Burma and its peoples. Regards to all. Soe Pyne BURMANET: LETTER--"SLORC'S INTRANSIGENCE" >From U=Win%Counseling%OCC@banyan.cccd.edu Mon May 22 14:36:03 1995 If SLORC is sincere about its desire to bring about a peaceful resolution of Burma's myriad problems brought about by the military over the past three decades, it must release Suu and all other political prisoners unconditionally and enter into serious discussions with Suu and all other oppositionists. SLORC must come to the table without any preconditions. SLORC must also permit political exiles and others it has arrogantly branded as "traitorous minions" to visit Burma freely. Until these conditions are present, SLORC must be denied all UN-funded aid, World Bank loans. Foreign tourists should be urged to boycott Visit Burma in 1966. U Kyaw Win Laguna Hills, California, USA Subject: BURMANET: LETTER TO BURMESE PRO-DEMO GROUPS IN AUSTRALIA (22/5/95) /* Written 23 May 12:30pm by uneoo@ on igc:reg.burma */ /* ---------" Solidarity Info Letter "---------- */ [ Following letter is faxed to groups around Australia, as much as I could manage. Further groups will also be informed via snail in coming days. Hope we should hear more of their activities on the net. Regards] ****** From: Dr UNe Oo 48/2 Ayliffes Road St Marys SA 5042 Australia May 22, 1995. Dear Friend: RE: Information on your activity on Burma ----------------------------------------- The Burmese Relief Centre in Japan is appealing to make a coordinated campaign by Burma pro-democracy groups world-wide to pressure the SLORC. In this connection, we - the Burmese Students in Adelaide - will meet on 27-May to mark the 5th anniversary of the election. We are considering to launch a petition campaign for the unconditional release of Aung San Suu Kyi and also calling for the U.N. Security Council to implement the cease-fire and political settlements in Burma. We will collect as much petitions as possible in forthcoming weeks and will continue to send to the representatives of the U.N. Security Council. The 19th June marks the 50th birth day of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and 11th of July marks 6th anniversary of unlawful detention for her. Normally, it has been the case that all pro-democracy groups in Australia do activities on their own initiatives on these dates. However, we will be much greatful if you inform us of your activities. We now have a network to announce your activities on Internet as a show of solidarity with all Burma pro-democracy groups world-wide. Thank you for your attention and we look forward to hear from you. In Solidarity (U NE OO) WA: TRW, HRB, CRDB, OBLF SA: BA(SA), ABSL VIC: BAG(VIC), CRDB(VIC) ACT: ABC(Int.), CRDB(International) NSW: ABC, CRDB, OBLF NT: ABSDF INDIA: ABSL /* Endreport */ ABSL (INDIA): THE BURMA STUDENTS MOVEMENT IN INDIA The Background With the military coup in Burma on 18th September 1988, a new chapter in the history of brutal army repression on the peace-loving, pro-democracy people began. Students, youth, monks and other sections of people who had taken to the streets demanding a democratic form of government were branded as "insurgents", "communists", "anti- national" and the like and were treated as enemies by the junta. Massive arrests, secret killings and physical as well as mental torture became the order of the day. It was a period of nightmares for the people belonging to all sections and groups of Burmese society. The houses of activists as well as non-activists were raided by the army personnel at odd hours of the night and thousands were whisked away. Many more were arrested from buses and other places while travelling. Martial law, banning the gathering of more than five persons, any kind of procession and indefinite night curfew, was proclaimed in the entire country b y the self-powered military junta which named itself as State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC). For a moment an atmosphere of total fear and silence seemed to have enveloped the country. The massive military crackdown temporarily silenced the people's outcry for the resignation of the Burma Socialist Programme Party (BSPP)and the establishment of the multi-party parliamentary democracy & the restoration of basic human rights and civil liberties. After the September 1988 crackdown even peaceful and non-violent demonstrations and processions became impossible. As the army resorted to more and more inhuman killings and torture , we realised that our turn might not be far away though we didn't know how and when. To the jungles As Burma virtually turned into SLORC's killing field, many of us decided to take up armed struggle against the brutal military government and its intelligence, our sole objective remaining the establishment of a democratic form of government. The merciless killings, brutal torture from all sides increased our faith in armed struggle. Instead of quietly sitting and waiting for our turn to be arrested, tortured and/ or killed we decided to go to the jungles, to get military training and overthrow the military government by returning the bullets by bullets. With such a conviction, thousands of students, youth and monks left for th e jungles, the bordering areas of the country. We were so disgusted, depressed and pained by the inhuman treatment meted out to innocent people that the only thing in our mind was to overthrow the military regime through armed struggle. As we left for the jungles, the general plan was to get military training with the help of foreign countries, especially western nations for three months or s o and then come back to Burma to fight out the forces of the junta. We left our homes, our parents, near and dear ones for the freedom of our country. When we left we had little pocket money to travel by bus or boat to reach our destinations. Many of us had to travel on foot to the border areas for many days. Thus, having left everything and everyone behind, we left for the jungle s with the singular objective to make our motherland free. Thousands and thousands of students left for the Thai-Burma border areas, particularly to those areas where about ten ethnic minorities have been carrying on the struggle against the Burmese government. In fact, around 8,000 of students, youth, monks and ex-armymen reached the Thai-Burma border areas within a coupl e of months after the September 1988 crackdown. Of course, on their way, many students were arrested by the Burmese army and intelligence personnel, though their exact numbers and whereabouts are still unknown. Many of them died on their way because of bad weather, epidemics like malaria and due to shortage o f food while travelling on the high mountainous areas. Besides, about hundreds of students, youth and monks arrived at the bordering areas of Burma and Bangladesh where activists from the Arakanese revolutionary groups have been carrying on their struggle. To India During the same period, about one thousand pro-democracy activists reache d the border areas of India. These activists, mostly very young students and youth, came from the villages and towns of upper Burma such as Mandalay, Monywa, Sagaing and Kalay. Those of us who came to the Indo-Burma border area s had high hopes and expectations from the government and people of India since they have been consistently extending their support to us in our struggle for the restoration of democracy and human rights in Burma. We already had indications and gestures which made us believe that India would extend its wholehearted support to our struggle. For example, during the heat of the nation-wide uprising in 1988 the Indian Embassy in Rangoon had openly supported the pro-democracy activists, including financial support to some of the student leaders. When many of these student leaders decided to leave for the jungles, the Indian embassy in Burma gave them money. Moreover, in October 1988, at the United Nations General Assembly, the Prime Minister of India Mr P.V. Narasimha Rao as External Affairs Minister, said, "India had watched with growing concern the trials and tribulations faced by the people of Burma with whom the people of India are bound by close ties of history and culture". Thus about one thousand of students and youth marched to the States on the Indo-Burma border with high hopes and expectations of receiving material and moral support from the government of India in our struggle for the just cause. However, on reaching the border areas our hopes and expectations were belied by the practical situations obtaining there. Those of us who had come with the hope of acquiring military training, arms and ammunition were utterly frustrated. No arms and ammunition were provided by any governmental or non- governmental organization. Neither the Indian government nor any foreign country was prepared to tender any support or assistance even for our survival . We were faced with the totally different situations-- extremely bad living conditions, wide-spread malaria across the forests and mountains and acute shortage of food and medicine made our lives miserable. Of course, we note wit h appreciation that some of the native Nagas and Kukis did their best to help us. There were other serious problems we have had to face on our arrival on the Indo-Burma border areas. We all belong to different places in Burma, we ha d different ideological orientations and organizational experiences and no leade r to guide us. However, in spite of these difficulties which contributed to some initial personal as well as ideological conflicts among ourselves we resolved to do whatever in our capacity to fulfill our dreams. On 5th November 1988, the All Burma Students Democratic Front (ABSDF) was formed by the students, youth, monks and other pro-democracy activists scattered along the Thai-Burma border and Bangladesh-Burma border areas. The ABSDF became the umbrella organization for the students to carry on the struggle against the military regime and for the restoration of democracy and human rights in Burma. Most of us who had come to the Indo-Burma border areas reached the Manipu r and Mizoram States towards the end of 1988. After a few weeks of our arrival i n India, the Government of India announced that it would not turn back the student refugees from Burma and that it would give them shelter as long as their lives were in danger in Burma. The Government of Manipur on its part set up the "Burmese Refugee Camp" (BRC) at Leikhun in Chandel district. The camp i s about 64 Kms away from the Indo-Burma border. The Government of Mizoram as well established a refugee camp at Champhai which is about 24 Kms from the border. In Manipur, we received enormous sympathetic support from the local people , particularly the "Moreh Merchants Association" and "Sun Rise Youth Club". Unfortunately, the refugee camps established in Manipur and Mizoram were virtually concentration camps. For example, the camp in Manipur was situated inside the Eighth Manipur Rifles compound, which was fenced by barbed wire and surrounded by armed soldiers. None of us was allowed to go out of the camp without the permission of the authorities. The food consisting of a small quantity of rice, potatoes and pea and the scanty clothing provided by the authorities was really insufficient. No medical care was provided. As time passed we all felt like prisoners in a concentration camp. Under such conditions, we realised that we could not carry on our activities to fulfill our dream of a just and democratic Burma, a dream for which we had left our home and hearths. Some of our friend tried to contact fraternal people outside the camp and also fellow friends in the Mizoram camp. However, most of them were arrested on their way by the local police personnel. After being illegally kept for some days in police custody they were put into the notorious "Manipur Central Jail" under the Foreigners Act. Many of us spen t more than a year in jail without trial. The intervention of Supreme Court lawye r Ms Nandita Haksar and Naga human rights activists helped them in their release from the illegal detention. On to Delhi After getting released from the jail, we approached the United Nations Hig h Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) for help. After about two months of our approach, the UNHCR granted refugee status to many of us and each person granted such status was given a financial assistance of Rs.830 per month. Even though this amount of financial assistance cannot be considered adequate, stil l many of us accepted it. Even today there are many students and youth who have not been given refugee status or provided with financial assistance by the UNHCR office in New Delhi. Beside the financial problems, we had to face other serious problems as well. First and foremost we had to face accommodation problems. While many friends, including Members of Parliament, Supreme Court lawyers and students let us live in their houses free, many other people, because of the difference in ethnic background, refused to rent out their houses to us. We had to face the problems with regard to food and cultural habits since they are very very different from those of Delhi. We also had to face communication problems sinc e none of us were conversant in either Hindi or English. In fact, some of us wer e manhandled and beaten up on the streets and buses of Delhi, many a times due t o language problems. None of these problems and difficulties could deter us from our main goal since we had been always prepared to give up our education, career and even ou r lives for our singular dream, that is, the restoration of democracy and human rights in our beloved country. Our main activities in Delhi have been basicall y non-violent in nature and had been directed towards carrying on a propaganda warfare against the SLORC. We wanted the people of India and the international to know the reality of Burma and to realise the seriousness of the situation, the sufferings of the innocent people under the brutal military junta's repression and we wished to appeal to all democracy-loving people in India and the rest of the world to extend their moral and material support to our cause in real terms. We provide below a brief account of the major activities and programmes organized at New Delhi during the period 1990 to 1994 in support of our struggle for the restoration of democracy and human rights in Burma. OUR ACTIVITIES AND PROGRAMMES Aiming to inform the people of India about our democratic movement and the practical conditions under the military regime in Burma, we have undertaken activities like the publication and distribution of News bulletins, pamphlets and books, the organization of seminars, discussions and art exhibitions highlighting our movement, staging protest rallies and demonstrations in front of SLORC embassy in New Delhi on every remarkable day in the history of the polity of Burma. Organising our office in New Delhi In the beginning of our arrival in Delhi, as we started trying to do political activities, we didn't have any permanent office. Though we tried to rent a room at a suitable place aiming for the Office, it was not possible for various reasons. Many landlords did not want to rent out their places to us. Even a small number of landlords who agreed to rent out parts of their houses, objected to our setting up an office which obviously would function as the center of the political activities for our movement in Delhi. Apart from the problem of getting a place for a regular office, we didn't have the basic facilities such as a typewriter, a xerox machine or telephone, etc. and the furniture. However, we were able to carry on our activities with the help of some Indian friends who provided their own furniture, stationery and other facilities. Mr George Fernandes, a well-known Indian politician and a Lok Sabha Member of Parliament, extended his unconditional support to our movement by allowing us to set up an Office in his residence compound, i.e. 3, Krishna Meno n Marg in New Delhi. Moreover, he allowed us to use his Office facilities such a s telephone, xerox machine, fax machine, stationery and furniture. Although we started functioning with a manual typewriter, a table and a chair in the beginning, after some time it was equipped with better facilities such as an electric typewriter which was donated by a diplomat from the Sweden Embassy in New Delhi, some new furniture and stationery. Besides these, some of our friends in foreign countries tried to send better equipments for our Offic e in New Delhi. The friends in Norway sent a computer and we were able to buy a laser printer with the money donated collectively by the Burmese democratic forces in Norway, Japan and USA. Through such a process, our Office in New Delh i has been set up and made functional. Meetings, Discussions and Seminars After setting up the Office in New Delhi, we started trying to organize meetings, discussions and seminars informing the people of India about Burma an d our struggle for democracy and human rights in our motherland. And we participated in the meetings and seminars in India and abroad organized by friends, students, and other organizations which sympathize with our movement. We record some of these below. In June 1993, two leaders of the Burma Students Movement in India attended the International Socialist Meeting in Nepal, organized by the Nepal Students Union and International Union of Socialist Youth (IUSY). In December 1992, we joined the students and youth from other Asian countries attending the annual meeting of Asian Students Associatio n (ASA) held in New Delhi. We attended the National Conference of the All India Youth League (AIYL) which was held at Ranchi city of Bihar of India from 18 to 20 September 1993. On 24-25 September 1993, we attended the General Council Meeting of the World Federation of Democratic Youth (WFDY) held in New Delhi. A delegation of the Burma Students Movement in India participated at an International Seminar on human rights situations in the South East Asian countries that was organized by India's Association for Protection of Democrati c Rights (APDR) in Siliguri on January 27-29, 1994. Besides participating in meetings and seminars organized by fraternal groups and organizations, we ourselves organized a number of seminars and discussions on Burma in New Delhi, with the support and solidarity of the peopl e of India. From 1991 till today, we have organized a number of programmes and seminars on Burma such as at India International Center (IIC), Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Constitution Club, Press Club of India, Janak Puri Janta Quarter Colony and of course at our Office itself many a times. Publication of bulletins, pamphlets and posters The publication of news bulletins & pamphlets and distribution among the people of the other countries has been one of our main activities in our propaganda warfare against the military dictatorship and for democracy in Burma . Since the beginning of 1992, we have been publishing the Fist English News bulletin, and the Zar Tee Marn & Flame Burmese bulletins. These bulletins have clearly helped the people of India and abroad to realise the sufferings of the people of Burma under the inhuman military regime as well as the activities and movement of the Burmese students and youth in India. We also have kept constant touch with the media and press of India seeking their support and solidarity. W e have regularly contacted and met reporters, journalists and correspondents and written articles and news about Burma in the different newspapers and magazines in India. Through these news bulletins and media, we made many people of India aware of our existence in India and about our democratic struggle. In June 1992, with the help of friends from India, we have been able to learn the basic knowledge of making screen printing for posters, pamphlets and other designs artistically depicting and highlighting our struggle against the military dictatorship and for democracy and human rights. We have been distributing and pasting these posters on the walls of Delhi and other parts of India. Moreover, we have been producing postcards and video tapes which are concerned with our democratic movement. In August 1992, with the help of CENDIT video center in New Delhi we made a 32-minutes long documentary on Burma titled "Battle for Peace". This video documentary reveals the political background of Burma, the military's brutal crackdown on the pro-democracy activists and our activities and movement in India. We have distributed these tapes throughout India and abroad. The Burma Students Movement in India created greater awarenes s and attracted more attention from the people of India and abroad after this video tape. In July 1994, we made another video documentary titled "Far Away >From Home," with the facilities provided by CENDIT. This video highlights our living conditions of exiled life as well as the activities in New Delhi. Paintings and Exhibitions The Burmese students and youth in India comprise people from all walks of life such as musicians, lawyers, teachers and artists, etc. One of them, the artist Ko Sitt Nyein Aye, who is from Mandalay of Burma, is currently staying i n New Delhi along with the Burmese democratic forces. As a well-known revolutionary artist, he actively participated in the 1988 nation-wide uprising against the one party rule and for democracy. After the September 1988 military coup, he left for India and arrived at the border area of Burma and India. Afte r staying there for some months, he moved to New Delhi to join the Burmese democratic students and youth. With the joining of the artist, many paintings have been created, which describe and depict the culture & traditions of Burma, reflections on the junta's brutal crackdown on the peaceful demonstrators durin g the 1988 movement and the people urge for peace, democracy and human rights. With these paintings, we have been able to organize many Art Exhibitions on man y occasions in New Delhi, giving artistic expression to our struggle for a just cause. In commemoration of the fallen martyrs of the 8.8.88 during the nation-wid e uprising in Burma, an "Art Exhibition" entitled "Battle for Peace" was held fro m 6th to 8th August of 1992 at All India Fine Art and Crafts Society (AIFACS) in New Delhi. This programme was jointly organized by the Burmese students and Supreme Court lawyer and human rights activist Ms Nandita Haksar. It exhibited 30 oil paintings and attracted a large number of people of Delhi from different walks of life. The "Battle for Peace" (II) "Art Exhibition" was held at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) on September 18, 1992 to mark the Fourth Anniversary of the 1988 military crackdown in Burma. Signature campaigns and demonstrations Amongst our activities in New Delhi, the most visible and important has been the staging of protest rallies and demonstrations in front of the SLORC Embassy in New Delhi on every remarkable day in the history of the polity of Burma. There are many days in Burma's history which are importantly related to the democratic movement in the country. For example, 8th August of 1988 was the day on which the nation-wide people's uprising demanding the abolition of one- party rule and the establishment of democratic system broke out in the country. September 18th of 1988 was the day the military brutally shot down the many peaceful demonstrators and took over state power by coup d' tet. On July 20, 1989, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was put under house arrest by the SLORC without formal charges. On December 10th, 1991 Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for 1991 by the Norwegian Parliament. On these days, we regularly express our anguish and anger against the military rule in Burma in the forms of demonstrations, processions, shouting slogans in front of SLORC Embassy in New Delhi and the like. We also submit Memoranda to the SLORC through the Embassy in Delhi, demanding for the immediat e release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and all other political prisoners, for handing over power to the people's representatives who were elected in 1990 May elections. Our demands were appreciated and supported by many people and groups in India as is clear from their overwhelmingly participation in the signature campaigns organized by us. Through these signature and letter campaigns the people of India have demanded before the Government of India not to have any relationship, diplomatic, economic or political with the illegal military regime in Burma an d to support the people's democratic movement in the neighbouring country and to extend moral and material support to the Burmese democratic forces in India. Moreover, we have regularly issued press release, writing on the changing political, economic and social situations in Burma and our peaceful, democratic activities and movement. Press conferences were also often organized highlighting our struggle for democracy and against human rights abuses in Burm a under the SLORC. The Burma Music In late 1992 the Burmese students and youth in New Delhi were able to set up a music band called "The Burma Music" with the aim to organize cultural festivals and for recording of our democratic songs. Many among us can sing and play musical instruments very well. For us to be able to set up a music band, one Indian friend, Ms Kamla Basin from Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), donated money to buy electronic guitars. During the past four years, The Burma Music has participated in the programmes of the Burma Students Movement in Indi a presenting music and democratic songs to the people of India. Apart from the Burmese democratic songs, the songs which highlight the ric h culture and traditions of Burma have also been composed and presented. Moreover , in 1993, with the help of the "Friends of Burma" group we have produced an audi o cassette of the democratic songs in Burmese at the Jamia Millia Islamia in New Delhi. Through the Norway-based radio station, "the Democratic Voice of Burma"(DVB), we were able to transmit these songs into Burma. Food Festival Besides creating awareness about our movement among the people of India through music and songs, we often organized the Burmese Food Festivals, selling Burmese dishes prepared by ourselves. These festivals attracted large numbers o f people of India, besides generating funds for our political activities in New Delhi. The Burmese food has become very popular and it has made our movement for democracy well- known, especially in New Delhi. We also joined in the functions and food melas organized by Indian friends by setting up Burmese food stalls in New Delhi. The Burmese students in Manipur and Mizoram States have established the te a shops and restaurants selling Burmese food in their respective places. Health Care Center It is very difficult for us who are refugees under the mandate of UNHCR to get even simple medical treatment in the hospitals of Delhi. UNHCR office provides the basic medical assistance and some amount of money to buy medicines when we fall sick. However, it is not at all adequate because we are required to go to the UNHCR health care places during the office hours only. Due to the language and financial problems, we cannot even go to other hospitals. Therefore, we tried to set up a clinic by our efforts in New Delhi. In July 1993, the Voluntary Health Association of India (VHAI) provided medicines and facilities for setting up the "Burma Health Care Center" in Janak Puri where many Burmese students and youth are staying. One of us, who is a medical doctor, having graduated from the Rangoon Medical College, is handling the health care center with the aid of two young students voluntarily. Though this health care center is meant especially for the Burmese democratic students and youth in New Delhi, it provides free medical treatment to many Indian citizens who were driven out from Burma by the Burmese military government in 1962. They have settled down at Janta Quarter of Janak Puri in New Delhi. Keeping alive our culture Most of the Burmese democratic forces who left the country after 1988 military coup are the young students and youth like us. Besides being far away from our families, relatives and friends, we are away from the culture, custom and traditions of Burma. However, we try to keep alive our traditions and culture by celebrating the traditional festivals and religious occasions while we are staying in exile in New Delhi. For example, we regularly celebrate the water festival which is the greatest traditional festival for the people of Burma and other religious festivals such as lighting festival and Christmas festival in our Burmese society of New Delhi. Moreover, functions displaying our traditional dresses, our cultural and musical instruments and th e books on Burma have been regularly organized by us to let the people of India know about our culture, traditions and custom. Welfare While we have been staying in Delhi as the recognized refugees by UNHCR, w e face a lot of living problems and difficulties.UNHCR's monthly financial assistance of Rs. 830 per person is obviously inadequate even to cover the expenditure of food and shelter in Delhi. Without any residential permit and ration card, our living cost becomes higher. Contributing some amount of money from our UNHCR's allowance for our regular activities in Delhi makes us further poorer and we face a lot of day-to-day living problems. We have passed through periods when even for simple ration like rice, pea, etc...we have not had even a single paisa. We used to face very bad living conditions without adequate blankets and warm clothes in Delhi's winter season and even without fan and air cooler during the severe hot season of Delhi. In our efforts at solving these problems and difficulties partly, we tried to get rice, clothes and blankets from the individuals and non-governmental organizations of India that sympathize with our movement. However, we have not received adequate relief from the groups and organizations in India, but for some helpful individuals' contribution and support. We note with appreciation that the Oxfam (Trust) India donated rice worth about Rs. 15,000 in 1992 and th e CASA provided 300 blankets to us in New Delhi in 1993. Educational Courses: Equipping ourselves for future Most of us, the Burmese students and youth, who left the country after the 1988 military coup were the college and university students. However, we were not able to complete our schooling due to the military's closing down of school s and universities in Burma after the coup. During our stay in exile, in our effort to be part of the larger struggle against the military dictatorship and for the restoration of democracy in our motherland, we have been trying to acquire knowledge and continue our studies as possible as we can in India. We believe that our education and acquired knowledge at this time will surely be o f benefit for our country when we establish the democratic system after overthrowing the military dictatorship. As the future of Burma mainly relies upon the our generation, we need to equip ourselves with the requisite knowledg e and education. When we left our country, we were not able to bring the educational certificates and documents along with us. Therefore, we cannot join the college s and universities in India. However, we have joined certain vocational and educational courses such as Computer, Office Management and Air Ticketing in different private institutions in Delhi. We have also attended different course s like Human Rights training, Social Analysis, health training and video training in other parts of India. The expenditure for the courses were met by the financial assistance from individual Indian friends as also from UNHCR office i n New Delhi, YMCA (New Delhi), VHAI (New Delhi), Indian Social Institute (New Delhi), Indian Social Institute (Bangalore) and ACHAN (Madras). Besides these courses, we have also attended both basic and advanced courses in English language with audio-video facilities. The "Friends of Burma" (India), the Open Society Fund (USA) and Lady Susan Fenn helped us in organizin g the English classes. Raising Funds It is very difficult for us staying in exile to sustain the movement and carry out various activities with the meagre funds collected from some individual sympathizers in India. We always face shortage of money though we want to launch many programmes and activities related to our movement. Therefore, we have had fund raising drive programmes with the help of Indian friends. We have organized Burmese food selling, presentation of musical evenings at the hiring of friends from India. We have been selling paintings b y renowned Burmese pro-democracy artist Ko Sitt Nyein Aye at the various Art Exhibitions, producing and selling of T Shirts, postcards, audio and video cassettes related to our democratic movement to raise funds as well as for drawing public attention towards the plight of people in Burma under the military regime. Support and Solidarity of the people of India Officially the Government of India has supported our movement and demanded the release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and all other political prisoners in severa l national and international fora. On 15th March 1993, Mr Dinesh Singh, the Minister of External Affairs, Government of India stated in the Lok Sabha that "we have repeatedly called upon the Government of Myanmar both on our own and i n consonance with other like- minded countries, to release immediately and unconditionally the Nobel laureate Mrs. Aung San Suu Kyi. The latest instance of our efforts in this direction was the support extended by us by a UN Resolution on the situation in Myanmar in December 1992, calling on that countr y to restore democracy and release Mrs. Suu Kyi." In spite of such supportive statements by members of the Indian Government , the real attitude has been ambivalent. we have not received any material or financial support either directly from the Government of India or any other governmental agencies in New Delhi. In sharp contrast to such ambivalent stance of the Government of India, we have received extensive support from the people of India belonging to all walks of life, such as, lawyers, musicians, journalists, students, political and human rights activists, Members of Parliament, trade union leaders, teachers as well as from several non- governmental organizations. On 10th November 1991, two Rangoon University students hijacked a plane of Thai International Airway from Bangkok to Calcutta to draw the international attention to the plight of the Burmese people crying for democracy and human rights in Burma. After the nine-hour hijacking drama during and after which th e struggle of the people of Burma for peace, democracy and human rights was echoe d throughout the world, the two students gave themselves up to the Indian authorities. They were arrested under the Anti-Hijacking Act and sent to the Du m Dum Central Jail in Calcutta. However, the people of West Bengal extended thei r unconditional support to the Burmese students and the People's Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), an active human rights organization, provided two High Court Lawyers to fight the cases. Besides providing legal assistance to the Burmese students, the PUCL extended moral and material support to these young students while they were in the jail. After staying for three months in the jail, these two Burmese students were released on bail with the support of the people of India many asking for their release. Quite importantly, 38 Members of Parliament signed the letter requesting the Prime Minister of India to give the m political asylum in India. Leaders of the various political parties and statesmen of India expressed their solidarity with our struggle for democracy in Burma at a meeting of the "India-Myanmar Friendship Society" held at New Delhi on 20th June 1990. In his impassioned inaugural address, Mr P.N Haksar, the eminent statesman and former Deputy Chairman of Planning Commission, characterised the Burmese people's struggle in the context of a "century of turbulence and massive awakening to th e cause of human liberty." "Tied not only by history but by geography and common aspirations, Indians should rejoice in the fact that the people of Burma are overwhelmingly asserting their desire for liberty and political democracy," Mr Haksar said. However, he expressed his disappointment over the fact that many Burmese who had crossed over into Mizoram as a result of the recent upheaval ha d not received the attention they deserved. He also asserted that India's support to Burma at this critical juncture was a duty not only to the people of Burma, but to itself. Mr. K.R. Narayanan, a former Ambassador to Burma, and later the Vice- President of India, was then the Convener of the Meeting. In his opening address, Mr Narayanan pointed to the close ties between India and Burma in the struggle against British imperialism. With the military still a strong force in Burma, he said, "it was the special task of Indians to extend their support for the democratic processes now being initiated in that country." Others who spoke at the meeting included Mr Yashwant Sinha, the General Secretary of the Janata Dal, Mr Indrajit Gupta, General Secretary of CPI, Mr Saifuddin Chaudhary, MP (CPM), Mr Jaswant Singh of the BJP, Dr Gopal Singh, former Governor of Goa and Nagaland, Dr Malavika Karlekar, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's classmate at Oxford, and Prof. M.S Agwani then Vice-Chancellor of the Jawaharlal Nehru University. All expressed their firm support to our struggle for democracy and vowed to offer their continued support till an independent democratic government came to power . Our struggle for democracy got a further boost when Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize on 10th December 1991 by the Norwegian Parliament. On that day, Norwegian Nobel Committee called her as one of the mos t extraordinary examples of civil courage in Asia. Conferring of the Nobel Peace Prize to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was also greeted warmly by the people of India. "The news has been greeted with joy and pride throughout India. It is a most timely and an apt recognition of the non- violent struggle launched by the people of Myanmar (Burma) for democracy and respect for human rights under the able leadership of Ms Suu Kyi," said the Prime Minister of India, Mr P.V. Narasimha Rao, welcoming the award. On 24th February 1992, the Lady Shri Ram College, where Daw Aung San Suu Kyi did her studies in 1960s, felicitated her and lauded her role in the people's struggle for restoration of human rights in Burma. The Indo-Burma (Myanmar) Friendship Society organised a function to felicitate Daw Aung San Su u Kyi in absentia in New Delhi on 6th November 1992. Speaking at the function, former Minister of State for External Affairs, Mr Natwar Singh said that if the Burmese government continued to debar the elected representatives from running the country, the Indian government should recall its Ambassador from Myanmar. H e urged the Indian government to snap diplomatic relations with the Burmese government if the latter continued the incarceration of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. The gathering adopted a resolution expressing regret over the fact that despite acts of barbarism on the Burmese people, the Indian government had been discussing with the Burmese military regime to expand trade and other ties between the two countries. In India, we have been very pleased by the supportive attitude and solidarity shown by the students of India. After our August Art Exhibition at AIFACS in New Delhi the students from Jawaharlal Nehru University rendered their wholehearted support to us by offering to sponsor a programme at JNU. Along with the Initiative for Democracy in Burma (JNU) we were able to hold an Art Exhibition, a Symposium on Burma, and sale of Burmese food and a cultural programme at JNU on September 18, 1992 to mark the Fourth Anniversary of the 1988 military crackdown. The JNU students joined the programme in large number s and thronged the stall selling Burmese dishes prepared by ourselves in the lus h green lawns of the JNU academic complex in large numbers, expressing their solidarity with our movement. Apart from the support of the students from Jawaharlal Nehru University we have been able to achieve the unanimous support of other student bodies in India. On 30th November 1992, a meeting entitled Indian students in solidarity with the struggle for democracy and human rights in Burma was jointly organize d by the various Indian students' organizations : AISF, AISB, CJD, SFI and NUSI at India International Center (IIC) in New Delhi. At the meeting the Indian student organizations adopted a resolution in which they expressed "deep concern" over the continuation of the military rule in Burma and violation of human rights by the junta. They urged the Burmese military junta to free all political prisoners and demanded the restoration of democracy. Many well known Members of Parliament from various political parties of India also attended th e meeting and delivered speeches. Shri V.C Shukla (Minister of Water Resources I.N.C), Shri Saifuddin Choudhary M.P (CPM), Shri Sushil Bhattacharya (R.S.P), Shri S. Jaipal Reddy M.P (Janata Dal) and presidents and general secretaries o f Indian students bodies were among the prominent participants. On the occasion, the following resolutions were moved by the Convener of the Initiative for Democracy in Burma, JNU, New Delhi. 1. The Government of India should snap all diplomatic relations with SLORC. 2. The Government of India should give diplomatic recognition to the National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma (NCGUB). 3. The Government of India must provide moral and material support to the Burmese refugees residing in India. None of the refugees should be deported. 4. The Government of India should take necessary steps to expel SLORC from the membership of NAM. In the early years of our arrival in India, different groups and organizations were set up by us because of personal and ideological differences, and, for the weaknesses in practising the democratic norms and principles and also due to lack of experience. However, as times passed, these groups had to come together into a single movement strengthening the understanding and unity among ourselves. As a result, for the first time, all the Burma students organizations in India jointly organize Save Burma from Civil War programme in Delhi starting from 4th to 9th January 1993 in order to boycott the Sham National Convention convened by the military regime. As part of the programme, all the Burma students' organizations and All Burma Young Monks'Union (Arakan) jointly organized an exhibition of paintings, photographs and posters at the Press Club of India, New Delhi. The paintings, posters and the photographs very touchingly depicted the heroic struggle for democracy and human rights by all sections of people in Burma and also the brutal, atrocious and inhuman crackdown by the military junta. The exhibition was inaugurated by the eminent and elderly statesman, Mr. P.N. Haksar. We have received help from a specific section of Indian peoples in tackling our day to day living problems. Many thousands of Indians who were driven out from Burma by the Burmese military government in 1962 have settled in New Delhi. In 1962, after overthrowing an elected democratic government led by U Nu, the coup leader U Ne Win and his "Revolutionary Council" according to their "Burmese way to Socialism" nationalized all industries including the properties owned by the Indians without compensation. These Indians were sent back to India in and after 1962. Thousands of them have settled down at Janta Quarters of Janak Puri situated in West Delhi. These Indian citizens have very high regard for the peoples of Burma. They also understand the customs, cultures and also Burmes e language. They treat us as their own relatives, sons and daughters and they help us in many effective ways, solving our day to day living problems and difficulties. On 12th February 1993, we, under the banner of Indo-Burma Solidarity Forum , organized the 4th anniversary of the Union Day of Burma at Janta Quarter of Janak Puri where most of the Burmese students and Indian expatriates have been staying. The function included a public meeting, cultural presentations and sale of Burmese food. Hundreds of Indian expatriates apart from the Burmese democratic forces in New Delhi enthusiastically participated at the public meeting. Speaking at the meeting, the participants expressed their strong and determined support and solidarity to our democratic movement and pledged to extend their humanitarian support to the students and youth from Burma during their stay in New Delhi to the best of their capacity. "The Gong of Burma" programme ,jointly organized by the Manushi, a women's journal and India International Center , was held at IIC Auditorium, New Delhi from September 3rd to 5th of 1993. The programme included an exhibition of paintings by Ko Sitt Nyein Aye, a panel discussion on Burma, music presentation and Burmese food festival, providing glimpses of the social , cultural and political milieu of Burma. Moreover, there was a Slide Show on Burma which was presented by Lady Susan Fenn, who has spent several years in Burma when her husband was posted there as British High Commissioner. The programme was inaugurated by Ms Maneka Gandhi. The paintings were on sale in raising funds for the activities of the democratic movement launched by the Burmese students and youth in Delhi. Half of the paintings exhibited were sold in two days of the programme. Eminent personalities participated in the panel discussion which was chaired by former diplomat and well-known journalist Mr Kuldip Nayar. The panelists focussed on the political situation in Burma, its historical background and the plight of the Burmese people under the barbaric regime of the military junta. The Burmese military government, SLORC, became the focus of condemnation by all speakers. Prominent among the speakers were former Indian diplomat Mr I.P Singh, Professor Dr. Baladas Ghoshal from JNU, Dr. Malavikar Karlekar from Centre for Women's Development Studies, who is also a classmate of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, Sir Nicholas Fenn, a former British High Commissioner to Burma and Ko Soe Myint of Burma Students League. During our various programmes and activities undertaken for the restoratio n of democracy and human rights in our motherland, we have strengthened our solidarity and friendship with other struggling people and groups fighting for freedom and democracy in their own countries. The people of Tibet have been struggling for their freedom from Chinese occupation through non-violent ways for many years. In Delhi, the Tibetan Youth Congress has been organizing different programmes to inform the people of the world about the plight of the Tibetan people under Chinese occupation. On December 10, 1993, we, the Burmese students and youth in New Delhi and the Regional Tibetan Youth Congress (RTYC) jointly organised a programme to mark the World Human Rights Day. The protest rallies both in front of SLORC Embassy and Chinese Embassy in New Delhi, the Candle-light peace procession in honour of those who sacrificed their lives for freedom and a cultural get together were part of the two-day programme. About 150 India-based Burmese students and members of RTYC participated in the programme. Besides organising these different kinds of programmes and activities in Delhi, we have travelled to other States of India. During such visits to other States, we have been meeting local people including students, social workers and leaders of political organizations. We also have been organizing press conferences, publicising about our democratic movement in Burma. We have got tremendous support and solidarity from the people belonging to all parts of India. During the past three years, we travelled to Calcutta, Madras, Bhopal, Bangalore, Mysore, Siliguri and the North Eastern States, setting up solidarity network with the people of India. end of Part 2 ------------------------------------------------------------ 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 ----------------------------------------------------------