From: BurmaNet ------------------------ BurmaNet ------------------------ "Appropriate Information Technologies, Practical Strategies" ---------------------------------------------------------- The BurmaNet News: July 15, 1995 Bangkok Post. BURMESE SWARM SUU KYI'S HOUSE FOR GLIMPSE OF HER THAKSIN CALL TO TAKE BURMA INITIATIVE BURMA MILITARY JUNTA SETS NEWS BLACKOUT ON SUU KYI'S RELEASE SUU KYI RELEASE A BIG BOOST FOR ASEAN POLICY ABBESU STAGE A BRIEF DEMONSTRATION IN BANGKOK INDIA HOPES SUU KYI'S RELEASE HERALDS NEW ERA WIMOL: BURMA ON TRACK FOR DEMOCRACY SUU KYI WANTS TELEPHONE SCEPTICS SEE JUNTA DOING A PR EXERCISE SUU KYI TELLS INVESTORS DON'T RUSH 3 BURMESE DIE IN MORTAR ATTACK IMMIGRATION POLICE ACCUSED OF FORCING BURMESE GIRLS TO STRIP TAK RANGOON QUIET ON 'PRIVATE MATTER' OF SUU KYI RELEASE SUU KYI REMEMBERED AS SHY GIRL REBEL GROUP: SLORC DOESN'T DESERVE PRAISE THAILAND, BURMA TO HOLD TALKS ON BORDER DIFFERENCES THAILAND HOPES FOR TALKS AMONG BURMESE GROUPS OVER 400 KARENNI REFUGEES CROSS BORDER TO FLEE FIGHTING EXILED BURMESE STUDENTS LIKELY TO STEP UP DEMANDS SHAN CONGRESS ISSUES CALL FOR RECONCILIATION BURMA SEEKS FIRST STEP TOWARD ROLE IN ASEAN SUU KYI URGES THAILAND TO FOCUS ON HER PEOPLE'S NEEDS SUU KYI WILLING TO HOLD TALKS WITH RULING JUNTA THAI BURMESE AGREE ON BORDER RIVER DEMARCATION SALWEEN WATER DIVERSION GETS GREEN LIGHT The Nation. US SANCTIONS BILL DELAYED ON NEWS OF SUU KYI KAREN ATTACK ARMY BARRACKS GLOBAL PRESSURE ON BURMESE JUNTA ALL SET TO CONTINUE MEETINGS ALL DAY AS SUU KYI PRESSES ON OPEC IN SECOND $10 -MILLION LOAN TO RANGOON SUU KYI'S RELEASE "ONLY THE FIRST STEP" FOR BURMESE JUNTA ASEAN CLAIMS CREDIT FOR DECISION TO RELEASE SUU KYI SUU KYI STILL MOVES THE HEARTS OF THE BURMESE THAILAND WOULD "MORE THAN" WELCOME BURMA INTO ASEAN TROUBLED THAI-BURMESE TIES NEED REVIEW ---------------------------------------------------------- o-------------------------------o The BurmaNet News is an | | electronic newspaper | Iti | covering Burma. 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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] ---------------------------------------------------------- ===== item ===== ~BURMESE SWARM SUU KYI'S HOUSE FOR GLIMPSE OF HER 12.7.95/Bangkok Post CROWDS swarmed the gates of Burmese dissident Aung San Suu Kyi's house yesterday hoping to catch a glimpse of her and underlining the opposition leader's still immense popularity. Burma's military government stunned the world on Monday when it unexpectedly released Suu Kyi , 50, after keeping her under house arrest for nearly six years. No conditions were attached to her freedom . Although official media had failed to report Suu Kyi's release, people began hearing the news by word of mouth and quickly flocked to her house . The street was packed with parked cars and a steady stream of traffic flowed past the house all day . Mie Mie , a 30-year-old woman wearing an " Aung San Suu Kyi" T- shirt, said she had come to the house late on Monday night and returned early yesterday in the hope of seeing her hero. "I am so happy, I just want to see her," she said. Late in the afternoon , Suu Kyi climbed up from behind the gates of her compound and spoke to the waiting crowd, reassuring them that she had not struck any secret deals with the military in exchange for her freedom. Some people carried flowers they hoped to give to the Nobel laureate, while others clutched books. But most just, looked expectantly at the high walls that had imprisoned Suu Kyi since July 20, 1989 , and said they were happy she was freed. " Everybody is very happy to see this," said Thet, a 29-year-old student . " We have a chance now for the future of the country ." Conspicuously absent were any uniformed police or military officials to control a crowd which grew larger and jostled with reporters and diplomats allowed to enter Suu Kyi's house for a news conference . Despite the large numbers, the crowd was peaceful and there was no sign people might stage an anti-government demonstration. ===== item ===== ~THAKSIN CALL TO TAKE BURMA INITIATIVE Bkk Post/12.7.95 PALANG Dharma leader Thakisn Shinawatra wants the new Government to play a leading role in dealing with Burma after the release of Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi. The Government should pay special attention to developments in Burma which could lead to an improved atmosphere conducive to investment by Thai businessmen, he said yesterday. Mr Thaksin, a former foreign minister, said the Government should be the first to enter the country and prepare strong grounds for Thai investors. If fly-by-night businessmen entered Burma first, they could damage Thailand's image destroy the cordial atmosphere between the two countries. Mr Thaksin, asked whether the release was a positive sign for democracy in Burma, said it was intended to gain more acceptance from the world community. Rangoon's ruling State Law and Order Restoration Council might have realised the need to open up the country to the outside world. I believe they (SLORC) realised the possible impact that would come after the release and considered it beyond their capacity to control, so they decided to do it to give their country a better image, he said, adding that more support and investment from foreign countries, especially those in the western hemisphere would follow. Nam Thai Party leader Amnuay Viravan yesterday said Rangoon's gesture would bring broader acceptance from the world community and strengthen relations between Burma and other countries. But he declined to say whether Suu Kyi's release could be attributed to Thailand's constructive engagement policy toward SLORC. He said the Foreign Ministry, under the supervision of his party, would build good relations with Burma. The new foreign minister should take this opportunity to improve relations and clear problems between the two countries, said Mr Amnuay, the deputy prime minister-designate who will supervise the Foreign Ministry. ===== item ===== ~BURMA MILITARY JUNTA SETS NEWS BLACKOUT ON SUU KYI'S RELEASE Bkk Post/12.7.95 Rangoon, Reuters BURMA'S military rulers imposed a local news blackout yesterday on the sudden release of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi who is due to speak publicly for the first time after nearly six years under house arrest. While her release won praise from world leaders, life went on as usual in the Burmese capital. Residents who crowded to buy morning newspapers for news of Suu Kyi's release wire disappointed. There was no mention of the 50- years -old Nobel Peace Prize winner in the state-run newspaper nor was there any news on government-controlled television or radio. People are anxious, very eager to learn about this news, one Burmese man said.. We've all been waiting by our televisions and radio but the official media hasn't said anything yet, he said. Suu Kyi is scheduled to hold a news conference at 1 pm. (Thailand time) less than 24 hours after her release on Monday. Diplomats said the decision not to report Suu Kyi'srelease was a sign of caution on the part of the ruling State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC). There seems to be a news blackout domestically, it's percolating down but you get a sense we're in a wait-and-see period, one Rangoon diplomat said. They're going to see the lie of the land, how the dust settles, he said. Suu Kyi's unexpected, unconditional release on Monday has been welcomed by governments around the world though many also said they want to see more progress towards the restoration of democracy and human rights. It's a good omen for the slow move toward democracy for Burma but still there's on clear indication how fast they will move to hand over power to the people, one Asian diplomat in Rangoon told Reuters. While military officials told reporters yesterday Suu Kyi's freedom was unconditional, there were still many questions about her future and the extent to which she will be allowed to participate in her country's future. Does this mean she'll be given a role in her country's political process. We don't know, one Bangkok-based envoy said. Many analysts agreed that her release showed that the SLORC was confident in its abilty to control developments. It's a very conservative regime. They would not have volunteered an action which is so high-risk if they were not very sure of themselves, one of the Rangoon diplomats said. They feel that they are releasing her into a very controlled environment, he said. But others warned that too much pressure in the SLORC at this stage from outside powers of from democracy activists at home could backfire. Suu Kyi must be careful not to upset the SLORC and so must other third particles, like Western democracy activists or the United States, one of the diplomats said. It's a fragile move to a freer Burma. Involvement of third parties could upset this movement, he warned. Suu Kyi's husband. British academic Michael Aris, emerged briefly from his Oxford home to tell reporters; I am still waiting for confirmation. I am trying to get that confirmation from various sources. Whether or not I receive confirmation I know that it is my wife's wish that I do not give any comments in public, he said. ===== item ===== ~SUU KYI RELEASE A BIG BOOST FOR ASEAN POLICY Bkk Post/12.7.95 jakarta, Reuters BURMA'S release of democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi was heralded yesterday as a vindication of ASEAN's constructive engagement policy that brought a step nearer its dream of embracing the region. Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) ministers, academics and diplomats agreed that by freeing her, Burma's ruling generals appeared to be responding to ASEAN efforts to maintain a dialogue with one of Asia's pariah governments. I think certainly the release responded to the pervasive effort on the part of the ASEAN organisation to pursue constructive engagement, said acting Foreign Minister Surin Pisuwan. Burma's State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) has faced international condemnation since it took power in a bloody crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in 1988 and placed Suu Kyi under house arrest a year later. But ASEAN has steered a more cautions line, preferring to gently cajole the impoverished regime into relaxing political controls Academics and diplomats say the surprise release of Suu Kyi boosted ASEAN's position before this month's ASEAN-hosted talks with several Western nations in Brunei. Despite rapidly warming ties between ASEAN members and Rangoon, particularly Singapore and Indonesa, Burma has yet formally to seek membership of the organisation. Diplomats in Kuala Lumpur said Burma was not seeking more than guest observers status for the time being, partly because it has neither money nor the diplomatic expertise to commit to the broad array of ASEAN meetings. Another block has been its human rights human rights records. "We know that Burma has keen to join the extended ASEAN family and ASEAN is keen on constructive engagement, but in order to have Burma accepted completely there is at least a minimum standards of observation of human rights and this would be a good start for Burma," Indonesian academic Dewi Fortuna Anwar said of Suu Kyi's release. Behind the move, diplomats said, Rangoon was indicating how aware it was of the importance of ASEAN's support. By appearing to respond positively to ASEAN's encouragement, Burma's move would defuse growing Western criticism of the group's unwillingness to put the screws on Rangoon. The timing is crucial. ASEAN foreign ministers are due to hold their annual meeting this month in Brunei, which in part includes talks with counterparts from the United States, China, Japan and the European Union. ===== item ===== ~ABBESU STAGE A BRIEF DEMONSTRATION IN BANGKOK A big picture of a Burmese student wearing Daw Aung San Suu Kyi T-shirt and clenching her fist in resistance to the Burmese junta in a protest outside the Burmese embassy in Bangkok yesterday appeared on a page of Bangkok Post news paper today. Members of All Burma basic Education Students Union yesterday staged a brief protest in front of the embassy to demand immediate release of student leader Min Ko Naing and other political prisoners in Burma. They also demanded that SLORC start talks with Aung San Suu Kyi to achieve national reconciliation and take steps to hand over power to elected representatives. ===== item ===== ~INDIA HOPES SUU KYI'S RELEASE HERALDS NEW ERA by Dinesh Sharma New Delhi THE unexpected release of Burmese dissident leader Aung San Suu Kyi has been widely welcomed in India by the Government, political parties and exiled Burmese students living in India. Suu Kyi has had a special relationship with India, as she lived there for a long time and was educated in a Delhi college. The Burmese leader was conferred the prestigious Jawaharlal Nehru Award for International Understanding in May this year, for her struggle for freedom and democracy for the Burmese. Jubilation marked the news among the 200 or so Burmese students who took refuge in India in 1988 after the crackdown on pro- democracy elements in Burma by the State Law and Order Restoration Council regime. We view this as a positive step toward restoration of democracy in Burma, said Shar Aung, general-secretary of the All Burma Students League, the organization of exiled Burmese students in India. However, these pro-democracy students have no immediate plans to return to Burma, as they fear arrest by the military junta. Everything is still in the hands of the military rulers and they may even re-arrest Suu Kyi if she indulges in political activity. So there is no question of us returning to Burma now, Shar Aung told the Bangkok Post. The student leader said international pressure made the military rulers realise they should release Suu Kyi to improve their own image and to get more foreign investment. This was evident from the fact that Australia and Japan had already announced they would increase trade with Burma. At the same time, Shar Aung accused the Indian government of indulging in double standards with regard to its Burma policy. On one hand, the Indian government stepped up trade with the military government by opening the border trade, on the other hand, it gave the Nehru Award to Suu Kyi. He said the Rao government probably wanted to counter the growing Chinese influence in Burma, by normalising relations and pumping Indian investments into burma. Welcoming Suu Kyi's release, the Indian government said it hoped that her release would herald an era of national reconciliation, freedom and democracy for the people of Burma. We appreciate the step taken by the SLORC, said a spokesman for the Ministry of External Affairs in a brief official reaction. There was no official reaction from the ruling Congress Party. Two leading left-wing parties-the Communist Party of India (CPI) and the Marxist Party-welcomed the release and issued separate statements. The CPI said; The international community which became furious over the repressive act of the junta has been continuously campaigning for her release and for the restoration of democracy in Burma. Ultimately, international public opinion and the will of the people or Burma prevailed over the junta and forced her unconditional release. In a strong editorial comment, the leading mainline daily published in the Indian capital, the "Times of India", said the release suggested that the SLORC no longer perceived her as a major threat. The assessment might be based on the SLORC's calculation that, in the changed circumstances, it would not be easy for Suu Kyi to reorganise the popular movement. With investments flowing in from the East and Southeast Asia, people too were not as frustrated as before. At the same time, the paper pointed out that Gen Ne Win, the patron of militarism in Burma, was unlikely to last long and his death would rekindle popular expectations about changes in the political culture of Burma. The junta may perceive the release as an adroit move to preserve its power even while world. However, it remains to be seen what forces Suu Kyi's release will unleash. The test lies in how quickly and and freely she can lead people toward freedom and democracy, the paper said. The students' league issued a statement demanding the military junta start negotiations with the democratic forces led by Suu Kyi to hand over state power to the National League for Democracy which won the elections in 1990. It also demanded the immediate release of all political prisoners, including student leaders, and that the SLORC grant basic human rights such as freedom of expression and of movement. ===== item ===== ~WIMOL: BURMA ON TRACK FOR DEMOCRACY BURMA's State Law and Order Restoration Council is gradually moving back on the track toward democracy as seen by the release of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, Army Chief Wimol Wongwanich claimed yesterday. What SLORC has done shows it is working in a way that is suitable for the country. We admire the Burmese government for having done many things that lead to the restoration of perfect democracy, Gen Wimlo said. He said Thailand's constructive engagement policy toward Burma proved right as it helped a neighbouring country understand what it should do. Isolating Burma was not the right idea. He said Burmese students taking refuge in Thailand had been exercising too much freedom in protesting against their own country-and that could cause conflicts among Thailand an other countries. Gen Wimol said he agreed Burmese students had the right to express an opinion but they should work within limits. They should not have greater freedom in doing things than Thais. They should not have more freedom here than in their country. ===== item ===== ~SUU KYI WANTS TELEPHONE Rangoon, AFP WORLD leaders everywhere have congratulated Aung San Suu Kyi on being released from six years of house arrest, but she hasn't heard from any of them or even from her family in England. She still doesn't have a telephone in her Rangoon home. I must do something about that right away, she told reporters yesterday. But I'm not sure I really want to do anything about that because it will never stop ringing, she added quickly. ===== item ===== ~SCEPTICS SEE JUNTA DOING A PR EXERCISE