From: BurmaNet Burma summons Thai envoy over fishing incident The Nation/15.8.95 BURMA yesterday summoned the Thai Ambassador to Rangoon, Poksak Nilubol, to alert him to an incident last week in which a group of Thais allegedly killed at least two Burmese fishermen, Foreign Minister Kasem S Kasemsri said. According to figures given to Poksak, 13 Burmese are still missing, the minister said. "Thai authorities will speed up their investigations into the incident and we expect to conclude gathering information as soon as possible. We want to show the Rangoon government the sincerity of Thailand's desire to solve the case," Kasem said. The Foreign Ministry was informed of the incident from the various authorities concerned, he said, adding that the number of dead and missing were still unconfirmed. Last week two Burmese bodies were discovered swept ashore near Thrahtay Island south of Rangoon in Kawthong province, also known as Victoria Point. The two victims were believed to be among the Burmese who alerted Burmese authorities to the illegal activities of a Thai fishing company. The murder was reportedly in retaliation for Burma scraping a joint fishing deal with a Thai company after it found the allegation to be true. "The incident has affected only and aspect of the bilateral relationship but not the whole relationship. I am very sorry that this happened but all we can do now is wrap up the case as soon as possible," Kasem said. "The Rangoon government is angry and upset with the death of the Burmese," he said. While the exact number of deaths has not been confirmed, Burmese intelligence reports indicate that 17 Burmese were killed. Asked to comment on Burma's order to close the Victoria Point channel which is close to Ranong province, he said the reaction was understandable. "If I were on the Burmese side, I may have done the same. This time the incident involved the lives of innocent people," Kasem said. Prime Minister Banharn Silapa-acha has already ben informed of the murders, he said, adding that the Legal and Treaties Affairs Department has already studied the laws concerned. According to the legal department, if the murder takes place in a Thai vessel, Thailand has the jurisdiction to handle it. Therefore our side will bring the culprits to justice," Kasem said. The chairman of Ranong Chamber of Commerce, Somchai Aemchit, yesterday said the closure of the last border checkpoint between Thailand and Burma in Ranong has caused a tremendous economic loss. He said trading and tourism, which accounted for the major part of Ranong's economy, has greatly suffered. Somchai said he believed the Burmese authorities' order stemmed from problematic relations between the two countries that had not yet been resolved. Somchai called for urgent dialogue between high-level representatives from both sides to seriously resolve the deteriorating conditions. Meanwhile, Tak's Chamber of Commerce chairman Niyom Wairatapanich said the closing of all border checkpoints in that province had seriously hurt the local economy. He said 90 per cent of Tak's border trading had been lost since the checkpoint closure which also affected the tourism business. An average of Bt6 million per day in trading had now disappeared, Niyom said. ***************************************************************** Panel to probe murder of Burmese men on Thai ship bkk post/15.8.95 THE Interior Ministry has ordered a fact-finding committee set up to probe last week's murder of Burmese crewmen on board a Thai fishing trawler. Earlier reports said the authorities suspected the crewmen might have been killed on a Thai trawler in Burmese waters off Victoria Point. The names of the crewmen, employed by Narong Canning Co, were withheld. Burmese authorities reportedly ordered Narong Canning's fishing concession revoked after the murders. According to an Interior Ministry report the company's trawler, Sitthipongchai 6, with 18 Burmese among its crew, was searched by Burmese authorities at a port in Mergui district following a tipoff that the boat had prohibited communications equipment on board. The Burmese port authorities seized a satellite dish from the trawler, its skipper reportedly had to dump a radio transmitter prior to the search to avoid arrest. The boat's Thai crew were enraged after learning that five Burmese crewmen had informed the port authorities about the prohibited goods. The "Sitthipongchai 6" then chased after the Burmese crew who had boarded another Thai trawler also owned by Narong Canning. When the "Sitthipongchai 6" caught up with the second boat near Victoria Point, its skipper and several Thai crew allegedly took turns hitting the five Burmese on their heads with pieces of rock. One of the five Burmese managed to escape unhurt and informed Burmese police of the murders. The bodies of two Burmese crewmen were washed ashore last week in Ranong. The other two Burmese crewmen were still missing, according to the ministry report. Ranong police have arrested two Thai crew of the "Sitthipongchai 6" in connection with the murders. Police have issued a warrant for the arrest of the trawler skipper, who is still at large. Burmese authorities have temporarily closed down the border in Ranong, bringing border trade to a standstill. Thai trawlers have also been barred from entering Burmese waters. The fact-finding committee consists of Interior Ministry inspectors-general, Ranong governor, representatives of the Police Department and the Local Administration Department. It is chaired by Deputy Interior Permanent Secretary Damri Wattanasingha. The committee was set up to ensure justice is done and to protect the interests of both countries. Foreign Minister Kasem S.Kasem said Thailand's investigation into the encident will be quick because it affects the relations of the two countries. The Interior Ministry is responsible for the investigation. "If the incident took place on a Thai boat, it can under the jurisdiction of Thai law," the military told reporters. M.R Kasem said the incident involved conflict of interest and betrayal. The ship which belongs to Narong Canning Co, a joint venture with the state-owned Fisheries Department, was granted permission to operate in Burmese waters some months ago. The Foreign Minister gave a different account to that revealed by sources at the Interior Ministry who said the company's ship transferred the better portion of the catch to other boats which smuggled it to Thailand. The ship turned it to Burma only poor-quality catch for inspection and profit sharing. The dishonest actions were reported to the Burmese authorities by Burmese crewmen. Most of the crew were Burmese. In the end they were killed in the attacks. As a result of the incident Thai Ambassador to Rangoon Poksakdi Nilubol was summoned by Burma's Political Affairs Department to receive a protest. According to the state-run New Light of Myanmar's report, the Burmese Government revoked the operation rights of Narong Fisheries. A senior official said all Thai boats operating in Burmese waters were also called in for inspection. The closure of a temporary checkpoint at Ranong-Kawthong on Friday was the last of a recent series of border checkpoint closures. ***************************************************************** 2 Thai hunters killed in Burma bkk post/15.8.95 Mae Sot, Tak TWO Thais were killed and one injured in a brief shootout with Burmese soldiers on Sunday after they crossed over to the Burmese side of the border to hunt. One of the Burmese soldiers also reportedly died in the incident. The dead Thais were identified as Somkhuan Chiangkhaek, 47, and Khampan Keukhan 54, from Mae Kon Kaen Village in Mae Sot. On Sunday they and nine other Thais, all armed with shotguns, crossed the border into Burma. A few kilometres from the border, the group met with at least 10 Burmese soldiers who ordered them to stop. However all 11 Thais began to run away and the Burmese opened fire. ***************************************************************** Karenni reject Burma ultimatum to end fighting bkk post/15.8.95 A SENIOR Karenni source said yesterday the Karenni National Progressive Party has rejected outright Slorc's ultimatum to end fighting between the two sides and meet Burmese military commanders in Kayah State. Slorc has warned the KNPP to return to the negotiating table at Loikaw, the Karenni capital, by August 13 or face a full military offensive. The KNPP source said the ultimatum was rejected because "it questions the credibility of the Slorc" which broke the ceasefire agreement signed between both sides in March this year. Three Slorc representatives were presently urging the Karennis to end the fighting to avoid the non-disintegration of the union and national solidary as well as to perpetuate sovereignty, the source said. These three conditions are "not applicable to us because the two sovereign sides had already reached a ceasefire agreement on March 21," said the source. Also as long as Burmese troops don't end their artillery bombardment of KNPP forces, "it was impossible to meet with the Slorc," he said. The ceasefire was shattered in June when Karenni guerrillas clashed with Burmese troops.