------------------------ BurmaNet ------------------------ "Appropriate Information Technologies, Practical Strategies" ---------------------------------------------------------- The BurmaNet News: September 27, 1995 Issue#239 Noted in Passing: The example of resumed fighting in Karenni areas and other ethnic areas show the ceasefire agreement does not mean absolutely that peace is returned to Burma. And it also means there is not enough safety for the refugees to return back to their native villages which are deeply situated inside Burma. - Ven.Vongsa Pala, Chairman, Mon National Relief Committee (quoted in M0N INFORMATION SERVICE: SEPTEMBER 18, 1995 NEWS BULLETIN) Headlines: ======== S.H.A.N. : SHANS STILL WANT PEACE WITH WA BSFC: STATEMENT ON THE SEVENTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE COUP M0N INFORMATION SERVICE: SEPTEMBER 18, 1995 NEWS BULLETIN NATION: THE NEXT TYCOON BKK POST: BURMA GRANTS BKK POST: DRAFT AGREEMENT ON THE WAY TO REOPEN CHECKPOINT ---------------------------------------------------------- Produced with the support of the Burma Information Group (B.I.G). The BurmaNet News is an electronic newspaper covering Burma. Articles from newspapers, magazines, newsletters, the wire services and the Internet as well as original material are published. 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Look under the International Political Economy section, then select Geographic_Archive, then Asia, then Burma. ---------------------------------------------------------- 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 simplytoo 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: [on summer vacation] Boycott campaigns: [Pepsi] wcsbeau@superior.ccs.carleton.ca Buddhism: Buddhist Relief Mission, c/o NBH03114@niftyserve.or.jp Chin history/culture: plilian@asc.corp.mot.com Fonts: tom@cs.colgate.edu History of Burma: zni@students.wisc.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: Wungram Shishak, z954001@oats.farm.niu.edu Burma-India border [volunteer needed] Pali literature: "Palmleaf" c/o burmanet@igc.apc.org Shan history/culture: [volunteer needed] Shareholder activism: simon_billenness@mail.cybercom.net Tourism campaigns: bagp@gn.apc.org "Attn. S.Sutcliffe" World Wide Web: FreeBurma@POBox.com Volunteering: christin@ksc.net.th [Feel free to suggest more areas of coverage] ******************************** S.H.A.N. : SHANS STILL WANT PEACE WITH WA [Forwarded by the Shan Herald News Agency] Muangmai, 22. September 1995 Despite their resounding victory over Wa onslaught on Tuesday, the Shan leaders said they wanted none other than peace and reconciliation with their brethren whom they had been fighting against since the latter's ceasefire agreements with the Rangoon government in 1989. More details about the battle were received by S.H.A.N. as Khun Duan Saengkham, the Central Executive Committee member of the Shan State Restoration Council, gave the above comment. According to the official statement made this morning, the Was began shelling the Shan firebases in Hintang from 06:10 to 09:00 local time followed by human wave attacks by 1200 strong troops until 13:30. Though they failed to take the main stronghold, the attackers managed to capture a hill connecting Hintang with a minor firebase. It was later taken back by the Shans' 23rd Battalion under the command of Kowngli in a bloody 20-minute long counter attack. They claimed to capture 1.57 mm recoilless rifle, 12 M-22 automatic rifles and 2 M-16 automatic rifles among others. The Was' casualties were estimated as at least 30 killed and 100 wounded. Their own losses were 6 killed and 51 wounded. Confirmation from the Wa or Thai sources are not available. "We are proud of our men but not of the victory," Khun Duan told S.H.A.N. . "No matter who wins or loses, it is quite clear the real winner won't be either them (the Was) or us." ************************* BSFC: STATEMENT ON THE SEVENTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE COUP September 18, 1995 BURMESE STUDENTS FRONT CANADA Tel. (416) 444-0365 Fax. (416) 499-3066 A REVIEW ON THE SEVEN YEARS OLD COUP AND THE TOTAL ENSLAVEMENT OF THE BURMESE PEOPLE Today, September the 18th, 1995, marks the seven full years of the undeserved slavery of the Burmese people under the Burma Army-led military regime's total dictatorship which has been ruling the country by the firing power of guns alone. Seven years ago today, we, all the people of Burma except a handful of lackeys and parasites of the former ruling Burma Socialist Program Party Government, had risen against it, by paying thousands of civilian lives, but were defeated by the coup led by Gen. Saw Maung of the Burma Army. Since then, the army leaders, under the self given name " State Law and Order Restoration Council " or S.L.O.R.C, has shown no sign of releasing the country from their tight grip. In these seven years since 1988, this military regime has committed untold crimes against the country, cheated the people by means of a general election and a following national convention, and played "divide and rule" with the ethnic minority peoples. All these attempts have clearly indicated that it has been doing everything to stay on in power, devouring all the national wealth without restraint. Under these conditions, the ordinary citizens' sufferings have become unbearably miserable. The public morality has severely deteriorated under open bribery, grave corruption and the naked abuse of power. The military also continues arresting those who murmur their displeasure of these situations. Mostly, students, writers, artists and intellectuals still fill the jails in today's Burma. But the peasants, 80 % of Burma's population, suffer the oppression most. Every year in harvest season, hundreds of thousands of farmers are arrested in lower Burma for not selling their grains to the government at the extremely low prices set by the Army. Unpaid compulsory labour is commonplace both in towns and countryside forced at the whim of army detachments. It is true the regime has one-dimensional achievements of military success and cease-fire deals over ethnic minority rebels. But the privatization of national wealth only to themselves and creations of new jobs in collaboration with some opportunistic elements of the international business community has even widened the class polarization between them and the rest of the country. Civilians remain without rights while soldiers are over-privileged. People have become second class citizens under military officers and soldiers. As these conditions continue, the struggle for Democracy in Burma also continues. Though very slow and paying huge prices, the forming of the national opposition side, at both fronts, domestic and international, is steadily taking shape. The international awareness of the magnitude and seriousness of Burma issue is also growing. The regime has already sown seeds of its own self destruction by opening the doors of the country. On the other hand, the people, most noticeably, students, have gained more experience through their past struggles. The Burmese popular leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, also is free now and has started cautiously trying to regroup the pro-democracy forces without scaring SLORC. SLORC must be made victim of its own success. Fight back for all our freedoms we all rightfully enjoyed before, by using both tactics, active confrontation on all equal footings and passive resistance at unfavourable encounters. Our assumption, based on our past fighting experience against the military, is that it is vital to build the national opposition side stronger through a genuine solidarity, embracing all elements of revolution and honestly redressing our own mistakes. Above all, we must draw an entirely new and overall general strategy to liberate the country and to rout militarism once and for all. ****************** M0N INFORMATION SERVICE: SEPTEMBER 18, 1995 NEWS BULLETIN WHO ARE THE MONS? Concentrated between Burma and Thailand, there are an estimated 8 million Mons in the world today. Yet, their rights often go unrecognized. Like many indigenous peoples of this region, for the past forty years the central government in both Rangoon and Bangkok have ignored and attempted ethnocide of the Mon people -- who were the orignial inhabitants in the Burmese-Thai region. The Mon language is a distant relative of the Khmer (Cambodia) langauge group, having no similarities with Burmese and the Burmese alphabet is based on the Mon alphabet. After successive waves of Burman and Thai immigrations from the north in the last milenia, and after repeated attacks the kingdom of the peaceful Mons was defeated in 1757 and the higher culture taken as war booty to upper Burma by the Burmese king and many hundred thaunsands of Mon had been facing genocide. Meanwhile, in Thailand Mons were given speical areas to live and found sympathetic favor under the Thai king, himself a descendent of the Mons, mostly in areas around Bangkok's main river. PRESENT SITUATION Today, however, the situation is radicaly different with assimilation rampant on both sides of the border. Centralization and capitalism are working hand in hand to annihilate all indigenous peoples. A planned gas pipeline from Burma's Gulf of Martaban will dissect Monland on its way into energy-strapped Thailand, and so foreign policy in the era of "constructive engagement" does not favor the Mon people. The refugee situation is increasing due to forced labor on "infrastruc- ture" projects in the area, such as the gas pipeline and the 110 miles long dead Ye-Tavoy railway construction. Villages regularly undergo forced relocation while harrassment, violence and pillaging continue under SLORC's reign of terror. One of the biggest problems for the Mon people is recieving outside information and spreading out inside information to international communities. Approximately 50-60% of the Mon people cannot read or write in Burmese, and less are able to use English. Thus access to much information is prohibitive, especially about health care, social, politics and inter- national news. This is in addition to strict censorship controls and added ethnic suppression by the Burmese junta. The New Mon State Party (NMSP): Fighting against Burmese military junta by both arm struggle and political activities;( Recently reached agreement for ceasefire with Burmese military junta (SLORC) Mon National Relief Committee MNRC (MNRC): Working for Mon refugees in the Thai- Burma border; Add; GPO. Box.1983 Bangkok 10501, Thailand. Committee for Publicity of People Struggle in Monland (CPPSM): Mon non-government organization. Add; GPO.Box. 227, Bangkok 10501 Thailand **************************************************** CONTENTS: 1# JOINT STATEMENT ON 7TH ANNIVERSARY OF SLORC'S BLOODY COUP 2# ANNOUNCEMENT OF MON UNITY LEAGUE 3# MNRC INVITES UNHCR TO MONITOR REFUGEE REPATRIATION 4# MON REFUGEES AUGUST 1995 REPORT 5# MON REFUGEE COMMITTEE STATEMENT AUGUST 31 1995 ************************************************** 1# JOINT STATEMENT ON 7 TH ANNIVERSARY OF SLORC'S BLOODY COUP -SLORC'S SEIZURE OF STATE POWER 18th September, 1995. Today marks the 7th anniversary of the suppression of the demonstrations by the people of Burma who peacefully asked for democracy. These demonstrations were broken by the SLORC by firing their guns, killing many thousands of innocent people. At this time the people were calling for justice, peace and freedom from repression. The people who resisted the dictatorship strongly and bravely demanded democracy. Now in the current situation the SLORC continues to misuse their power, to ignore the desires of the people and only bullies them with their weapons. All the nationalities within the Union of Burma always have to live under the military dictatorship. From the time of September 18 1988 when it seized power, the SLORC has never worked to change their practice. Their only work has been for themselves in order to hold onto their own power -- for the benefit of only one group. Instead the people have expressed their wish for government by the people -- democracy -- but the SLORC is holding their bogus National Convention to draw up their constitution that intends only to enshrine their own state power. Each of our organizations urges the SLORC to urgently stop bullying the people and clinging onto state power. It must work for the people's welfare. We also ask for the international community's continued serious pressure to bring about change in Burma through all possible means, including diplomatic, business, and all political measures. We respectfully vow to join together with people of all nationalities to work to uplift the morale of the Union of Burma, to bring the dictatorship to an end and give rise to the seeds of democracy. - Overseas Mon Young Monks Union (OMYMU) - Overseas Mon National Students' Organization (OMNSO) - All Burma Students' League (ABSL)- India, - All Burma Students' League (ABSL) - Thailand - National League for Democracy - Youth (NLD)- Thailand ************************************************ 2# ANNOUNCEMENT OF MON UNITY LEAGUE CO-ORDINATING COMMITTEE FOR MON UNITY LEAGUE'S CONVENTION Co-ordinating committee for Mon Unity League will hold a convention in early 1996, in Mon State, near the Thai-Burma border.The convention is to bring together representatives of various Mon Organisatoion and individuals who have taking part in Mon National Affairs. The main aims and objectives of the convention are to bring unity (unity and diversity) find the solutions the problems, share experiences and find ways and means how volunteers can be more effevtive in promoting Mon National Affairs. The majority of Mon people have been deprived of liberty and have never exercised their rights. They have been living under dictatorial rule for many decades. The Mon Unity hope to reverses this trend by bringing in exercised their rights. They have been living under dictatorial rule for many decades. The Mon Unity hope to reverses this trend by bringing in genuine Democracy and liberty which will usher in lasting peace and prosperity to the Mon people and all people of Myanmar. The Co-ordinationg committee of the Mon Unity League would like to take this opportunity to extend formal invitation to various Mon Organisation. intellectuals and individuals who have devoted a great deal of their time and resources in furthering the Great Mon Cause. To make the preparation task of the convention easier we would now like you to contact us as soon as possible, so that a formal invitation can be extended to your address. Coordination Committee, Mon Unity League(MUL) Mon Unity League, Nai Hongsa (Deputy secretary of New Mon State Party) Contact phone and fax numbers are as follows: New Mon State Party headquarters, Thai-Burma border. Nai Phisarn (Chairman of Mon Information Service) Phone & Fax (662)4107844 Mon Youth Community PO Box 11, Ratburana Bangkok 10140 Thailand Phone & Fax (662) 4286232 **************************************************** 3# MNRC INVITES UNHCR TO MONITOR REFUGEE REPATRIATION To Mr.Ruprecht von Arnim Representative United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Bangkok Date: September 5, 1995 Dear Sir, The New Mon State Party ( NMSP ) has signed a ceasefire agree- ment with SLORC, the military regime in Burma, at the end of June. Because of the prolonged civil war between the successive central governments and ethnic nationalities armed forces, the local inhabitants have suffered from the persecution of Burmese troops such as forced relocation, forced labour, press-ganged for porterage to be used as mine defectors and abuse of women porters. Even though those local inhabitants have escaped systematic persecution to the Thai-Burma border, they have recieved lack of protection from Thailand, and its governments also barred the international community from offering possible protection and assistance under the recognition of "refugee status". In view point of our relief committee, the NMSP had to sign cease- fire agreement because of the outside Thailand pressure and inside SLORC inhumane treatments to Mon community. The example of resumed fighting in Karenni areas and other ethnic areas show the ceasefire agreement does not mean absolutely that peace is returned to Burma. And it also means there is not enough safety for the refugees to return back to their native villages which are deeply situated inside Burma, in the current situations. However, because of the ceasefire, the refugees must be repatriated to Burma side of the border in coming dry season and we would like those refugees who fled persecution to be repatriated under secure conditions and it should be voluntary according to the established international principles. Therefore, the MNRC has plan to repatriate Mon refugees to the areas close to the border and if the situation becames unsafe because of fighting, they could flee back into Thailand again in easily. We hope that in the future, if the ceasefire holds, that the refugees can return to their native areas at a later date. To ensure for the safety of the refugees before, during and after repatriation, it must need a proper independent monitoring body. As we hope, the most suitable international organization to establish a proper independent monitoring body is your Bangkok branch UNHCR. We would like you to consider this. We think only the UNHCR monitoring can provide enough safety for the future of Mon refugees, provision for adequate cross-border re-settlement relief assistance and other com- munity reconstruction assistance as well. Thank you very much. Yours sincerely, Sd/- Wongsa Pala ( Ven.Vongsa Pala) Chairman, Mon National Relief Committee ( MNRC ) *********************************************** 4# MON REFUGEES AUGUST 1995 REPORT Request for the international community in repatriation of Mon refugees. Since the New Mon State Party (NMSP) has agreed for a ceasefire agreement with SLORC, the MNRC hopes there is no more fighting in Mon territory, but nobody can predict on the foreseen human rights violations that may eventually be committed by SLORC. The accounts given by refugees MNRC has recieved to the different refugee camps tell they have escaped from their native villages because of the systematic persecution of successive Rangoon military regimes. Even though the Thai government's policy towards the Burmese refugees is a strict one, some Thai autorities have sympathetic conside- ration on Mon refugees and they were allowed to stay in Thai territories. Under the strict policy, lack of protection and limited aid allowance to them, the Mon refugees have taken haven for five years in Thai terri- tories, after the Burmese troops attacked and occupied the NMSP head- quarters in Three Pagoda Pass since 1990. The Mon refugees had to pass hard experiences because of perpetual relocations by Thai autorities in previous times. Even when the Thai autorities offered us the lack of protection in their soil, which does not meet international standards, anyhow we express our thankfulness for them. Thai government permitted the international aid agencies to help our refugees to survive. Since 1990, after Mon refugee camps were set up in Thailand, many Mon local inhabitants and other nationalities have consistently taken refuge in Mon refugee camps after they abandoned and escaped from their native places because of abuses by Burmese troops. According to NMSP leaders who participated in the ceasefire agreement, the SLORC has promised to discontinue it's systematic persecution, it might be safe for refugees to reside in Burma. In the resettlement process we plan to resettle those refugees in seven areas close to the border where it is easier to flee into Thailand if the situation in Burma looks unsafe or the fighting takes place in Mon areas again. Most of the areas are under the control of NMSP and its military faction. The MNRC hopes, if the resettlement sites are safe and land for growing crops is available, some immigrant families will also join in. But those Mon people who fled from the systematic persecution need the repatriation under the protection of international refugee principles. In the repatriation process we request for the international community as an independent monitoring body for the repatriation because we would like to ensure the following points. 1. The refugees must have cross border assistance for one year or until they can subsist on their own. 2. The refugees must reside in safe areas where no human rights violations will be committed by any group. 3. The refugees must have safe haven and flee into Thai territory if the fighting in Burma occured again and possible assistance of the inter- national NGOs must be permitted. 4. The refugees shall need short term community construction aid and longterm development aid from the international community. To ensure the mentioned points necessary for the refugees, the interna- tional community should participate in the repatriation. Points mentioned do not mean that we always carry refugees to Thailand or refuse to return back deep inside Burma. If Burma returns to genuine peace and safety for all the civilian population, those people will return back to their native places from where they originally had to escape. For the whole opinion of MNRC, it released a suggestive statement on June 29, 1995 by inviting the international community to participate in the repatriation process of Mon refugees. The statemen is included. We also adressed an invitation for Bangkok Branch UNHCR to consider and participate in this repatriation process. The letter is included. In conclusion, if those refugees do not recieve enough food assistance and international assurance for safety, they must face food-shortage problems and unstable situation. And, the presence of international organizations such as UNHCR, diplomatic community and NGOs in the repatriation process may contribute much to bolster the confidence of returnees. *********************************************************** 5# MON REFUGEE COMMITTEE STATEMENT AUGUST 31 1995 Statement of the Mon National Relief Committee Regarding the Repatriation Program of Mon Refugees. As a recent political development in Burma, the New Mon State Party ( NMSP) and the State Law and Order Restoration Council ( SLORC ) celebrated a ceasefire agreement on June 29, 1995. The Mon National Relief Committee (MNRC) welcomes this good tidings. After many years of miserable life Mon refugees now have an opportu- nity to return back home in peace. Mons never wanted to become refugees. They had to flee from their native places in their homeland ( Mon State, Burma) because there was fighting between the NMSP armed forces and the SLORC troops for several years during which systematic persecution on Mon people, such as forced relocation, forced labor, press-ganged for porterage to be used also as mine detectors and abuse of women porters happened. Mon people who fled persecution are entitled to be accepted as refugees, in accordance with the international norms. This means that these refugees are entitled to be repatriated under secure conditions and it should be voluntary, according to the established international principles. As ceasefire agreement has been effected, there will be no more fighting. The SLORC has promissed to discontinue its systematic persecution, except using voluntarily given labor. Even though the long-awaited ceasefire came into effect, Mon refugees are still reluctant to return because of their past miserable experiences. Therefore Mon refugees need assurance for their safety and voluntary return. The MNRC believes these refugees need preotection and assistance as provided to other returning refugees worldwide. FIRSTLY The Mon National Relief Committee calls for the establishment or identification of a proper independent monitoring body which can ensure the safety of the refugees before, during and after repatriation. SECONDLY The Mon National Relief Committee calls for the provision for cross- border resettlement relief assistance for the Mon refugees for a period of at least one year ( or until they can subsist on their own ). We request the international community to provide us with development aid to help us rebuild the Mon State which has been shattered by protracted civil war. The Mon refugees now are looking forward to returning home and are hoping to go back as early as possible. However, to attempt to return them prematurely without necessary protection and assistance would cause uncertainty among the Mon refugees as to their future existence in Burma and this could lead them to flee back to Thailand once again in the near future. The MNRC calls upon the international community working for Mon refugees, the Royal Thai Government and the SLORC to ensure the safe, secure and confident return of the Mon refugees. Date: August 31, 1995 Mon National Relief Committee Thai-Burma Border ********************************************* NATION: THE NEXT TYCOON September 24, 1995 Yvan Cohen spoke to Michael Lim, one of a new breed of ambitious entrepreneurs in Burma. RANGOON, Burma _ If you want to make your fortune in Burma, start now. That's the message from Burmese businessman Michael Lim, who heads the country's first privately-owned media group. In December 1993, Lim abandoned his stock exchange business to launch the Today-Media and Information Group. "It's pretty easy making money trading, but I wanted to get involved in something new with good potential for growth," explains Lim, who is one of a number of local and foreign businessmen taking advantage of market reforms in Burma's formerly socialist economy. In his office in downtown Rangoon, the 32-year-old entrepreneur enjoys showing visitors how he uses car batteries to keep his company's six computers running during the city's frequent black- outs. "What I really enjoy about doing business in Burma is the feeling that you're a pioneer," says Lim, leaning forward to catch the glow of the battery-powered neon lamp which illuminates his windowless office. Three months after the Today Media and Information Group was founded, it produced-the first issue of Today magazine, a full-colour English language monthly which Lim describes as the group's flagship and image ambassador. Aimed at Burma's growing expatriate and tourist population, Today is proof of the young businessman's keen eye for opportunities. "The tourism industry was expanding in an unprecedented manner but there were no outlets for promotion," says Lim who, in addition to his native Burmese, also speaks fluent English, Thai and Chinese. Burma began opening its doors to tourists in 1989 and has declared 1996 "Visit Myanmar Year." Some 300,000 tourists are expected to visit the country in 1996, up from around 100,000 this year. But Today magazine is just the beginning, says Lim, explaining that the group will "soon" launch a new biweekly newspaper in English and a weekly newspaper in Burmese. Having spent seven years in real estate and trading in Bangkok, Lim i is clearly impatient to see Burma's economy catch up with its booming neighbours, where comparatively liberal political and economic policies have seen the media and communications sectors flourish. At present, Burma is still classified among the world's least developed nations. "I certainly admire Thaksin Shinawatra," concedes Lim, referring to the Thai telecommunications magnate who has built an estimated US$2 billion business empire in the space of a decade. "The next step for the Today group is radio and then television," declares Lim, who also plans to get involved in Burma's fledgling tele-communications sector. "I'm currently negotiating with a major international telecommunications group. "Existing state media is too limited. There is a strong demand for information regarding business developments. Today Media and Information Group will expand its access to international news through its recently acquired translation rights for stories from PC World and Asian Business magazines." The group was scheduled to launch its Burmese version of PC World in September. Despite Lim's seemingly limitless optimism, Burma is still a long way from providing the kind of political or economic environment which will allow him to transform his ambitions into reality. Indeed, while Lim may be able to get around electrical blackouts with the aid of car batteries, he has to follow the line of strict government censorship placed on all media. "The censors look at everything s at least twice, once after the story is written and again prior to distribution," explains Lim, who is nevertheless confident of official support for his group. "The government understands the importance of the media sector. We have already discussed the possibility of setting up a new national daily." On the wall of his office, a single framed photograph of him shaking hands with military strongman General Khin Nyunt is further evidence of what Lim refers to as his "good relations" with the State Law and Order Restoration Council (Slorc), Burma's military junta. Unflustered by international criticism of Slorc, which routinely detains political opponents and is accused of widespread human rights violations, Lim believes most foreign investors share his enthusiasm. "From an investor's point of view, Burma is safer than Vietnam," he says. ''The legal system left by the British is still intact and people here are eager to learn." A number of international investors have moved into Burma fuelling economic growth that topped six per cent in 1994, but many have expressed doubts about the strength of Burma's boom. Steadily rising inflation is already estimated at around 40 per cent, and the continuing huge gap between the official exchange rate _ where one US dollar equals six kyat, and black market value _ where a dollar can be exchanged for up to 20 times more, continues to erode investor confidence. For now, Lim operates the five companies in his group with 40 local staff members. The companies include T Advertising, Today Media and Information, Today Publishing House and Today Printing Co Ltd. Lim reckons his total investment so far has been about 2 million kyat or about US$20,000 (using the more realistic black market exchange rate). Isn't Burma's fledgling media tycoon afraid of being swamped by the arrival of larger international players? Lim is unshaken. "We were negotiating a partnership with an international advertising agency but the deal fell through because I insisted the company retain the name Today," he says. Aware, however, that he will eventually be obliged to shift his group into a higher corporate gear, Lim says he has already lined up all the investment backing he needs. "I have an agreement with a publicly listed media group in Thailand," revealed Lim, who declined to name his future investor. _ World News Link. ***************************************************************** BKK POST: BURMA GRANTS September 26, 1995 JAPAN is considering giving Burma grants of 1.5-2 billion yen (360-480 million baht) to repair nursing schools in Rangoon, a foreign ministry official said. The final decision on the grant is expected next month following the visit to Rangoon by Foreign ministry study missions in June and in late August-early September. Rangoon's military intelligence leader, Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt announced Japan will donate US$400,000 (10 million baht) to Burma to build schools in border areas. ***************************************************************** BKK POST: DRAFT AGREEMENT ON THE WAY IN BID TO REOPEN CHECKPOINTS Thais eager to resume Burma border trade September 26, 1995 Report by Nussara Sawatsawang THAILAND IS speeding up efforts to restore its lucrative border trade with Burma. It has completed a draft agreement on border trade in an effort to persuade Burma to reopen checkpoints. The Foreign Ministry's Department of Treaties and Legal Affairs prepared the draft, according to a Commerce Ministry official, quoting a department representative. It must now consult other state-agencies including the Immigration Office, Customs Department and Interior and Commerce ministries. They are expected to discuss the draft this week before holding talks with Burmese counterparts. A senior official at the Department of Treaties and Legal Affairs said the draft was wide-ranging, covering products to be traded and ways to solve trade disputes. The Burmese apparently want the agreement, too, because the sooner ways can be found to monitor trade the more hard currency Rangoon will gain from duty on goods. According to the Commerce Ministry, Thailand's exports to Burma last year were worth 6.68 billion baht, while imports from that country totalled 3.31 billion baht through three temporary checkpoints _ Tachilek-Mae Sai in Chiang Rai Myawaddy-Mae Sot in Tak and Victoria Point-Ranong. The true figure would be six or seven times greater if illegal trade was included, according to officials. Rangoon closed its northern border with Thailand in March in retaliation for what it saw as Thai support for minority groups. The closure of the Victoria Point-Ranong link followed the murder of four Burmese fishermen on Thai trawlers early last month. The Commerce Ministry official said the agreement and the reopening of border checkpoints were separate issues. But it was hoped Burma would review its decision as it would then be able to get full profit from trade. Burma has previously asked in vain for Thailand to sign border trade agreements. Rangoon signed a border trade pact with China in 1988, with India in January last year and and four months later with Bangladesh, leaving only Thailand and Laos without agreements. Trade structure and products involved are the two main problems. The issue was not raised publicly at the second Thai-Burmese Joint Commission meeting in Bangkok last December, which noted the two countries were to sign an agreement early this year. But it was revived during the recent visit to Burma by Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Gen Chavalit Yongchaiyudh. Gen Chavalit, who visited Rangoon at a time relations between the countries were at a low, held discussions with counterpart Vice-Admiral Maung Maung Khin and said the process was delayed because the two sides had different ideas about border trade. Burma wanted a central body to control and supervise trade, but Thailand preferred it to be free from state control, he said. Rangoon wanted the agreement with Thailand to be like that with China, although Beijing's political and economic system differed from Thailand's, the ministry official said. The Sino-Burmese agreement applies to trade between the Burmese towns of Muse and Kyukok on one hand, with Wanting in Yunnan, southern China. Trade is conducted under the monopoly of the Myanmar Export and Import Corp and the Yunnan Provincial Import and Export Corp. Financial services are provided by the two state banks, Myanmar Foreign Trade Bank and Bank of China in Kunming, the capital of Yunnan. Thailand could not have a state monopoly of business or banking services, the officials said. But it could supervise trade to ensure regulations were observed. Thailand was also worried about Burma's ban on exports through border checkpoints of 28 items including teak, jewellery, antiques, fish, ivory, cattle, rare animals and mineral resources. Many of these are exported legally and illegally to Thailand. Compliance with the Burmese regulation would have a big impact on Thai traders, the official said. However, a Foreign Ministry official said as long as Thailand pledged to set up open mechanisms, negotiations were possible on items traded. The countries might be able to grant each other most-favoured nation status. While the Commerce Ministry, the Immigration Office and Customs Department would screen companies and supervise legal trade, the Thai-Burmese Regional, Border Committee would solve disputes, he said. Businessmen are keen to see trade resume. Representatives of 10 chambers of commerce from provinces bordering Burma want the agreement signed to enable them to export goods. They complain goods has to be sent to Rangoon via Singapore, boosting costs and wasting time. ***************************************************************** Typed by the Research Department of the ABSDF {MTZ} 26.9.95 *****************************************************************