------------------------ BurmaNet ------------------------ "Appropriate Information Technologies, Practical Strategies" ---------------------------------------------------------- The BurmaNet News: October 28, 1995 Issue #264 Noted in Passing: As they look out from their run-down government office windows, it has hard to know what the generals see that makes them so confident they can possibly run the country without the cooperation and support of the people. The only thing staring back at them is a sullen, cowed population - and poverty, the only undeniable product of their rule since 1962. - Nation Editorial (quoted in: NATION: CLOSING THE DOOR ON SUU KYI) HEADLINES: ========== BURMA GROUPS IN INDIA: COMBINED DECLARATION NCGUB: REPORT FROM THE OFFICE OF THE UNITED NATIONS MISSION NCGUB: RESPONSE TO GENERAL MAUNG AYE'S SPEECH JAPAN TIMES: JAPAN-MYANMAR RELATIONSHIP COMES INTO FOCUS NATION: CLOSING THE DOOR ON SUU KYI BKK POST: THE OPTIONS NARROW IN SLORC-SUU KYI STANDOFF BKK POST: AMNESTY: BURMA RIGHTS SITUATION STILL CRITICAL INDEPENDENT REPORT: THAI GOVT OFFICIAL'S COMMENTS ON BURMA NATION: ORIENTAL HOTEL BOARD APPROVES JOINT VENTURE PROJECT BKK POST: DIVE OPENING UNITE IN TO EXPLORE BURMESE SITES BKK POST: KHUN SA IN LOOSE TRUCE ACCORD WITH RANGOON REUTER: TALKS TO END BURMA'S WAR WITH REBELS NEARING END BKK POST: BORDER REOPENING WITH BURMA SOUGHT ************************************** Produced with the support of the Burma Information Group (B.I.G) and the Research Department of the ABSDF {MTZ} The BurmaNet News is an electronic newspaper covering Burma. 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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. If you have questions on any of the following subjects, please direct email to the following volunteer coordinators, who will either answer your question or try to put you in contact with someone who can: Arakan/Rohingya/Burma- Michael W. Charney: GoMaha@aol.com Bangladesh Border Campus activism: tlandon@ewu.edu Boycott campaigns: [Pepsi] wcsbeau@superior.ccs.carleton.ca Buddhism: Buddhist Relief Mission: brelief@gol.com 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: Karen Historical Society: 102113.2571@Compuserve.com 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] ************************ BURMA GROUPS IN INDIA: COMBINED DECLARATION From: burtu.atubdo@axcess.net.in ABSDF (WB) Foreign Affairs; FTUB (WB); WRWAB October 27, 1995 We are very glad to learn that various democracy loving people all over the world will join hands together in performing various activities against the military dictatorship on October 27, 1995, the international action day for a free Burma. Although we can not do any activities due to the belated arrival of information, we unanimously convey our moral support to all the activists taking part in the movement on the international action day for a free Burma. ******************************** NCGUB: REPORT FROM THE OFFICE OF THE UNITED NATIONS MISSION 24 October 1995 (on the activities of the National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma (NCGUB)) 429, East 52nd Street, Suite 5H, New York. 10022 Tel (212) 751 5312 Fax: (212) 759 4149) REPORT 1: 19 October 1995: Returning from Manila and London, Prime Minister, Dr Sein Win, arrives in New York to join Dr Thaung Htun, CEC Member ABSDF and NCGUB Represeentative to the United Nations. Manila. The International union conference inManila, Philippines titled "Democratic Trade Union and Other Human Rights in burma", called together international unions from 134 different coutnries with a membership of 126 million people. The Prime Minister was invited as a special guest speaker to explain the situation in Burma. He asked that the unions lend their support to the democratic movement led by Aung San suu Kyi. Included as part of a tough resolution the confernce called on trade unions around the world to "Press all governments to insititute comprehensive economic sanctions against th eSLORC and to include this demand in the "United Nations General Assembly Resolution on Burma". Pariticpating in the Confernece, Maung Maung, Secretary, Federation Trade Unions, Burma, called on the unions to take tough and decisive action. London. Burma Donor Forum met in London to discuss funding priorities in 1996. Organised in conjunction with the Forum Meeting, a Burma Briefing was held by UK based NGOs to which the Prime Minister, Dr Sein Win was invited to speak. 20 October 1995: Amanda Zappia arrives New York. 1995 NCGUB UN Mission delegates will include Prime Minster, NCGUB, Dr Sein Win, Dr Thaung Htun, ethnic leaders and Amanda Zappia. The names of the ethnic leaders will remain confidential until their arrival in New York. 23 October 1995. Maung Maung Aye, Vice Chairman, SLORC, addresses the United Naitons General Assembly and the NCGUB respond. Speech and Statement are included in this report. 24 October 1995: SLORC has declared Aung San Suu Kyi's re-appointment as Secretary General of the National League for Democracy illegal according to reports in the New York Times and Dallas Morning News. NCGUB issues a press release. Furture Agenda: The Delegation will meet with Australia's Foreign Minister, Senator the Hon. Gareth Evans on the 25th October. NGOs and Burma support groups will meet with the Delegation up to the end of the month. Official meeting with UN Mission will commence on the 6th Novermber. Report Ends. ****************** NCGUB: RESPONSE TO GENERAL MAUNG AYE'S SPEECH National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma Office of the UN Mission October 23, 1995 In his address to the 50th Anniversary Special Commenmorative Session of the United Nations General Assembly, General Maung Aye, Vice Chairman of the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC), supported the instituion of the United Nations. He said, "There is no better alternative to the United Nations. In an increasingly inderdependent world, the United Nations is the only forum for multi- lateral cooperation. I would like to reaffirm Myanmars's abiding faith in the United Nations as a center for harmonizing the actions of nations in the attainment of universal peace and cooperation". General Maung Aye also renewed SLORC's commitment to the principles and purposes of the Charter of the United Nations and pledged SLORC's continued cooperation with the United Nations. The National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma (NCGUB), representing the will of the people of Burma as expressed in the 1990 general elections, welcome SLORC's commitment to the UN and its pledge to cooperate with the world body which represents the international community. Since 1991, the UN Commission on Human Rights and the UN General Assembly have consistently passed consensus resolutions calling on SLORC to honor the results of the 1990 elections, to accelerate the pace of democratization in Burma and to improve the human rights situation in Burma. The resolutions are consistent with the Charter of the United Nations which clearly states that all Member States have an obligation to promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language, or religion. They are also consistent with the Universal Declaration of Human Rights whichstate that "the will of people shall be the basis of the authority of government". SLORC cannot pledge to support the UN and at the same time claim that it has the right to ignore the will of the Burmese people as well as the will of the international community because the situation in Burma is an internal affair. Neither can General Maung Aye claim that to maintain international peace and security, the UN should not "internal affairs". The UN Secretary-General has stated in his 'Agenda for Peace' that security does not merely mean the lack of military threat. Human Rights violations, poverty, humanitarisn crises and natural disasters also threaten international peace and security. The current situation in Burma and SLORC's refusal to address them is beginning to threaten regional security. Given SLORC's professed commitment to the UN, the NCGUB calls on the international community to require SLORC to live up to its obligations. The preamble of the UN Charter quoted by General Maung Aye in his speech obliges Member States, "to practice tolerance anigh live together in peace with one another as good neighbours". It also calls for Member States not to use armed forced and to establish conditions under which justice can be maintained. Given SLORC's systemic gross violation of human rights in Burma, its persecution of religious and ethnic minorities, its indiscriminate use of armed force to suppress dissent, and its blatant disregard for the territorial integrity of its neighbors, it is right that the UNGA should continue to express its concern about the situation in Burma. The NCGUB would also like to remind General Maung Aye and SLORC that Article 6 of the UN Charter staes that a Member State which persistently violates th eprinciples ocntained in the Charter may be expelled from the UN by the General Assembly. The NCGUB, therefore, calls on SLORC to make good without further delay, its commitment to the UN and its pledge to cooperate with it by fully implement the UN resolutions. Since October 1994, the UN Secretary-General has been trying to engage in a dialogue with SLORC about the human rights situation in Burma in order to facilitate a dialogue between the Burmese military led by SLORC, the democracy movement led by Nobel Peace laureate Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, and ethnic leaders, as a means to national reconciliation. At the very least, SLORC should cooperate with the UN Secretary-Genral and initiate a dialogue with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. ********************************** JAPAN TIMES: JAPAN-MYANMAR RELATIONSHIP COMES INTO FOCUS October 27, 1995 By Hisane Masaki From: carol@gol.com (Carol Schlenker) Tokyo visit of Gen. Maung Aye underscores growing importance of bilateral ties Gen. Maung Aye, a top leader of Myanmar's military-led government, comes to Tokyo next week on a five-day informal visit, apparently courting increased Japanese economic aid and investment to help his country's switch to a free market economy from a socialist-style, centrally planned economy. Maung Aye, the vice chairman of the State Law and Order Restoration Council -- as the military junta refers to itself -- is to arrive Monday on his way back home from a trip to New York to attend the 50th anniversary celebrations of the United Nations. He will be the highest-level SLORC official to visit Japan since the military took power in Myanmar in a 1988 coup. There is a speculation that the 57-year-old military official may replace Than Shwe as SLORC chairman as early as next spring. Certain major Japanese trading firms are so enamored of new business opportunities in Myanmar -- a potentially lucrative, resource-rich market with the population of 45 million -- that they are preparing to roll out the red carpet for him, according to sources familiar with corporate thinking on the matter. Marubeni Corp. and Mitsubishi Corp., according to the sources, both of which signed comprehensive cooperation agreements with Myanmar earlier this year, and Mitsui & Co. Ltd. have already appointed a full day each during Maung Aye's Japan stay for business discussions and consultations. After Myanmar -- formerly Burma -- became internationally isolated, especially from the West, in the late 1980s, its economy demonstrated slack economic growth, at best, until a recovery began in 1992. Even after posting a robust growth of 9.3 percent in fiscal 1992, the country's economy has continued to grow strongly amid accelerated free-market reforms, although at a slightly slower pace. Japan made direct investment of only $101 million in Myanmar between September 1988 and March 1995, as compared with $632 million by Britain, $465 million by France, $398 million by Thailand, $293 million by Singapore and $226 million by the United States, according to Myanmarese government statistics. In a sharp contrast to the sentiment within the private business sector, the Japanese government apparently wants to keep Maung Aye's Tokyo trip as low-profile as possible for fears of sending the wrong signal to both SLORC and the rest of the world, especially the West, about its policy toward Rangoon. Prim Minister Tomiichi Murayama will probably not meet Maung Aye, although Foreign Minister Yohei Kono may do so, a Foreign Ministry official said, on the condition of anonymity. The official also said that even if Kono or other government officials were to meet with Maung Aye, they would convey to him a strong message that SLORC must make more democratic reforms and improve protection of human rights despite the release in July of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi. "The Japanese side will not start talking with Maung Aye about official economic aid for Myanmar, even though he may raise the subject, "the official said. SLORC put Suu Kyi under house arrest in 1989 and annulled the results of a democratic election in 1990, in which her National League for Democracy, or NLD, won a landslide victory. The United States and other Western industrialized countries have harshly condemned SLORC for blatant violations of human rights and democracy and frozen official economic aid for the impoverished Southeast Asian country. Although Japan also suspended official development assistance to Rangoon following the 1988 military coup, it has advocated a policy of "constructive engagement" with Rangoon, rather than seeking to isolate Myanmar, so as to encourage changes there. Myanmar's Asian neighbors have chosen to pursue a policy of constructive engagement with Myanmar. Maung Aye's visit comes at a time when Tokyo is gearing up -- albeit cautiously -- to make a full-scale resumption of offical development assistance, or ODA, to Myanmar following Suu Kyi's release. The trip also comes less than one month before Myanmar's National Convention, which has been involved in the drafting of a new constitution since 1993, is to resume Nov. 28 after a hiatus of about seven months. The National Convention was originally to have reopened at the end of October. Although nearly 10 percent of 700 delegates are from the NLD, SLORC opponents dismiss the convention as a sham designed to perpetuate the military's grip on power. The one-month delay in resuming the convention is seen by some foreign diplomats in Rangoon as a deliberate and considered tactic by SLORC to draw Suu Kyi and her NLD into discussions at the resumed convention by giveing her extra time to determine her position on a dialogue with SLORC. The worst case scenario for Japan is that confrontation between the Suu Kyi-led NLD and SLORC would develop into another bout of political repression, including the possible use of force, by the military. That scenario, if it were to actually take place, would be a severe embarassment for Japan, which claims that the policy of constructive engagement has, so far, reaped tangible results, as exemplified by Suu Kyi's freedom. Another flareup of political and social upheaval in Myanmar would also put the brakes on -- and could even reverse -- Japan's policy of gradually increasing ODA, including resumption of suspended low-interest yen loans, to Myanmar. Since the military grabbed power in the 1988 coup, Japan has put on hold the disbursement of yen loans it pledged earlier to Myanmar for six infrastructure projects, including 27 billion yen for the repair and expansion of an international airport in Rangoon. The U.S. and Europe insist that Suu Kyi's freedom alone is far from sufficient and oppose any economic aid for the military-led government in Myanmar, whose legitimacy they do not recognize. This stance by other governments and Suu Kyi's critical views on Japanese aid, especially for nonhumanitarian purposes, voiced repeatedly in interviews with the foreign media after her July release, have made Tokyo cuaitious about freely turning on the aid tap to Myanmar. Aside from such political reasons, it is likely to take about one year -- or even longer -- before Japan can resume the provision of the yen loans to which it has already committed itself for all six projects because of technical reasons, such as the need to re-evaluate the projects. Among the projects, the international airport poses the most complicated problem, because the question of how to cover some 6 billion yen in losses incurred by a Japanese corporate group, led by Marubeni and Taisei Corp. is difficult to resolve, government sources said. The sources said that the corporate group continued work on the airport project for some time even after the flow of yen loans stopped in the wake of the 1992 military coup, in anticipation of an early resumption of such aid. The group paid some 6 billion yen from its own coffers to make up for suspended yen loans before it was eventually forced to withdraw from the project, the sources said. "Once the Marubeni-Taisei group determines to swallow the loss, then fresh yen loans for the airport project will be disbursed,"one source said. Among the six Japanese-financed projects that have been on hold since the late 1980s, resumption of yen loans for a 4.8 billion yen project to improve the power supply network in Rangoon is expected to come first, possibly early next year, the sources said. Although Japan is preparing to resume the yen loans it already committed to Myanmar, it will not make any additional pledge of loans in the foreseeable future, partly for political reasons and partly because of the unresolved question of some 80 billion yen in official debts that Myanmar owes Tokyo. "Japan's position is the same with that of the U.S. and Europe in that transfer of power from the military to civilians must be made as soon as possible, " a senior Foreign Ministry official said, on condition of anonymity. "But Japan wants to see a soft landing for such a transfer of power in Myanmar, without any serious turmoil there and damages to the country's smoothly developing economy," the official added. ***************************** NATION: CLOSING THE DOOR ON SUU KYI October 27, 1995 SLORC's announcement barring Aung San Suu Kyi from resuming the leadership of her old party, the National League for Democracy, makes it succinctly clear to all that the junta has no intention of working towards a negotiated settlement to Burma's political problems. Their decision is a saddening one, not only for the long-oppressed Burmese people, who are used to such duplicitous behaviour, but for Thailand as well. With this one ruling, SLORC has extinguished the flickers of hope generated by the release of Suu Kyi and returned Burma to the debilitating political stalemate that has plagued the country for the last six years. For Thailand, there is little reason now to believe there will be any long-term stability along the western border for the foreseeable future. Modern-day Burma, or Myanmar as the generals have taken to calling it, is a fabrication built on lies and bayonet points. And sooner or later it must collapse because of the crude imbalances that exist. Lies, lies, lies The biggest lies are political. The military rules under the pretence of restoring law and order, refusing to let go seven years after a popular uprising rocked the country and five years since their leadership was overwhelmingly repudiated at the polls. The National Convention that is supposed to draw up a new constitution and pave the way for a transfer or power is pure folly, a piece of absurdist theatre where time, words and action all mean nothing. According to SLORC, the convention is still years away from finishing its task, surely making it the world's slowest-operating rubber stamp body. Under pressure from the international community, the junta pledged to work towards reconciliation with the opposition forces. But again, as the Suu Kyi ruling shows, these were only more lies. Burma's economy, much vaunted for its potential, is similarly built on falsehoods. Not all are as glaring as the ludicrously inflated kyat, but they should nevertheless give similar warning to potential investors. Corruption, inflation, legal minefields, infrastructure shortages, a missing technocrat class, no access to international lending organizations - the problems are endless. And while, yes, there is economic growth in Burma, it also is not real in any sustainable sense. After decades of mismanagement at military hands the only place the economy could go was up. But critically, this growth is being fuelled by the export of jade, timber and fish and other raw materials, none of it processed or manufactured in Burma and none of it bringing any real benefit to the population or economy. Burma's leaders say it is a paradox of the switch to a market-driven economy that things for most people get worse before they get better. We predict things won't get any better for most Burmese, they will merely stay the grinding same. The only future that awaits Burma is as some form of banana republic, with huge and volatile disparities between a handful of military-connected rich and the general population as a whole. SLORC's peace campaign with the ethnic groups, while perhaps not an outright lie, is nevertheless built on bent truths and cynicism. It has been bought at the cost of dividing the country. The ethnic armies have not laid down their guns and should Rangoon encroach on their commercial empires, fighting - as in the case of the Karenni - will surely flare again. Sullen population As they look out from their run-down government office windows, it has hard to know what the generals see that makes them so confident they can possibly run the country without the cooperation and support of the people. The only thing staring back at them is a sullen, cowed population - and poverty, the only undeniable product of their rule since 1962. Similarly it is a mystery why they so fear this slight but iron-willed lady. Her words are not about revenge or retribution. Instead she talks of negotiation, reconciliation and working together to build a new Burma. The generals can shun Aung San Suu Kyi, detain her or blacklist her, but as long they do, it is they who will remain imprisoned by the injustices and inequalities they have created. They will remain international pariahs, overseeing a country that will continue to simmer with discontent. Power is said to be corrupting, but it is also blinding. Suu Kyi is only human, but her unique position as the daughter of national hero Aung San, her international following, her non-violent ideology and her domestic popularity offer SLORC their best hope of coping with the tumult and conflicting interests at play in Burma. Tragically, though, they seem absolutely blind to it. ***************************************************************** BKK POST: EDITORIAL - THE OPTIONS NARROW IN SLORC-SUU KYI STANDOFF October 27, 1995 SLOWLY, the political battle lines are forming in Burma between the government and an opposition committed to profound change. The military regime has decided to try to harass its opposition with a short-sighted and trivial legal manoeuvre. In recent days, it has barred Aung San Suu Kyi from regaining leadership of her National League for Democracy (NLD). The government has drawn on a 1990 law which permits the regime to approve the leaders of political parties. After locking up Ms Suu Kyi and other NLD leaders without charges, the regime pressured the party to dismiss them in 1991. Now it has released them, but is insisting on its right to bar them from resuming their former positions. The hatchet men in this business are actually an anonymous five-member election commission, appointed by the junta to conduct the 1990 elections. But they are merely toadies to the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC). The NLD met openly (and legally) earlier this month to discuss party business. One of the urgent matters was party leadership. There was little surprise when Ms Suu Kyi was reelected as head of the NLD, and U Kyi Maung and U Tin Oo were also reappointed. All three are former political prisoners of the regime. The changes were submitted, as the law demands, to the election commission. There was little surprise when it gave formal refusal to the new party hierarchy, but worse was yet to come. It now is common knowledge SLORC leaders dictated the refusal of the new NLD lineup. It is feared they will stand by this unwise and confrontational decision. The aim seems to be to force the NLD out of existence. It is hard to imagine a more ill-considered action. The legal existence of the NLD depends upon its having a five-person executive committee. At present, it has seven. Six of these men are more than 70 years old, and the seventh is 69. An eighth member died last July, just days after the release of Ms Suu Kyi began to raise hope the despotic Rangoon regime was willing to discuss change in Burma. The junta's refusal to allow a rejuvenation of the NLD leadership raises the obvious question of whether the regime wants the party literally to die off. Life for the NLD is already extremely difficult. Its members have faced imprisonment without charges since it first was formed. Leaders are followed and harassed. Contact with foreigners is generally forbidden, even with the Press. As an illustration of tight control, SLORC has given permission to the NLD to publish material _ and has awarded licences for it to own and operate two typewriters and a stencil-type reproduction machine. Of course, paper supplies and distribution are closely monitored and closed on a whim. All of these controls, petty and major, are black marks on the Rangoon regime. Its claims to be obeying its own laws are meaningless, since it is the existence of such restrictions which has fostered the political opposition to SLORC in the first place. The obvious must be stated: South Africa was obeying its law by jailing Nelson Mandela, and Nazis were obeying the law by gassing millions of people. The point of the political debate in Burma is not that SLORC members are obeying the laws, but that the laws are unjust and harmful. The short-term thinking of Burma's military regime is depressing. Clearly, it has given little thought beyond extending its own power for a short while. But by swimming against the tide, it is ensuring that when - not if - conflict occurs, it will be greater than necessary. The leaders of SLORC appear to feel that by ignoring their political opposition, it will go away. Ms Suu Kyi and many other Burmese disagree. Since her release from house arrest, she has waited patiently for the regime to begin talks on reconciliation. She has held all along that only serious bargaining can help Burma emerge from its dictatorship. There is little sign this is about to happen. A report issued yesterday by the human rights group Amnesty International said that thousands of dissidents remain imprisoned in appalling t conditions and that other serious human rights abuses continue in Burma, despite the release of Ms Suu Kyi. The new report claims that hundreds have died from harsh conditions and poor treatment in the prisons with convicted criminals being singled out for forced labour on roads and other projects in terrible conditions. The junta leaders must come to grips eventually with these human rights violations and the fact of political opposition. They should recognise that the Burma of the future must be a more open society. All citizens are entitled to have a voice in their nation's future. If SLORC continues to insist on enforcing outdated and unpopular laws, it will face the consequences. Far better that the regime enter meaningful negotiations aimed at reconciliation of all Burmese for the sake of the nation. ***************************************************************** BKK POST: AMNESTY: BURMA RIGHTS SITUATION STILL CRITICAL October 27, 1995 (note: The Nation printed a shorter article on the same topic) BURMA'S human rights situation remains critical despite the July release of democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, Amnesty International said in a report released here yesterday and received by Reuters. "While we welcome some positive steps made by Myanmar's [Burma's] military government, thousands of political prisoners still remain behind bars _ among them at least 50 prisoners of conscience," the London-based human rights organisation aid. It defines a prisoner of conscience as someone sentenced for the peaceful expression of his views. "The military government's actions this year amount to giving with one hand while taking away with another," said the report which looked at human rights in Burma after seven years of military rule. Amnesty said less than two weeks before Nobel Peace laureate Suu Kyi was released from six years of house arrest, three veteran politicians were sentenced to seven years' imprisonment _ apparently for meeting with foreigners and criticising the ruling State Law and Order Restoration Council. "Political arrests remain a major tool of repression used by the Myanmar Government to suppress any criticism of its policies and practices," the report said. "The military continues to arrest people whom it deems a threat to "national security" but Amnesty International believes that those people are only peacefully attempting to I express their political views. The report also said conditions in prisons and labour camps remain extremely harsh and prisoners are subjected to beatings and other forms of ill-treatment. It said human rights violations occur throughout the country, with civilians in the border regions, where large populations of ethnic minorities live, at risk of arbitrary arrest. The Army continues to seize members of ethnic minorities for forced portering and labour duties, holding them in unhealthy conditions for weeks or months and mistreating them, it said. Amnesty called on the SLORC to release all prisoners of conscience and to review the cases of all political prisoners. It also urged the Government to abolish the practice of seizing civilians for forced labour and portering. The group also called for the international community to continue its commitment to protect human rights in Burma ##AFP reports from Tokyo: Japan will offer $16 million in grants to Burma in line with its decision to resume aid to the country following Suu Kyi's release, the Foreign Ministry said yesterday. The aid is aimed at financing a project to enlarge a university to train nurses in Burma. Officials from the two countries will exchange documents on the aid Monday in Rangoon, ministry officials said. ************************ INDEPENDENT REPORT: THAI GOVERMENT OFFICIAL'S COMMENTS RE: BURMA October 24, 1995 From: reaproy@cais.cais.com (Phil Robertson) Dear Burma Watchers, On Monday, October 23, Dr. Amnuay Virawan, one of the Deputy Prime Ministers of Thailand, appeared at John Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) and made a presentation which I attended. During the question and answer period that followed, he was asked about the situation with Thai-Burma relations and also about ASEAN concerns of SLORC's closeness to the People's Republic of China. He answered first of all that the SLORC/PRC ties are "not a matter of major concern to ASEAN" -- the standard line to cover up significant concern, privately expressed behind closed diplomatic doors, of course. He then added that the Thai Goverment is engaged with a "close dialogue with top Burmese authorities" and that he expects the relations will be "normalized soon". He added that a draft "border trade agreement" will be finalized "soon", mentioned that his invitation to Khin Nyunt to visit Bangkok had already been accepted and finally, the Thai Prime Minister Banharn Silipa-archa has decided to make an official visit to Burma sometime soon after Khin Nyunt's visit to Thailand. Since the party that Amnuay leads -- Nam Thai -- holds the Minister portfolio for the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, he would certainly be in a position to know much of this, esp. the Banharn visit. Of course, much of this may be old news to some, but coming from the source, it's worth noting none the less. Cheers, Phil Robertson reaproy@cais.com *************************** NATION: ORIENTAL HOTEL BOARD APPROVES JOINT VENTURE PROJECT IN BURMA October 27, 1995 Firm holds 50% stake in five star resort hotel project in Bagan ORIENTAL Hotel (Thailand) Plc's board of directors has approved a joint investment plan in Bagan Hotel Holding Company to operate a five star resort hotel in the Burmese city of Bagan. Oriental Hotel reported to the Stock Exchange of Thailand that it had acquired a 50 per cent stake in the Bagan Hotel Holding, while the remaining shares would be held by Mandarin Oriental International and Italian-Thai Development Plc at 25 per cent, respectively. The hotel, to be named the "Mandarin Oriental Bagan", is located on 95 rai of land on the Irawaddy river in one of Burma's most important historical areas. The company will restore the historical sites surrounding the project. Oriental noted that the Burmese government has already approved in principle details of the project and a draft of the leasing contract for land use. It is expected to receive a licence for building and operating the hotel soon. The project investment cost is estimated at US$22.75 million to build a 100-hotel room. The hotel will be designed to comply with local culture and environment. Oriental Hotel (Thailand) believes that the project will help increase business at the Oriental Hotel in Bangkok because tourists will travel through the city as part of their itinerary. The Mandarin Oriental Bagan will be managed by Mandarin Oriental International which operates 12 hotels worldwide. In addition, advanced technology will be an important part for management and marketing strategies, especially for international reservation networks. The investment in Burma will be a part of the Oriental (Thailand)'s plan to expand its business activities in the region. Chaiyudh Kanasutra, chairman of Oriental (Thailand), earlier said that the company also surveyed other potential markets in the region including Cambodia. Meanwhile, the Oriental (Thailand)'s board approved a change to its par value from Bt5 to Bt10 as well as a change to the company's books to help raise funding. Chaiyudh is also a major shareholder in Thailand's largest construction firm Italian-Thai Development, which since last year has operated the Amari Watergate on Petchaburi Road. ***************************************************************** BKK POST: DIVE OPERATORS UNITE IN BID TO EXPLORE BURMESE SITES October 27, 1995 By Ken Scott Phuket PHUKET diving operators have joined forces to form Myanmar Diving Services Co Ltd in an effort to gain access to the Mergui archipelago in southern Burma an area virtually cut off from outside exploration for 50 years. The aim of the company is to create a united front in the quest to secure diving access to the waters surrounding hundreds of islands within a 500-kilometre area north of Ranong. The move is potentially lucrative, but not without logistical and political headaches. The dive companies are not revealing much about their plans because they fear it may upset what one diver called "very sensitive" negotiations with Burmese authorities. The diver didn't even want it known how many operators had combined to form Myanmar Diving Services. At the moment, only Fantasea Divers South East Asia Divers and Sim Diving Centre offer live-aboard trips to the Burma Banks, a highly acclaimed dive site just north of the Thai maritime border. The new limited company is dealing with a wholly Burmese-owned company called Myanmar Economic Holdings, which represents the Burmese government and navy. An expatriate in Burma is acting as a go-between for the two sides. One diver described the Burmese authorities' attitude as "encouraging". "They're pushing us to go for Burma, saying, 'What can you do for the country?"' he said. Despite a handful of Thai survey trips and progress with representatives from Thailand's Channel 7, the TAT and Ranong's hotel sector, negotiations have been painstakingly slow. One diver said this was due to a lack of transparency over who's making the decisions on the Burmese side. There appeared to be a lack of unity and communication among Rangoon and the army and navy commanders in charge of the archipelago, he added. In Phuket, however, one of the participating divers said: "I feel the waiting is over. They [the Burmese authorities] are just nervous because they want to make sure everything is covered.... They may want to pass the blame if something goes wrong." The dive operators have identified three areas they want to explore. The first comprises Western and Northern Rocky Isles, Boulder Rock, South Twin, North Twin, and the Burma Banks. The second is Black Rock, Nearchus Rock, Torres Fletcher, Hayes, West and East islets. The third is from Sergent to Kabosa islands. Charts suggest submerged rock pinnacles in the latter two areas up to 90 metres deep may provide "world class" diving. Nevertheless, one of the Phuket-based divers said it was too early to promote new sites other than the Burma Banks, which are already heavily booked for the new tourist season. Some of the divers have inspected Mergui and Tavoy as potential bases for a diving operation. They were shocked to find a lack of basic infrastructure, as well as fuel, food supplies, drinking water and even simple commodities such as ice. According to one diver, live-aboard trips from Phuket will remain the only practical way into the area for the time being. Another noted that the start of four flights a week linking Ranong to Phuket and Bangkok from October 29 raised interesting possibilities. Although Mergui, Tavoy and Victoria Point have airstrips, foreigners need special permission to fly there from Rangoon. The Phuket operators describe the main market for the unexplored depths as high-paying, very experienced divers from the United States and Europe who are likely to be tempted by what one diver described as the "romantic" and "historical" appeal of the archipelago. He said such finicky divers expect fully-provisioned, powerful and spacious live-aboard boats, and easy access to harbour departure points. Accordingly, only Phuket or Ranong would be viable bases. The divers hope dynamite fishing hasn't wreaked havoc on corals. The waters have to be "world class", they say. ***************************************************************** BKK POST: KHUN SA IN LOOSE TRUCE ACCORD WITH RANGOON October 27, 1995 (editor's note: last part of article about Karen cut, see following article from Reuter for the full story.) OPIUM warlord Khun Sa has reached a tentative ceasefire agreement with Burmese government forces, a Thai army officer and a guerrilla official said yesterday. The loose agreement, reached earlier this month, might avert a long-expected Burmese army offensive against the notorious Shan guerrilla commander, the Thai officer said. "Khun Sa's delegates met the Burmese Army eastern commander in early October and both sides agreed to halt military operations. Khun Sa ordered his commanders to halt operations from October 15," he said. Khun Sa commands the powerful Mong Tai Army guerrilla force which operates in northeastern Burma's Shan State. An MTA official confirmed the report but said as far as he knew the ceasefire was limited to eastern Shan State. "The MTA eastern commander Chao Sulai exchanged letters with the Burmese regional commander and they agreed that both sides will halt military operations, at least for the time being," he said. But the Wa guerrilla force, allied to the Burmese Government, was continuing to attack Khun Sa forces "The Wa continue to fight us. There is intermittent fighting in the Mong Yon area (of southern Shan State)," he said. ************************************* REUTER: TALKS TO END BURMA'S WAR WITH REBELS NEARING END October 25, 1995 By Robert Birsel MAE SOT, Thailand, Oct 25 (Reuter) - Talks between the Burmese government and Karen guerrillas are inching towards a conclusion, and the guns in southeast Burma might fall silent for the first time in 47 years as early as next month, guerrilla officials said on Wednesday. But 70,000 Karen refugees now living in makeshift camps on the Thai side of the border will need more than an end to the fighting before they feel safe enough to return to their homeland, Karen refugee officials said. Karen National Union (KNU) leaders have met government intermediaries several times this year to try to end one of the world's longest-running guerrilla wars. A deputy of Burma's military intelligence chief Lieutenant-General Khin Nyunt attended the most recent talks earlier this month. ``So far it's talking, talking, but there's no conclusion, no resolution,'' a senior guerrilla source who declined to be identified told Reuters. ``But if they are sincere, I think we can get something, stop the fighting. We hope so,'' said the official, speaking on the Thai-Burmese border. A high-level meeting is tentatively scheduled for early November in the southeast Burmese town of Pa-an when an agreement to halt military action might be reached, the sources said. The guerrilla officials said the November talks will be the first ``official'' meeting after the preliminary talks which have taken place so far and it was hoped the two sides could reach an understanding. ``Before it was only middlemen, only discreet meetings,'' another guerilla official said. ``We may be be able to reach a ceasefire but so far there's been nothing on solving the political problems.'' The agreement, if and when it comes, will bring a fragile peace to virtually all of Burma, with the exception of northeastern Shan state, where Burmese government forces and their allies are battling opium warlord Khun Sa's powerful Shan guerrilla army. Karen troops fought alongside the British after Japan's World War Two invasion of Burma. Burmese nationalists, who at the time were allied with the Japanese, massacred hundreds of Karen civilians in revenge attacks. Karen guerrillas first took to the hills in 1949, one year after Burma gained independence from Britain. Their original fight for independence was later changed to a demand for autonomy in a federal Burma. At the beginning of their war, Karen troops nearly succeeded in marching on Rangoon but they were held off and have been steadily pushed back to remote corners of southeastern Burma ever since. Over the years, the Burmese army forced the KNU back towards the Thai border. The fighting has steadily increased the number of Karen civilians crossing the frontier in a bid to escape hostilities. Karen refugee officials said the decades of warfare have left the 70,000 refugees now in Thai camps deeply suspicious of the Burmese army. ``It will take a lot of convincing for people to feel it is really safe,'' Robert Shwe, a Christian pastor who heads the Karen Refugee Committee told Reuters. ***************************************************************** BKK POST: BORDER REOPENING WITH BURMA SOUGHT October 27, 1995 TRANSPORT and Communications Minister Wan Muhamad Nor Matha will try to negotiate for the reopening of Thai-Burmese border passes. The minister, who inspected the closed border pass at Mae Sai district of Chiang Rai yesterday, said he would invite the Burmese transport minister to Thailand to discuss the issue in preparation for further government-to-government talks. Burma's closure of the border passes in Mae Sai district of Chiang Rai, Mae Sariang of Mae Hong Son, Mae Sot of Tak, and in Ranong has affected the economy of both countries, he said. Chiang Rai Governor Khamron Booncherd said the closure has reduced the volume of cross-border trading by 80-90 per cent. Prior to the closure, the value of trading via the Mae Sai pass was estimated at about two billion baht annually. Burma is expected to reopen the border soon as it has set next year for tourism promotion. Mr Khamron said he would meet with Burmese authorities next Monday to discuss the possibility of reopening the border. If their talks could be positively concluded, Burmese patients could then seek treatment at Thai hospitals, Burmese workers could seek jobs in Thailand, and Thai goods could be exported to Burma, he said.