------------------------ BurmaNet ------------------------ "Appropriate Information Technologies, Practical Strategies" ---------------------------------------------------------- The BurmaNet News: December 26, 1995 Issue #308 Noted in Passing: We consider any attempt to prosecute U Sein Hla Aung to be a flagrant violation of fundamental human rights. - Zunetta Liddell, Human Rights Watch/Asia researcher. (see: HRWA: BURMA: NLD MEMBER ARRESTED, NEW RESTRICTIONS IMPOSED) HEADLINES: ========== HRWA: BURMA: NLD MEMBER ARRESTED, NEW RESTRICTIONS IMPOSED BKK POST: EURO BODY TO GIVE B26M AID FOR KAREN REFUGEES INTELLIGENCE NEWSLETTER: TOTAL HIRES FRENCH MERCENARIES ABSDF(DNA): SLORC PADDY PROCUREMENT POLICY IN TENESSARIM ABSDF(DNA): SLORC ABUSES AND KARENNI STATEMENTS BKK POST: SAWMILL SET ABLAZE IN REBEL FIREFIGHT CBC RADIO: INTERVIEW WITH ASSK AND DAVID ABEL LETTER FROM ZAR NI: RESPONSE TO IHT: ACTIVISM THAT HURTS NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR: MYANMAR REPORTS DRUG SEIZURE NEW STRAITS TIMES: PASSPORT RING CRIPPLED, SEVEN SUSPECTS DETAINED XINHUA: MYANMAR TO INTRODUCE TEACHING OF COMPUTER SCIENCE BKK POST: RANGOON PORT TO BE EXPANDED BKK POST: MANDALAY AIRPORT BKK POST: BORDER CROSSING BURMA WEB PAGE: MYANMAR ACTORS & ACTRESSES -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- HRWA: BURMA: NLD MEMBER ARRESTED, NEW RESTRICTIONS IMPOSED December 21, 1995 From: hrwatchuk@gn.apc.org FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE For more information: Zunetta Liddell, London, 44 171 713 1995 44 171 278 4485 (h) Mike Jendrzejczyk, Washington, 202-371-6592, ext. 113 301-585-5824 (h) U Sein Hla Aung, a 45-year-old member of the National League for Democracy (NLD), will be tried on December 29 in Mandalay, according to information received by Human Rights Watch/Asia. He was arrested near his home in Mandalay on December 16 for having distributed videos of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's "People's Forum", the informal public gatherings which have taken place outside Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's home since her release from six years of house arrest in July 1995. Human Rights Watch/Asia is concerned that U Sein Hla Aung may not receive a fair trial, and urges foreign embassies in Rangoon to request details about the charges against him, and request permission to send diplomatic observers to attend the trial. Since the NLD withdrew from the government-sponsored National Convention on November 29, 1995, Human Rights Watch/Asia has learned that new restrictions have been placed on NLD local party members. Under the new orders, any NLD member must seek permission from local Law and Order Restoration Councils before embarking on any travel or attending party meetings. There are also additional restrictions on the publication and distribution of NLD literature and video films. Since 1988, when political parties were first allowed to form in Burma, all written texts by political parties have had to be approved by the Elections Commission. It is not known if the new restrictions also apply to other political parties in Burma. "These laws and new restrictions violate international law," said Human Rights Watch/Asia researcher Zunetta Liddell. "We consider any attempt to prosecute U Sein Hla Aung to be a flagrant violation of fundamental human rights and a sign that the government of Burma does not at this point intend to implement the recommendations recently adopted by consensus at the United Nations General Assembly." Human Rights Watch/Asia calls on the government of Burma, the State Law and Order Restoration Council, to immediately and unconditionally release U Sein Hla Aung. We also urge the government to fully implement the recommendations of the December 11, 1995 United Nations General Assembly resolution, including the provision which urges the Government of Myanmar [Burma] to take all appropriate measures to allow all citizens to participate freely in the political process in accordance with the principles of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights..." The resolution also calls on the government to ensure full respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, including freedoms of expression and assembly..." ******************************************************* ***************************************************************** BKK POST: EURO BODY TO GIVE B26M AID FOR KAREN REFUGEES December 23, 1995 THE European Commission will donate emergency food and medicine worth 26 million baht to Burmese refugees living along the Thai border, a commission official said yesterday. The supplies are intended for some 75,000 members of the Karen ethnic minority who fled across the border after Burmese government troops captured their military bases last December. The refugees are known to suffer from malaria and a shortage of clean drinking water in the border camps. The official, who works at the commission's delegation in Bangkok, said the aid package is valued at 25.6 million baht and will cover the first six months of 1996. The official, who refused to give his name, said the commission is also weighing approval of a separate donation of rice and other food worth an estimated 22.08 million baht. The Karen have waged a guerrilla war for autonomy from the central Burmese government almost continuously since Burma won independence from Britain in 1948. The Karen National Union, the last major ethnic rebel group to defy Burma's military government, began peace talks with its adversaries earlier this month. The commission, one arm of the European Union, will distribute its aid to the refugees through two non-government groups, France's Aide Medicale Internationale and Germany's Malteser Hilfsdienst. Its pragramme, approved on December 6, will pay for doctors as well as medical supplies and food. _ AP ***************************************************************** INTELLIGENCE NEWSLETTER: TOTAL HIRES FRENCH MERCENARIES December 22, 1995 from mbeer@capaccess.org SECTION: BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE; BURMA; No. 278 Around 10 French "mercenaries" left about Nov. 20 for Burma to see to the protection of a 63-km-long gas pipeline that the French oil company Total is building close to the Thai border (IN 267). The security companies hired by Total to recruit the mercenaries found it hard to find volunteers. Indeed, a lot of French mercenaries took up cause over the years with the Karen rebellion and some even lost their lives in doing so. The work to be carried out by Total will be conducted under the "protection" of the Burmese army, and thus against Karen rebels. As a result, the mercenaries who accepted the job are mainly young men who recently quit the French army. Among them are two mine disposal experts who served under UN colors in former Yugoslavia. ************************************************ ABSDF(DNA): SLORC PADDY PROCUREMENT POLICY IN TENESSARIM DIVISION December 21, 1995 Slorc authorities in Palaw and Laung Lone township in Tenessarim division forcibly ordered the local farmers to sell 8 Burmese-unit baskets per acre of cultivated land at the government fixed price of 70 kyats, compared to a market price of between 300-250 kyats. Some farmers could not sell that amount because of the flood damage and poor harvests, they were forced to purchase rice at the market price and sell back to the Slorc at their fixed price. In order to get the money for purchasing paddy, they were required to sell their land, house and cattle. Some farmers were arrested for failing to sell the rice to the Slorc. Last year, ten farmers from Leik-ou-thaung, Pyin-bu-gyi, Pyin-bu- ngwe village of Palaw township and 15 farmers from Myo Haung, Thaung Min Pyaung, Sa khan Gyi villages of Laung Lon township were arrested for this reason. More tax for the Mergui town beautification According to the Township LORC of Palaw townships Order No. 4020/221/3- MaWaTa/Pala-2, issued on November 3, 1995, all the 64 villages in Palaw township were ordered to pay 35220 kyats not later them November 20, 1995. The reason for the tax was to renovate the pier of Mergui in order to use as the landing pier of international sea- carriers. Other beautification are underway for the beautification projects for the Visit Myanmar Year 1996. 17 laborers died in harness On November 22, 1995, 17 forced laborers in Hnin Kyel labor camp in Ye byu township, Tanessarim division died in harness when the earth collapsed. They all were from Ain Shat Pyin village and were forced to work in this labor camp. 20 laborers were trapped under the earth collapse and only 17 were rescued and send to Tavoy hospital. All of them died in the hospital and the other three were missing. The Tanessarim division LORC warned the village where the unfortunate were from not to spread the news out, otherwise they would be severely punished. The remaining family did not get any compensation for the deaths although they Slorc said before any death accidents would be compensated 10,000 kyats. Human Rights Day beating On December 10, 1995, an International Human Rights Day, village headman of Hta-min-ma-sar village, Palaw township in Tenessarim division was beaten up by the deputy column commander Cap. Tha Ban of IB (17). The military column arrived the village and arrested the headman. Cap. Than Ban interrogated the whereabouts of ABSDF forces. He did not actually have any contacts with the forces and he said no. He was later tied his hands at his back and beaten up severely while he was interrogated. Even exile Burmese cannot escape from Slorcs coercion of donation Exile Burmese in Bangkok were coerced to donate money for giving honor to the winning Burmese athletes of the 18th SEA Games held in Chaing Mai, Bangkok. According to the letter No. 4986/45 issued on October 6, 1995, the Burmese Embassy in Bangkok asked the Burmese passport holders to contribute money to the Embassy for its honoring ceremony to the winning Burmese athletes of SEA Games. In addition to this, the exile Burmese were asked to donate for the Slorc chairman trophy Golf competition (Dec, 1995), Burmese Regatta Festival (December 1995), and third National Sport Festival (February, 1996). Burmese who need to extend their visas and need some official papers from the Burmese embassy are coerced to donate money for these reason. They have no other choice but to pay some money in order to smooth their needs. That is ridiculous because the Burmese embassy never take care of its citizens in Bangkok but just coercing money from them. Recent, 25 Burmese passportholders with genuine and valid visa were rounded up on Dec.11 in Bangkok and detained at the police lockup for a whole day without any reason. They did not get any assistance from Burmese embassy. ABSDF NEWS AGENCY ABSDF (DAWN GWIN) *********************************************************** ABSDF(DNA): SLORC ABUSES AND KARENNI STATEMENTS December 23 1995 >From ANOTHER BEAUTIFICATION ORDER IN KAN BAUK Kan Bauk district in Tenessarim division has been recently promoted as a township level administrative area. In order to qualify the township level standard, people from Kan Bauk were ordered to do beautification activities by the Slorc. Without any assistance by the authorities, people required to extend the motor roads, build up the platforms and white wash their houses with their own expense. Each person from every household had to go and work the unpaid labor for these beautification activities. Every household had to pay for building up the platform in front of their house. The pay would vary depend on the length of the house on the street. The cost of 10 foot long platform was 500 Kyats. If fail to pay, their house and land would be seized without any compensation and people would be forcibly evicted from the township. The family of U Ah Htaw and Daw Gib Poke from Mya Thida ward was evicted from the township for failing to pay 4000 Kyats for 80 foot long platform in front of their house. Family of U Pho Hto and Daw Khin Hla from Khine Thazin ward faced similar fate for failing to pay 2000 Kyats for 40 foot long platform. Military and illegal logging on Hein Zel islands Military buildings and office building of foreign oil companies built up with using forced labor the Hein Zel islands has been over but people are still summoned to work on the island and used illegal logging businesses run by military officials. A company commanded by Major Thadoe Aung of LIB 410 which is taking security guard on the Hein Zel island conscripted 15 local villagers from Bwu Gyi, Bwike, Tabin Shwehtee, Lin Lun Bwu, Walakoke villager which are situated just opposite of the island and used in their illegal logging concession on the island. The conscripted laborers were required to cut and saw the logs. later the military sold it one ton for 10,000 kyats. In every night, the illegal boats from Pa-nga, Kalope-pi, Mawkanin, Kawduk and Lamai shipped at the island and smuggled out. rapes and sexual harassment in the forced labor camps Corporal Aung Win from LIB 407 was beaten up on November 25, by the laborers in Nwe Li labor camp Tavoy, Tenessarim division while he and other one soldier attempting to rape the female laborer from the camp. He was seriously injured from the beating and later taken to the Tavoy hospital. The victim was Ma San Aye, 21 years old girl from Pyine Htein village, Laung Lon township. "STATEMENT OF KARENNI NATIONAL PROGRESSIVE PARTY'S DECEMBER 20, 1995 EMERGENCY MEETING WITH REGARD TO CEASE-FIRE" (full text) In response to its peace overture, the Karenni National Party had a series of talk with Slorc. Slorc agreed to 16 points put forward by KNPP, and as a result, an agreement was reached. To mark and solemnized the agreement, a ceremony was held on March 21, 1995. But after the ceremony, Slorc failed to abide by the agreement. It, in violation of the agreement, launched a major military offensive code-named "Taing Lone Heim" (Echo through the region), sending thousands of its troops into the KNPP controlled area. KNPP tried to solve the problem through talks on June 20 and June 22 in Loikaw with local Slorc's commanders, but without any positive result. Wishing to abide by the cease-fire agree reached on March 21, 1995, and wanting to know the intention of Slorc clearly, KNPP, as an attempt to solve the problem, sent a delegation to Rangoon on November 21, 1995. During the talks with Slorc, the KNPP delegation was explicitly told that the agreement reached between it and the former did not amount to an official agreement, and that Slorc could not withdraw its troops it had thrown into Karenni-controlled area. The agreement reached, Slorc's military authorities said, was only a step where KNPP had entered the legal fold. Slorc has not only violated an agreement reached with KNPP on March 21, 1995, it also regards KNPP as a group that has surrendered. hence, KNPP regards the agreement reached with Slorc in March 1995 as null and void. On the other hand, KNPP firmly believes that peace can be achieved through the official cease-fire reached with Slorc in March 1995. Hence, based on equality, mutual respects, mutual recognition, good will and honesty, KNPP is willing to continue holding cease-fire talks with Slorc. Central Committee Karenni national Progressive party ABSDF NEWS AGENCY ABSDF (DAWN GWIN) ******************************************************** BKK POST: SAWMILL SET ABLAZE IN REBEL FIREFIGHT December 21, 1995 Tha Song Yang, Tak A REBEL HELD sawmill was set ablaze in a clash on Tuesday between Karen National Union (KNU) rebels and proRangoon Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA) troops near the Thai-Burmese border here. Thai security officials said the clash followed the seizure of several sawmills along the Moei River, opposite Mae Lae in Tha Song Yang district, by about 150 DKBA soldiers. The renegade DKBA troop who broke away from the KNU early this year following internal conflicts, also uncovered a small each of assault rifles belonging to the KNU. In a bid to retake the sawmills, Karen rebels engaged the Karen Buddhists in a fierce firefight during which a sawmill was hit by a shell and caught fire. The Thai officials said several troops on both sides were killed or wounded. They said the DKBA had threatened to attack Mae Hla refugee camp on-the Thai side which is housing thousands of Karen refugees. In another development army attache of the US Embassy, Col Thomas D. Washburn inspected the border in Mae Sot District. His delegation was given a briefing on the border situation by Col Suwit Manmuen, commander of the special force of the 4th Infantry Regiment. **************************************************************** LETTER FROM ZAR NI: RESPONSE TO IHT: ACTIVISM THAT HURTS PEOPLE IN NEED December 18, 1995 From: zar ni Here is my reponse to Joe Pang, the managing director of Victoria Garment Manufacturing Company in Hong Kong, which has four factories in Burma. It's interesting the author, Mr. Joe Pang framed his argument in the language of workers' rights as if he truly were sympathetic to the well-being of our workers. The timing of his exploratory business trip to Burma renders his "I care about the workers rights" argument utterly hypocritical. In 1989, the year Mr. Pang set foot in Rangoon in search of cheap labor, (oh, yes), the blood stains of thousands of pro-democracy fighters who were slughtered by the SLORC, Mr. Pang's then potential business partner, on the walls, on the bridges, on the streets, on the trees, and in the burial grounds in Rangoon, Sagaing, and various other places were yet to be whitewashed. That was the time, even the "money worshipping highly pro-business" Japan decided not to continue doing business with Burma's murderers. Western governments, inconsistent and hypocritical though they may be generally, were condemning the SLORC in the strongest language. Despite the brutality and barbarity of the regime, Mr. Pang found it honorable to shake the bloodstained hands of the regime as he evidently has been driven by nother other than profit motive. Mr. Pang lamented the fact that the workers' salaries have gone down from $30-40 to $12 and that there will have to be lay-offs. Both are due, so accuses Mr. Pang, primarily because of human rights activists who campaign hard for the corporate withdrawal from Burma through consumer pressure, picketting and so on. Of course, Mr. Pang wanted to be perceived as a "humane employer" whe has helped the people of Burma by employing initially 400 workers. His message, it seems, is "All you human rights activists should respect the rights of the Burmese workers, not deny them the opportunity to work." How can workers have rights in a country like Burma where the entire populace have been deprived of even the most fundamental civil liberties and other forms of group or individual freedom? I lived there 25 years of my life. We survived without joint ventures by which many foreign businessmen with their ruthless, unethical and greed-driven business practices reap the lion's share while their employees work on a temporary basis at roughly 10 cents an hour under hazadous conditions without health or any kind of benefits, pension, and the rights to protect themselves through unions. Also many people within the country are politically enlightened enough to realize that foreign investors like Mr. Joe Pang are perpetuating the oppressive system. My people know that foreign investment money including that from Mr. Pang's garment joint venture goes straight into the coffers of Slorc generals, who are mad enough to spend nearly $2 billion for arms build-up while letting the country go down the Burmese Way to Hell. Over the past three decades, thousands of my people--students, monks, women, men, and even children--have sacrificed their well-being in the struggle to free themseves from the yoke of the tyrannical regime. And many continue with the struggle in their own ways. Who dare claim that our people have buried their desire to live "full and meaningful life" under a just and democratic government simply because they now have an opportunity to work for an obvious scumbag like Mr. Pang__ for 10 cents an hour? As the country's legitimate leader, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, writes eloquently, "the struggle for democracy and human rights in Burma is a struggle for life and dignity. It is a struggle that encompasses our political, social and economic aspirations." Advocating workers' rights without regard to the fundamenal rights and freedom for all, as Mr. Pang has done rather dishonestly, is narrow-sighted at best and pathetic at worst. In his greed-driven rush to protect his petty business interests in my native country while deceiving the readers as if his concerns were about workers' welfare and their rights to work, Mr. Pang attempted, though unsuccessfully, to hold Burma and human rights advocates responsible for apparently shrinking garment assembly lines. Mr. Pang should, before long, realize that at the root of the problem in Burma are the intransigent regime, SLORC, and foreign investors like himself. So long as greedy foreign investors bankroll tyrants in Burma forming a symbiotic relationship, the plight of our workers will remain as bleak as that of their fellow oppressed people. *********************************************** NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR: MYANMAR REPORTS DRUG SEIZURE IN NOVEMBER MYANMAR authorities seized 114 kilograms of narcotic drugs in November, the official newspaper "new light of MYANMAR" said. The drugs included 5.8 kilograms of heroin. In the same month, 377 people were arrested in 279 drug-related cases in the country, said the report. according to official statistics, 1,408 kilograms of narcotic drugs, including over 143 kilograms of heroin, were seized in MYANMAR in the 11 months to November. ********************************************************* NEW STRAITS TIMES: PASSPORT RING CRIPPLED, SEVEN SUSPECTS DETAINED December 20, 1995 By Annie Freeda Cruez (abridged) KLANG, Tues. - Police have broken a ring masterminded by four Myanmar brothers supplying forged Bangladeshi passports with the arrest of six foreigners and a Malaysian here on Saturday. The seven, who are members of the "Four Dragon General Enterprise" gang, were picked up between midnight and 7am from two houses in Jalan Sungai Rasah and one in Jalan Raja Bot. The foreigners comprise five Myanmar nationals including three of the four brothers and a Bangladeshi. The ring was believed to have commenced operations more than a year ago selling forged Bangladesh passports to Myanmar citizens for RM400 each. They also charge RM140 for services such as stamping the passports as requested. measuring box. This is the fourth syndicate involved in fake passports which police have crippled over the past three months. To date, Aziz said, police have arrested more than 40 foreigners and Malaysians involved in the sale of fake passports. *************************************************************** XINHUA: MYANMAR TO INTRODUCE TEACHING OF COMPUTER SCIENCE December 19, 1995 The Myanmar government is implementing the task of teaching computer science in all schools throughout the country. To give students access to computer science, the Myanmar government has arranged the use of apple computers in all schools and a contract to purchase 3,000 computers for basic educational schools has been signed according to official reports recently. The Myanmar education ministry has also arranged to conduct basic computer courses for teachers and has brought out a total of 120 instructors in the last two courses, according to today's "the New Light of Myanmar." Myanmar is endeavoring for development of modern educational system for future generation and teaching of computer science in schools is now a compulsory subject. ******************************************************* BKK POST: RANGOON PORT TO BE EXPANDED December 19, 1995 Singapore's Allied Container Services Pte Ltd and the Port Authority of Burma will jointly expand and operate Burma's largest container port in Rangoon. The port will eventually be able to handle 3,500 containers at any one time. Work is expected to be completed within six months. ASC holds 49 percent of the shares in the project. The port, which handles all of Burma's exports and more than 90 percent of its imports, has experienced growth of 20-40 percent in conventional cargo and 70-80 percent in container cargo in the past five years. ************************************ BKK POST: MANDALAY AIRPORT December 19, 1995 Burma's Transport Ministry and Italian-Thai Development Plc of Bangkok signed a provisional agreement last week to design and build an international airport in Mandalay. No details of the value of the project or when it will start were available. (BP) ************************************* BKK POST: BORDER CROSSING December 19, 1995 India and Burma will open a second border crossing point soon at Champhai in the Indian state of mizoram, six months after the first stimulated trade worth $1 million at more in the northeastern Indian state of Manipur and Tamu in Burma. The Hindustan Times said land routes and the resumption of flights between Calcutta and Rangoon two weeks ago, after a break of more than two decades, were expected to lead to rapid growth in trade. (BP) ************************************************************* BURMA WEB PAGE: MYANMAR ACTORS & ACTRESSES From: "Moe K. T." Found myanmar actors & actresses (selected) images on this URL http://www.myanmar.com/myanmar/gov/movie.html ---------------------------------------------------------- BURMANET SUBJECT-MATTER RESOURCE LIST BurmaNet regularly receives enquiries on a number of different topics related to Burma. 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For the BurmaNet News and 4-5 other messages a day posted on Burma issues, type "subscribe burmanet-l" Letters to the editor, comments or contributions of articles should be sent to the editor at: strider@igc.apc.org *****************************************************************