---------------------------------BurmaNet----------------------------------- ----- "Appropriate Information Technologies, Practical Strategies" ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------- The BurmaNet News: September 18, 1996 Issue #517 HEADLINES: ========== THE NATION: CHARTER DELAY 'WILL PROLONG MILITARY RULE' NLM: TOURISM CONTRACT SIGNED; MINISTER SPEAKS AT CEREMONY BURMANET: NEWS INSIDE BURMA US EMBASSY RANGOON: FOREIGN ECONOMC TRENDS - BURMA ARTICLE 19: BURMA - A THIN FACADE OF LEGALITY TOURSM INFO : ANSON WORLDWIDE TRAVEL AND TOURS THE NEW INTERNATIONALIST: LETTER - PEPSICO THE NEW INTERNATIONALIST: LETTER - TOURISM ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------- THE NATION: CHARTER DELAY 'WILL PROLONG MILITARY RULE' September 17, 1996 RANGOON - The leader of Burma's military regime has warned that any attempt to interfere with the pro-government panel drafting a new constitution will only prolong military rule. The statement, published yesterday in official newspapers, amounted to a warning to pro-democracy activists led by Nobel Peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi who have boycotted the constitutional proceedings and threatened to write their own charter. Gen Than Shwe, chairman of the ruling State law and Order Restoration Council, was speaking at the close of a convention of a state social group, the Union Solidarity and Development Association. "Efforts to delay and disrupt the ongoing National Convention will simply delay the emergence of the constitution and prolong the current type of administration," Than Shwe said. Suu Kyi withdrew the delegates of her National League for Democracy from the convention last year, claiming the proceedings were weighted in favour of the regime and continued military rule. The convention has been meeting intermittently since 1993. In May, an arrest-depleted congress of Suu Kyi's party vowed to draft a separate constitution. Authorities responded with harsh new laws threatening long prison terms for any such action. The separate charter has since been little spoken of. Suu Kyi's party overwhelmingly won democratic elections in 1990, but the regime never allowed Parliament to convene. She has said that nay new constitution should be drafted by the country's elected representatives. The military has ruled Burma since 1962. State-run media have published articles believed to reflect the government's views that the army will never accept a back seat to civilians in politics. Than Shwe told the gathering that each Burmese citizen had the duty to guard against national disintegration. "It is most important not to succumb to the temptations, schemes and coercion of foreign powers to introduce their choice of administration, legislature and judiciary in other, independent countries," Than Shwe said. The government contends that Suu Kyi, daughter of independence hero Aung San, is a tool of foreign nations like the United States determined to subjugate Burma through the guise of introducing free speech, democracy and respect for human rights. Than Shwe said the regime is working to develop and raise living standards in border areas, home to ethnic groups that have long fought the central government. The general claimed that ongoing strife, despite several deals struck with various rebel groups in recent years, was a legacy of imperialism. Burma was ruled by the British until 1948. Suu Kyi, 51, was freed in July 1995 from six years of house arrest, raising hopes of negotiations that would lead to democratic rule in Burma. But the regime has rebuffed her calls for dialogue. Instead, they have tightened the screws on her supporters, sentencing dozens of them long prison terms while allowing Suu Kyi limited freedom. **************************************************************** NLM: TOURISM CONTRACT SIGNED; MINISTER SPEAKS AT CEREMONY September 10, 1996 [ Transcribed Excerpt] Yangon [Rangoon], 10 Sept - - Traders Square Co Ltd, a subsidiary of Kuok Group of Singapore, today signed a contract with Quartermaster General Office of the Ministry of Defence to build Trader's Square Commercial Complex at the corner of Sule Pagoda Road and 32nd Street at 0900 today. Minister for Hotels and Tourism Lt-Gen Kyaw Ba delivered an address at the contract signing ceremony. He said: First of all, on behalf of the Quartermaster General office, Ministry of Defence, and on my own behalf, I would like to extend our warmest welcome to all the honourable guests from abroad who came to Myanmar [Burma] especially for this occasion, the ceremony of the signing of agreement between the Quartermaster General Office, Ministry of Defence and the Traders Square Company Ltd for the construction of a commercial complex. [passage omitted] Mentioning the consideration and trust bound between us and our partners, we believe we also owe so much to the Government of Singapore because even in the time when negative issues on our country are spreading all over the world, the Government of Singapore keeps strengthening the bilateral economic cooperation between our two countries. The encouragement of the Government of Singapore gave impetus to the Singaporean businessmen to invest in Myanmar. Without mentioning the other economic sectors, the amount of investment solely in hotel industry shows that Singapore has 581.5 million US dollars out of the total foreign investment of 1.0 billion US dollars in the Hotel projects in Myanmar. Undoubtedly, friendly-ties that have bound for each other hold stronger with each passing year. Goodwill of your country seems incomparable. Large amount of investment from Singapore proved our mutual cooperation and understanding. Agreement of our two countries are well founded on our mutual trust and friendship that our long term project could be very beneficial. After each project has been completed, chances for employment for our younger generation seem very promising. As the potential of tourism in Myanmar is full recognised many foreign firms are also preparing for their chances. Hotels, resorts and business centres are cropping up one after another. [passage omitted] Development of tourism in Myanmar, in spite of its clean and green nature has been unjustly criticised as being damaging to the society, environment and economy of the country by unscrupulous persons. This "grapes are sour" attitude will only backfire at those people who are making false accusation with ulterior motives. Trader's Hotel by offering huge salaries and benefits to the local employees, by sending a batch of employees for further study abroad is worthy of its prestigious name and its sincerity towards the country. In spite of the cheap and low down rumours about Myanmar Tourism being spread by the destructive elements, we are seeing more and more tourists coming with each month. With this rate and trend in the tourist arrivals, we will be able to meet the target we have projected for Visit Myanmar Year 1996 by the year 1997. It proves that there are only a handful of people who believe what these destructive elements are saying and instigating: I really hope that we, together with the prestigious group like Kuok Group jointed by other investors would be able to retaliate and spread true and positive information about Myanmar to the outside world. It is against our nature to talk evil about other people even though it may be true. But it comes to the point where we can no longer tolerate. It is time that we speak out because we have enough of it. Silence is not always golden. Success achieved so far in all the sectors of the economy particularly in the tourism industry is undisputed. Faith, hope and sincerity demonstrated by our foreign investors like Kuok Group for the further development of Myanmar will always overcome the negative and imbalanced reporting especially in the West. [passage omitted] In conclusion, my best wishes to Kuok Group and the success and prosperity of all their projects in Myanmar. Thank You. The contract was signed at the Strand Hotel with the arrangement of the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism. Quartermaster-General Lt-Gen Tin Hla and Managing Director Mr Goh Soo Siah of Traders Co Ltd also spoke. Deputy- Quartermaster-General Col Zaw Lin and Mr Goh Soo Siah signed the contract. [passage omitted] ********************************************************** BURMANET: NEWS INSIDE BURMA 1) NLD and ASSK situation SLORC in Irrawaddy division have been threatening members of the NLD since the second week of September. Followings are threats in this division: In Phya Pon district, a group of fishermen, who are members of the NLD were threatened by authorities and told that they would not be permitted to go offshore fishing until they resigned from the NLD. Some have had to abandon their NLD membership for their own survival. In Maubin District, NLD members were threatened that they would be arrested and imprisoned when the NLD is announced as an unlawful organisation. Since 12/9/96, In Bassein district, the house-owners of the NLD offices were threatened that their houses would be confiscated when the NLD was announced as an illegal organisation. As a result, the NLD township offices in Tharpound township and Athok township had to be closed. On 7/9/96, student leaders from the North Okkalapa came to meet ASSK,but refused to be register their names with the Military Intelligence officials at the gate of her compound. That night, they were arrested at their homes. There names will be released soon. NLD has been writing a constitution which will be finished in October. There are difficulties for the SLORC to restart the National Convention as the ethnic organisations in cease-fire with the SLORC (especially KIO and NMSP) have sent letters to the SLORC that this should be restarted only after finishing the tripartide dialogue among ASSK,them and SLORC. On the first week of September, the workers in the Myitngae Railways Factory in Mandalay division arranged to organize a strike. The authorities after learning of their plans provided a substantial amount of basic commidities such as rice, cooking oil etc to them free or very low price, aiming to prevent the strike. Afraid of spreading to the Insein Railways Factory in Rangoon, the same action was action by the authorities there . On 15/9/96, the price of petrol per/gallon is 320, 600, 550 kyats in Rangoon, Mandalay and Taunggyi respectively. Diesel is 210 kyats in Rangoon. Due to the rising price of fuel, many ships and trucks stopped work. This shortage of oil became severe and will become worse. Inside news from the SLORC Oil Corporation confirms that there is no oil available to the end of this month. China is planning to build a deep-sea harbour at Akyab township in Arakan State. They will hire land from the SLORC and if the project is to commence, the town must be relocated. There is shortage of paper available for newspaper production in Burma. The paper available to SLORC will only be sufficient until the end of October. In Rangoon, the people in Sanchaung township have begun a campaign to boycott buying SLORC newspapers. They have had a 75% success rate The Land Transport Minister has joined forces with the Sein Min Company and another unknown company in Rangoon. They have decided that all taxis must install computerised meters which must be bought from only these companies. This has angered taxi drivers as the price for each meter is 55 000 kyats (340 US$) *************************************************************** US EMBASSY RANGOON: FOREIGN ECONOMC TRENDS - BURMA June, 1996 AGRICULTURE According to the GOB data, agriculture generated about 65% of employment and about 55% of legal unadjusted GDP in FY 94/95, and the agricultural sector's share of GDP has grown steadily and substantially throughout the 1990's in exchange rate adjusted terms. Although much of the sector's recent growth has been the result of farmer's voluntary responses to a substantial albeit incomplete liberalization of agricultural production and marketing from1987 - 1991, much of the growth in the important rice sub - sector has been achieved by state coercion, which appears to have increased since 1992. Burma's two most valuable crops are diverse strains of rice and diverse beans and pulses. Exports of both are large and growing sources of foreign exchange. However as bean and pulse cultivation are largely privatized, nearly the whole burden of the state on the agricultural sector is borne by the rice subsector. The resulting tension between private efforts to increase bean and pulse cultivation and exports, and state efforts to increase rice cultivation and exports, has been a central theme in the development of Burmese agriculture under SLORC rule. Between 1987 and 1991, the GOB for the first time allowed private domestic trading of agricultural surpluses and private exportation of all crops except rice, and promised to allow farmers to mange their own production, subject to the constraint that paddy must be grown on designated paddy land. However the GOB continues to own all farmland, monopolize export marketing of rice and to require paddy to be grown on "designated paddy land" which appears to constitute nearly 12 million of the 22 million acres sown in FY 94/95 The increase in paddy output from FY 91/92 to FY 94/95 wasachieved almost entirely through the expansion of multiiple cropping. Before each cropping season, the GOB extensively publicized, through all the state and media organs nationwide instructions to farmers of when and what to cultivate on designated paddy land. The GOB deplloyed and still deploys a force of 7,000 "agricultural supervisors" throughout the countryside, chieflly to communicate these instructions, ensure compliance and procure quotas of paddy at below - market prices. In FY 92/93 and FY 93/94, the SLORC instructed farmers assigned to paddy land with year round access to water to double - crop paddy. In many cases this involved replacing traditional dry season crops, such as beans and pulses export of which had been privatized, with unfamiliar and for some farmers less profitable dry season paddy, export marketing of which the state continues to monopolize. Dry - season paddy planting increased from negligible proportions in FY 91/92 to 3.2 million acres in FY 94/95, according to GOB statistics, and was targeted to reach 4.0 million acres in FY 95/96. In some regions, multiple croping increased farm incomes with little risk and farmers complied wllingly and successfully with the government's new production directives. In some other areas, including regions near the sea in Irrawaddy, Rangoon and Pegu divisions - Burma's rice surplus region - salinity problems, high flood risks, and seasonal pest problems made multiple cropping inappropriate; it was nevertheless imposed on villages, with some disasterous results, by regional and local military authorities who had production targets to meet. In areas near roads, where cropping patterns could easily be monitored village headmen imposed the multiple paddy cropping directives under the sometimes explicit threat of loss of access of land or other state - allocated inputs. The results of the FY 94/95 experiment in wet season double cropping of paddy proved disappointing: due to heavy rains late in the season, and to GOB orders to plant early so as to facilitate dry - season planting while water remained plentiful, not only the first wet - season crop, but also the econd was harvested in the rain and was seriously damaged by excessive moisture. Half of Burma's farmland continues to be used as a government laboratory for experiments in centrally planned agriculture evidently conducted with a view to maximizing the GOB's foreign currency receipts from it's rice export monopoly; the freedom of farm households to make their own production choices continues to be highly constrained. In 1995 and 1996, Burma's paddy production began to be adversely affected by infestation of small insects that eat the rice kernel inside the paddy husk, especially in storeage areas. In some areas villagers claim that the pest reduced milling outturn by about 85%. This infestation is thought by some experts to be associated with multiple cropping of paddy, which may provide a continuous food supply for paddy eating insects whose numbers had previously been limited by the absence of paddy during much of the year. The introduction of multiple cropping of paddy required a rapid expansion of irrigation systems. This was achieved through a large increase in the GOB's use of uncompensated "people's contributions", largely of labour and of labour compensated at wages far below market, in state irrigation construction projects, chiefly during the dry season. ************************************************************** ARTICLE 19: BURMA - A THIN FACADE OF LEGALITY September 18, 1996 From: zni@students.wisc.edu (zar ni) For the first time since the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) seized power in Burma eaight years ago legality of their regime is analyzed in a major new report published today by ARTICLE 19. In "Burma: Beyond the Law" K. S. Venkateswaran shows that despite the stream of laws, orders and decrees it has issued in an attempt to legitimize its authority the SLORC's apparent attachment to legal form is no more than a thin facade. "Burma: Beyond the Law" discusses the legality of the coup d'etat of 18 September 1988 and reveals a regime which subverts the rule of law to maintain its own political pre-eminence. Its failure to respect the outcome of the May 1990 general election and its continuing refusal to abide by the democratic will of the people stand as a clearest proof of this. The SLORC is shown to have disregarded humanitarian law standards and to have violated international human rights. "Burma: Beyond the Law provides a detailed analysis of the martial law measures introduced by the SLORC and demonstrates the extent to which they are incompatible with international law. Welcoming the report Frances D'Souza, ARTICLE 19's Executive Director, said: "It provides valuable access to information about the current law and practice in Burma affecting human rights. Much of this information continues to be withheld from the people of Burma itself who remain subject to a pervasive censorship regime." "Burma: Beyond the Law" concludes with a series of recommendations designed to establish the rule of law, human rights and governmental accountability in Burma, and urges the international community to support and promote them. NOTES TO EDITORS 1. "Burma: Beyond the Law was written by K.S. Venkateswaran, an expert on international human rights law and currently Lecturer in Law at the University of Ulster at JOrdanstown in Northern Ireland. 2. "Burma: Beyond the Law" is published on 18 September 1996 by ARTICLE 19 in association with the Burma Project of teh Open Society Institute of New York, price 3.99 (Streling lb). 3. ARTICLE 19, the International Centre Against Censorship, is a registered charity which works impartially and systematically to oppose censorship worldwide. It takes its name from Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION on the report: K. S. Venkateswaran Tel/Fax: 01960 365079 on ARTICLE 19: Frances D'Souza Tel: 0171 278 9292 Fax: 0171 713 1356 ********************************************************** TOURSM INFO : ANSON WORLDWIDE TRAVEL AND TOURS September 16, 1996 From: "W. Kesavatana-Dohrs" dohrs@u.washington.edu Myanmar (formerly "Burma") has just begun actively to welcome tourists, but Anson has already been there with groups for two years--as it has led in visits to Cambodia, Vietnam, and Tibet, and in direct travel between China and its neighbors. Anson Worldwide Travel & Tours offers another first in its series of tours whose members enjoy discovering new places and new approaches to Asia, again combining adventure with comfort at bargain prices. A new 18 day tour (November 4-21, 1996) out of San Francisco linking Myanmar, Cambodia, and Vietnam begins in Thailand and ends in Hong Kong. For further information, call 1-800-722-6766 or send email to Betty Chan at: canson@aol.com Anson Travel Page designed by DTP Express. Visit the DTP Express web site at -- http://www.dtpe.com ********************************************************** THE NEW INTERNATIONALIST: LETTER - PEPSICO September, 1996 From: Myo Aye <082903@bud.cc.swin.edu.au> We were shocked to see you unilaterally let PepsiCo off the hook. Contrary to what you state in your issue on BURMA (NI 280), the company has not left the country, but is simply engaged in paper shuffling. It has turned its operations into a franchise directly owned by a Burmese company run by Thein Tun, who chaired a mass rally for the Burmese dictatorship in June where he denounced Burma's democracy movement. Meanwhile, PepsiCo itself still refuses to explain how it could have exported agricultural goods from Burma without trading in produce grown by using forced labour. To have avoided this, PepsiCo must have known about the practice long before the human-rights groups dis. Yet it did not present any testimony concerning this during US Government hearings on Burma, nor did it inform even its own shareholders. Had you contacted the PepsiCo/Burma boycott organizers you would have avoided a major error which has set our work back considerably. [Reid Cooper and Terry Cottam, Burma-Tibet Group, Ottawa, Canada] (The New Internationalist, September 1996). ********************************************************* THE NEW INTERNATIONALIST: LETTER - TOURISM September, 1996 From: 082903@bud.cc.swin.edu.au Your issue on BURMA (NI 280) is clear that tourists should not visit Burma. But according to an article I read in a local magazine, a group of travellers concluded that the Burmese people do want you to come to their country: "In our tour through this country long on discipline but short on progress, one thing was clear: going there is a tough moral call to make but to the Burmese people we talked to, you only have one choice. They want you to come and see how their Government has managed to turn Shwe Puidaw - the Golden Land - into one of the 10 poorest countries in the world. They want you tell their horror stories. Your only responsibility is to pass them along." [S Edwards, Dubai, United Arab Emirates] (The New Internationalist, Septembet 1996). ********************************************************** 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: Campus activism: zni@students.wisc.edu Boycott campaigns: [Pepsi] ai268@freenet.carleton.ca Buddhism: Buddhist Relief Mission: brelief@gol.com Chin history/culture: [volunteer temporarily away] Fonts: tom@cs.colgate.edu High School Activism: nculwell@facstaff.wisc.edu History of Burma: zni@students.wisc.edu International Affairs: Julien Moe: JulienMoe@aol.com 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 Pipeline Campaign freeburma@irn.org Resettlement info: refugee_help@mail.serve.com Rohingya culture volunteer needed Shan history/culture: Sao Hpa Han: burma@ix.netcom.com Shareholder activism: simon_billenness@mail.cybercom.net Total - France Dawn Star: cd@utopia.EUnet.fr Tourism campaigns: bagp@gn.apc.org "Attn. S.Sutcliffe" volunteering: refugee_help@mail.serve.com World Wide Web: FreeBurma@POBox.com Geographical Contacts: Massachusetts simon_billenness@mail.cybercom.net [Feel free to suggest more areas of coverage] --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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. It is produced with the support of the Burma Information Group (B.I.G) and the Research Department of the ABSDF {MTZ} The BurmaNet News is e-mailed directly to subscribers and is also distributed via the soc.culture.burma and seasia-l mailing lists. For a free subscription to the BurmaNet News, send an e-mail message to: majordomo@igc.apc.org For the BurmaNet News only: in the body of the message, type "subscribe burmanews-l" (without quotation marks). For the BurmaNet News and 4-5 other messages a day posted on Burma issues, type "subscribe burmanet-l" (NOTE: this is a lower case "L", not the numeral one). Letters to the editor, comments or contributions of articles should be sent to the editor at: strider@igc.apc.org