----------------------------------BurmaNet---------------------------- "Appropriate Information Technologies, Practical Strategies" --------------------------------------------------------------------------- The BurmaNet News: November 20, 1996 Issue #573 Noted in Passing: Every condition for the imposition of an investment ban has been met. . . - US Senators' letter to the White House (see: REUTERS: SENATORS CALL FOR BAN ON INVESTMENT IN BURMA) HEADLINES: ========== REUTERS: SENATORS CALL FOR BAN ON INVESTMENT IN BURMA DASSK: LETTER FROM BURMA #49 NLM: ATTACK ON SUU KYI CONVOY ASIAWEEK: ASEAN VALUES FOR MYANMAR MON RESTORATION COUNCIL: REPORT ON MON SPLIT BURMANET: CONFIRMATION OF MON SPLIT THE NATION: SLORC LAUNCHES TOURISM PROMOTION INDEPENDENT REPORT: VICTORY FOR FREE BURMA CAMPAIGNERS XINHUA : JIANGSU COMPANIES TO JOIN BURMA TRADE FAIR INDEPENDENT REPORT: TOTAL OF 8 CITY ORDINANCES NLM: ONE STEP FORWARD, TWO STEPS BACKWARD ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------- REUTERS: SENATORS CALL FOR BAN ON INVESTMENT IN BURMA November 19, 1996 WASHINGTON (Reuter) - Five U.S. senators Monday urged the Clinton administration to ban new U.S. investment in Burma because of the Rangoon government's actions against pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi. In a letter to White House Drug Control Policy Director Barry McCaffrey, the senators said a U.S. law should be enforced that calls for a ban on new investment if further restrictions were placed on Suu Kyi by the ruling State Law and Order Restoration Council. "Every condition for the imposition of an investment ban has been met," the senators wrote. "Not only has Aung San Suu Kyi been regularly prevented from meeting and communicating with her colleagues and supporters, but there has been a campaign of arrest and intimidation culminating in a violent attack on the car in which she was riding." The letter was signed by Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Jesse Helms, a North Carolina Republican, fellow Republicans Alfonse D'Amato of New York and Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and Democrats Daniel Moynihan of New York and Patrick Leahy of Vermont. "It would be an enormous step forward if, before your departure for Southeast Asia, the administration were to announce the administration's decision to impose a ban on new U.S. investment in Burma. Without such an announcement, we fear your efforts to convince the SLORC and other governments that the United States is serious about isolating Burma will fail," it said. McCaffrey is leaving shortly for a trip to Thailand and Laos to discuss cooperation on anti-narcotics efforts. ***************************************************************** DASSK: LETTER FROM BURMA #49 November 18, 1996 (Mainichi Daily News) SUU KYI'S ATTACKERS GO FREE UNDER BURMA REGIME: "Operation Anarchy" Letter from Burma (No. 49) by Aung San Suu Kyi For some time I have been thinking that I should perhaps, for a change, write a letter about Burmese autumn festivals and flowers, turning my mind from political to cultural and aesthetic interests. But it would not feel right to be quoting verses about scented lotuses under pale strands of moonlight when the political scene is so very unpoetic. So I have to set aside thoughts of the beauty of the dying year and once again focus attention on the current situation in the country. When I wrote some time ago that life was not dull for dissidents in Burma I did not realize just what an understatement I was making. Something always seems to be cropping up to keep the adrenaline flowing strongly in the NLD (National League for Democracy) system. When we completed our series of meetings at the end of last month, we thought we were in for a period of humdrum administrative work aimed at implementing the resolutions of the meetings. A bit of routine dullness, we thought .... Such a thought was, of course, tempting fate. Saturday, Nov. 9. The date should have told us something. There are those who take numerology very seriously and the importance that the authorities in Burma put on the number 9 has become something of a joke, albeit a bad one. The previous weekend, our supporters who had, very peacefully, come as close to my blocked off road as possible to try to hear me speak had been subjected to harassment by thugs organized by the Union Solidarity and Development Association (USDA) and by members of the security forces. U Kyi Maung, U Tin U and I therefore decided that on Saturday the ninth we would leave my barricaded road to meet those who had gathered some distance away to demonstrate their support for our cause. It had been arranged that I would meet U Tin U and U Kyi Maung at the latter's house. I was in a closed car with dark windows to keep out strong sunlight and prying eyes. A blue car nearby, which held my military intelligence (MI) security personnel, led the way and we were followed by a blue open-back van carrying some NLD members and young men from our house and by a black police car. We stayed for about a quarter-of-an-hour at U Kyi Maung's house, then set off for the place where we knew our supporters would be gathered. This time, the blue open-back van was at the head of our motorcade, my car came next, then U Tin U's car which carried both him and U Kyi Maung, then followed the blue MI car and the police car. U Kyi Maung's house is in a lane off the main road. When we had entered the lane 15 minutes previously, there had been just a few uniformed members of the security forces and a few people in civilian clothes lounging around the place. But as our cars swung out on the road, a crowd of people converged on us from both sides. The blue van slipped through unscathed but the mob started attacking our car with stones, iron bars and other lethal instruments under the instructions of a man who had looked in through the front windshield to check who was inside. In an instant the back windshield had shattered but fortunately the sunscreen film held the pieces together and prevented splinters from scattering over us. There were also two big gashes, probably the result of a flailing iron bar. We continued driving and the whole episode was behind us within a matter of seconds. Later we discovered that U Tin U's car had lost all the glass in both rear windows and the rear windshield. The MI escort car also had all its glass shattered and the back windshield of the police car was in a state comparable to the one in my car. The most striking feature of the whole episode was that it had taken place within an area which had been cordoned off by members of the security forces, who stood by doing nothing to prevent the attacks. Neither did they make any attempt to arrest the perpetrators of the violence. On the contrary, after our cars had driven away, the mob settled down across the road and remained there for several hours under the - one imagines - benevolent eyes of the security personnel. Where had this mob appeared from? They were members of the USDA, who had been brought in from the suburbs and satellite townships of Rangoon early in the morning. They were positioned in large groups within the area around my house, which was closed off from the general public to prevent our weekend rallies from taking place. The attitude of the authorities with regard to the incident is telling. Although there has been an announcement to the effect that an inquiry would be made into the matter, we are not aware that there have been any moves to take action against the thugs who must be well known to the members of the security forces who had watched them commit their acts of vandalism with perfect equanimity. This is in glaring contrast to the zeal with which supporters of the NLD are arrested and condemned to substantial prison sentences for trivial matters. What price law and order in a country where injustice and anarchy are condoned by those who hold official responsibility for protecting the citizens from acts of violence? **************************************************************** THE NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR: ATTACK ON SUU KYI CONVOY November 15, 1996 by Abaya (abridged) "It'd Be Perplexing If One Does Not Know Why" Upon an assessment of the stone-throwing incident, there will be seen one thing suspicious. In the incident, there was one car which remained completely intact. In the five-car motorcade, about ten persons in Kachin longyis and stub collar shirts were on board the front car, a Nissan Sunny pickup with number plate da-auk-chaik/3006. Everyone right down to a roadside vendor knows to which party those persons in that particular uniform belong. What is strange is that no stone was thrown at those persons nor was the car damaged. Even the police car with a prominent Police Force insignia was not spared. Obviously, the car with security men in civilian clothes was hit hard. The woman and the big men were unhurt and unharmed. Damages caused to their cars were on inexpensive parts. This is something to be pondered on. There was a clue in that the timing of the incident indicated deviousness. It is also found that it had been perpetrated as a surprise move at a time when almost all the foreign correspondents were in the country to cover the regular monthly news briefing held at the outset of a month, and the ASEAN secretary-general and an American Senator were on a visit here. It is clearly a deception on the part of the woman and her co-conspirators to have more Western pressure on the Na Wa Ta that they cursorily, dishonestly and rather brazenly accused the incident was the work of the government. In other words, it was just a deliberate attempt with low-down plot hatched to damage the political prestige of the steady and mature government which handles political problems so pliantly and gently, though it happens to be called a military government. It is also surmised to be an initial step designed with intent to disrupt the Visit Myanmar Year festival scheduled in this month. This surmise is by no means presumptuous, for there were various circumstances that warrant it. As it was not opportune to make gather people in front of the house and capitalize on it, it was ranged to incite unrelated disturbances in specially chosen disturbance-prone areas. ***************************************************************** ASIAWEEK: ASEAN VALUES FOR MYANMAR The entry condition: genuine tripartite dialogue November 22, 1996 In the second half of this century, many former colonies, particularly in Asia, attained self-reliance and prosperity. Unfortunately, some countries failed due to an unfavorable political climate, be leadership or chauvinism. Myanmar id one of them. The country was in the limelight in the 1960s when U Thant was Secretary-General of the United Nations. Malaysians felt proud that such a prominent figure had come from a neighboring country. They were also envious of Burmese athletes who won many gold medals in the Southeast Asia Games. My first contact with from Myanmar was in 1979 when I joined relief operations in Bangladesh for Muslim refugees from Arakan State, better known as Rohingyas. My curiosity about Myanmar's politics grew more intense in 1988 after the popular uprising which was brutally suppressed by the military government. This was followed by another Diaspora of Rohingya refugees in 1991. A that time I realized how widespread the suffering was in the country, the internal and external refugees, the deprivations and the struggle for human dignity. Ever since the 1962 coup, Myanmar has been left behind economically. Lately, the xenophobic attitude of the military rules seems to be making matters worse. The appeal of democracy and human rights has put many autocratic regimes under pressure. Interpretations of democracy and human rights vary - it has been observed that some of the worst ills of Western societies are the result of their type of democracy - but there is no substitute to a democratic form of government where the welfare and rights of the governed are the paramount concern. Last July, during the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting in Jakarta, Myanmar's approaching membership was welcomed amidst opposition from Europe and the United States. ASEAN was already critical of the West's double standards, especially in dealing with the Balkan and Middle East conflicts. Hitting back hysterically, however, won't benefit either party. To maintain the credibility of its values, ASEAN should champion those ideals which are universal in nature. The rush to explore Myanmar's economic potential is not new - the West and Japan were there much earlier than ASEAN. The quest is evident even in the euphoric phase of Burmese Socialism, during which several big national projects failed. Again, after 1990, more than a dozen petroleum companies undertook exploration. Most fled due to red tape and inadequate infrastructure. When it comes to economic exploration, there is not much difference between the US, Europe, other industrialized countries and ASEAN. The important thing in Myanmar is the individual's political will and people's pressure for change. The withdrawal of Pepsi-Cola and the visa ban on SLORC's military rulers by the US and European Union are significant developments. But there are some holdouts, such as the massive Yadana natural gas pipeline project involving Slorc, UNOCAL (US), Total (France) and the Petroleum Authority of Thailand. In the eyes of ASEAN, the West seems to shed crocodile tears by harping on the suffering of Burmese citizens. Whether or not it is serious about relieving this suffering, the West is certainly waiting for a change in Myanmar in order to seek economic gain. Western countries can do business with the junta, but a number of factors have discouraged them: an inhospitable constitution, undeveloped legal and monetary systems, the lack of skilled labor, xenophobia and chauvinism, inadequate management systems, red tape, a high level of corruption , and pressure to operate on the word of honor of megalomaniac military commanders. These all contribute to the negative climate for investment in Myanmar. Obvious differences have arisen among the ASEAN leaders in recent months over Myanmar. President Fidel Ramos of the Philippines voiced the first objection, insisting on democratic reforms before Myanmar's membership can be considered. The same tune came from Thailand's foreign minister. In Malaysia there was a strong public protest against the Slorc chief's visit. ASEAN's first decade was mostly devoted to regional security. Its ambit was later extend to economic cooperation and the principle of non-interference in each other's internal affairs. Now, toward the end of Asian's' third decade, the grouping is becoming more mature as a regional political and economic forum representing nearly half-a-billion people. It is time for ASEAN to include basic human rights and democratic reforms in its purview. ASEAN has the opportunity to give its neighbour invaluable assistance. At the next ASEAN (informal) summit in Jakarta at the end of November, member countries can propose to Slorc a condition for full membership that is fundamental and pragmatic for the people of Myanmar. The condition: a genuine tripartite dialogue between Slorc, the democratic forces led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the ethnic nationalities. The dialogue can be mediated by ASEAN itself or by one ASEAN member with the cooperation of the others. This will eventually lead to a peaceful and prosperous Myanmar, and a better record for ASEAN. ***************************************************************** MONLAND RESTORATION COUNCIL: MON ARMY SPLIT November 19, 1996 honsawatoi@centralnet.net Dear friends: There are good news and bad news I received from Thailand today. The good news is the New Mon State Party at Mergui Division broke the cease-fire agreement with the SLORC when the SLORC asked them to hand over their stronghold to the SLORC. This group also broke out from the NMSP. Their declaration is as follows. The bad news is the fighting between Mon Army of Mergui Division and SLORC's army had occurred so many times. So, the Mon refugees at the Mergui Division will be increased. The SLORC had launched offensive against the Mon Army at Mergui Division. We, the Monland Restoration Council, are worried about the safety of Mon People at the Mergui Division. We ask the International Communities to monitor closely the situation of Mon People at Mergui Division. Pon Nya Chairman Monland Restoration Council http//www.centralnet.net/honsawatoi/html --------------------------- An announcement, why we have reopened the new of the Mon army, at Division of Mergui District. A) At October 29, 1996, in 13:15 pm a group of delegation sat a meeting to transfer the family unit of the Mon army, including the members of the New Mon State Party (NMSP) Nai Aung Nai, Nai Win Aung, Nai Kow Rot, Nai Leyeh Siam, Nai Kyaw Myint and the governor of Mergui district, Nai Si Ha and members of the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) Nai Sit Maung, Nai Thein Tun, held a meeting at the army town hall of Mergui. They agreed and decided as the following points. 1) All the families unit of the Mon army and villagers should be prepared to transfer between the month of November and December 1996, from their proper place. The transfer would be started in January 1997, at three steps: 2) The first step, from the main body of troops Mergui to Man Daing, Boat Pyin Township, by two boats that supporting by SLORC to the Ye Township. 3) On the of transfer, the security must take by themselves 4) After the transfer family unit of the Mon army in the land of Mergui is all ready complete. Then the land of Mergui must be offered to the SLORC army. 5) Every time of steps of transfer have been finished, should be submitted a report to the army of the SLORC. 6) On account of these aforesaid points, the leader of the Mon army Division of Mergui District, Colonel Ong Suik Heang and Major Ba Sam, called an assembly of all the army leaders and soldiers at 11.6. 96 and then made a decision as follows: 1. We branch out from NMSP and found a new Mon army of Mergui Division 2. This Mon army should conquer the land of Mergui Division. 3. If the member of NMSP would like to control this area of land, we would welcome that member who had submitted a letter of resignation from NMSP. 4. The day we would be reunited with NMSP must be the day when NMSP withdraw the agreement of cease-fire with SLORC. 5. For the present, Colonel Ong Suik Heang and Major Soing Ba Sam, would lead and control the motherland of Mergui Division with their group Council of Mon Army of Front Line (Mergui) ***************************************************************** BURMANET: MORE INFO ON THE MON SITUATION November 20, 1996 The report above has been confirmed. The troops in Mergui Division do not want to turn their base over to the SLORC, as the New Mon State Party agreed to do in theire ceasefire agreement with the SLORC. So they have decided to fight, although they only have approximately 100 soldiers. While members of the NMSP sympathize with their desire to maintain control over the Mergui area where there is a large Mon population, the NMSP does not want to risk the wrath of the SLORC. So far, the Mergui faction has not agreed to meet with the NMSP although the NMSP has tried to start talks with them. The NMSP has not done very well since the ceasefire agreement was signed. Although they were promised numerous economic ventures, few have brought in much money. In some cases, this is because SLORC officials have not allowed them to pursue major business ventures with foreign companies. In particular, the Mon have been disappointed about their shipping business between Singapore, Penang, and Rangoon. The SLORC customs officials and military intelligence stop all ships and are very slow to check their goods and let them continue on. This means that the ships cannot make many journeys per month and are thus losing profits. According to one source, the customs and MI personnel would speed up the process if they received bribes, but the Mon businessmen have been reluctant to pay them off. The Mons in the border area refused to accept a SLORC school built with Japanese Overseas Development Assistance (ODA) funds. Instead, they built their own high school and are using their own curriculum and teachers. Although the SLORC is not happy with the Mon education program, they have allowed it to continue, probably with the expectation that it will die on its own, because the NMSP is not generating enough revenue to maintain the schools over time. *********************************************************** THE NATION: SLORC LAUNCHES TOURISM PROMOTION November 19, 1996 Reuters RANGOON - Burma's military government, ignoring foreign criticism and calls for boycotts, launched its official tourism year yesterday with ceremonies featuring dancing, music and traditional costumes. The inauguration of "Visit Myanmar Year" - the government's stronger effort ever to open the once-isolated country to foreigners - looks more like an Olympic opening ceremony than the launch of a tourism year. Myanmar is the name used by the military junta for Burma. Parachutists, dancing elephants and floats were part of the three-hour ceremony in a Rangoon stadium. The military showed its presence by barking out orders to rows of colorfully dressed performers. Lt. Gen Khin Nyunt, head of military intelligence and Secretary One of the ruling State Law and Order Restoration Council (Slorc), officially opened the campaign. "Today is a red-letter day for tourism in Myanmar. We are celebrating not only the launching of 'Visit Myanmar Year' .... but also our commitment to open our doors to the world," he told thousands of Burmese, diplomats and foreign businessmen who packed into the stadium. **************************************************************** INDEPENDENT REPORT: VICTORY FOR FREE BURMA CAMPAIGNERS 18th November 1996 From: ricchie@netspace.net.au Campaigners for the boycott of tourism to Burma claimed their biggest victory with STA Travel joining the campaign to support change in Burma. Today was the launch of the Burmese dictatorship's "Visit Myanmar 1996 Campaign". Burmese students, the community and their supporters staged a protest outside the Ultimo office of STA Travel in Sydney. STA distributes a brochure which contains a reference to Burma as a destination. It also cooperates with the travel agencies which promote tourism to Burma. After an hour of leaflet distribution, speeches, chants and negotiations, the Managing Director of STA Travel faxed to us informing us of their change in policy. See attached document. Jamie Parker from the Free Burma International Student Solidarity Network(FBISSN) said, "Travel to Burma resources and legitimizes the brutal dictatorship. The fact that STA travel is withdrawing support for visits to Burma is a great victory for the campaign against tourism and the democracy movement." San Lin from the ABSDF said, "From this victory we will intensify this boycott campaign across Australia in support of Daw Aung Sun Suu Kyi's recent call for tourism boycott and economic sanctions." The campaign to boycott Burma is gaining momentum internationally. The campaign is set to escalate with an Australia-wide focus on companies which still endorse visiting Burma. The organisations supporting the campaign in Australia are the National Union of Students, All Burma Students' Democratic Front, National League for Democracy (L.A.), Committee for Restoration of Democracy in Burma, Burmese Family Sydney, Karen Youth Organisation, Free Burma International Student Solidarity Network. For further information please contact Jamie Parker on 0414264425 or San Lin(02)9737 8020. STA TRAVEL LETTER TO THE PROTESTORS: Dear Friends, Thank You for drawing our attention to a brochure containing reference to Burma. STA Travel does not support the current regime in Burma. STA Travel would like to join in the campaign in support of change in Burma. To this end, we have advised our branches to cease selling Burma as a destination and will amend/revise promotional material accordingly. We would also like to meet with the relevant organisations to discuss the possibilities of a joint campaign to raise public awareness. Yours sincerely, STA Travel Pty Ltd. Paul Carrick Managing Director ***************************************************************** TOURISM CONCERN/BAG/ASI: DON'T VISIT BURMA YEAR November 18, 1996 From: tourconcern@gn.apc.org JOINT PRESS STATEMENT BY TOURISM CONCERN, BURMA ACTION GROUP, ANTI-SLAVERY INTERNATIONAL Tourism Concern. Tel. 0181-944 0464. Burma Action Group. Tel. 0171-359 7679. Anti-Slavery International. Tel. 0171-924 9555 DON'T VISIT BURMA YEAR '96 Pressure groups Tourism Concern, Burma Action Group and Anti-Slavery International, are appealing to British tourists and British tour operators not to support the Burmese junta's 'Visit Myanmar Year '96', which starts on Monday November 18th. A 'Don't Visit Burma Yet' evening on Tuesday 19th November organised by Burma Action Group will be attended by Glenys Kinnock MEP, who will be screening an interview made with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi on a visit to Burma last week. The journalist John Pilger will also attend and give a premier screening of his interview with Aung San Suu Kyi: 'Portrait of Courage', and Nobel Laureate Mairead Maguire will read out a statement from Daw Suu sent especially for the occasion. Burma's military regime, the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) renamed the country Myanmar after massacring thousands of civilians when it took control of the country in 1988. Over the last six years, the junta have been preparing the country for tourism by using forced labour on construction projects for roads, railways, airports and cleaning tourist attractions, and by forcibly relocating hundreds of thousands of people from their homes. The three pressure groups point out that Nobel Peace Prize Winner Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, leader of the National League for Democracy, (which won 82 per cent of the seats in elections in 1990), has asked tourists and tour operators not to support 'Visit Myanmar Year'. By visiting Burma, not only are tourists and operators condoning the human rights abuses, they are also supporting this brutal regime financially. At least 41 per cent of the SLORC's budget is spent on arms with which it wages war on its own people. Glenys Kinnock MEP, who has just returned from Burma after meeting with Daw Suu Kyi, says "Burma has become the South Africa of the late 1990s and the actions of the SLORC demand the same clear condemnation and the same treatment which so many of us demanded against apartheid. When I spoke to Aung San Suu Kyi last week she said to me that tourists must be told to stay away. That is a request we must surely respect." John Pilger, whose film, Inside Burma: Land of Fear was screened earlier this year says, "Aung San Suu Kyi has called on the world not to go as tourists to Burma or to invest in the country while the Burmese people are oppressed by this vicious dictatorship. Having been to Burma and seen conditions of slave labour at first hand, I echo every word of that." Over 30 British tour operators are operating in Burma despite extensive evidence of the tourism-related human rights abuses and a world-wide campaign questioning the ethics of travelling to or conducting business in Burma. A recent Tourism Concern survey of British tour operators shows that all respondents were aware of the abuses, but only three small operators - Himalayan Kingdoms, Nomadic Thoughts, and Symbiosis Expeditions - have responded to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's appeal to stay away. Simply Tropix has recently suspended its tours partially because of Suu Kyi's request but mainly because of security concerns. The most commonly cited reasons operators gave in the survey was that tour operators do not get involved in politics and that human rights abuses happen everywhere, so Burma should not be singled out. But the pressure groups insist that the situation in Burma is exceptional - in Burma the human rights abuses are directly connected to tourism development. A petition of over 1600 signatures signed by Burma Action Group, Anti-Slavery International and Tourism Concern supporters, will be delivered to Venice-Simplon Orient Express in London on Monday 18th stating concerns about the 'Road to Mandalay' Orient Express cruises. The Orient Express President, James Sherwood, when interviewed by John Pilger claimed that tourism-related human rights abuses in Burma have either not occurred or are over-exaggerated. Managing Director of Orient-Express, Nick Varian, made similar claims on Radio 4s Breakaway. However, such abuses have been well-documented by the United Nations, Human Rights Watch Asia, the International Labour Organisation, Amnesty International, and are currently being investigated by the European Commission. Other large tour operators offering holidays to Burma are British Airways Holidays, Kuoni, Abercrombie and Kent, Thomas Cook, Voyages Jules Verne and Premier Holidays in addition to many other smaller operators. Tourism Concern, Burma Action Group and Anti-Slavery International have 4000 members between them and are part of a Europe-wide network of similar organisations also involved in 'Don't Visit Burma Year '96' campaigns. Details of tourism-related human rights abuses: *Professor Yozo Yokota, the United Nation's Commissions' Special Rapporteur on Human Rights stated in October 1995: "Many of the measures that the government has taken to prepare the country for foreign tourists reportedly constitute violation of human rights. Forced labour has allegedly been used to restore some of the tourist sites (e.g. Mandalay Palace) and to upgrade the infrastructure (e.g. railways, roads, and airports)." * Burma is also yet to indicate what measures have been taken to comply with the International Labour Organisation's (of which Burma is a member) convention No. 29 which prohibits the practice of forced portering and other forced labour. * The country-wide 'beautification programme' involves men, women and children providing free labour to white-wash houses, build new walls and clean parks and lakes. Those who refuse are fined or forcibly evicted. * Since 1988, hotel and tourism-related investment, became the second biggest source of foreign funds in Burma, amounting to US$674 million. ********************************************************* XINHUA : JIANGSU COMPANIES TO JOIN BURMA TRADE FAIR November 14, 1996 Yangon [Rangoon], November 14 (XINHUA) -- Thirty foreign trade companies from China's Jiangsu Province will participate in the 10-day Visit Myanmar [Burma] Year Special Trade Fair '96 to be held here Saturday, said Fu Mingwu, leader of the visiting Chinese Jiangsu economic and trade exhibition delegation, at a press conference here today. Fu Mingwu, who is vice chairman of the Jiangsu Trade Promotion Society and Jiangsu International Business Organization of China, said it will be the first time for Chinese Jiangsu companies to take part in Myanmar tourism year's fair. And machinery, electronics, chemical, light industrial and textile goods will be on display at the fair. The Jiangsu delegation is to develop bilateral commercial cooperation with its Myanmar counterparts in the field of economy, trade and investment through the exhibition, he added. Jiangsu is one of the most economically and industrially advanced provinces in China. The Chinese Jiangsu economic and trade exhibition delegation, which comprises 61 representatives from 30 Jiangsu foreign trade companies and relevant enterprises, arrived here Wednesday. ***************************************************************** INDEPENDENT REPORT: 8 CITY ORDINANCES PASSED November 20, 1996 from: janej@bellmicro.com Correction of the BurmaNet News report on November 10th - there are now 8 cities with selective purchasing ordinances. They are as follows: Takoma Park, MD San Francisco, CA Ann Arbor MI Oakland, CA Madison WI Santa Monica CA, Carborro NC Berkeley, CA plus the State of Massachusetts ***************************************************************** NLM: ONE STEP FORWARD, TWO STEPS BACKWARD November 12, 1996 By Byatti (abridged) (BurmaNet Editor's Note: Below is the SLORC's justification for stopping the weekend talks and an explanation of why her car was stoned on the 9th.) Suu Kyi may not be pleased for being given the title of "West Maidawgyi", without involving any dollars as in the case of Nobel Prize. Authorities concerned lifted restrictions on her in July 1995, holder of "West Maidawgyi" title. After that she lay low, seemingly on vegetarian diet, telling beads, going on meditation or whatever "like a cat that does not swipe with its claws" but she was scheming to set fire to the nation. Followers and parasites of Suu Kyi thought out various ways to perpetrate political moves. A few days later, some people arrived in front of her compound and started some sort of stunts as instigated by those followers and parasites. They acted as if they were there to greet her. From her compound, she showed herself now and then tentatively, and responded with frantic looks, and then smiles, nods and gestures. So it began with such exchanges. Taking advantage of this, the followers and parasites developed it into roadside talks. At the beginning of the road-side talks, Suu Kyi made womanish innuendos with sarcastic remarks. The authorities had been magnanimous; they left her alone. The "West Maidawgyi" title holder Suu Kyi and the left-hand and right-hand jokers got swollen-headed. They talked without control or discipline, made groundless accusations and used words that lacked dignity and showed extreme grudge. As the pavement conferences went on on Saturdays and Sundays with no consideration for others in a blatant manner, people of all walks of life found it difficult to use the University Avenue, dust and dirt accumulated in the area to the detriment of the residents. There appeared letters to the editor in newspapers asking for prohibition of the talks. The authorities then notified those concerned not to hold talks on the road as from June 1996. However, Suu Kyi and her left-hand and right-hand men kept the talks going on unperturbed. Later, they were found to have systematically committing apparently dishonest acts to perpetrate disturbances to coincide with the Saturday and Sunday road-side talks. So, the authorities imposed controls and restrictions as necessary on the University Avenue as a measure to calm public anxiety and avert undesirable incidents from taking place. There were people who heeded such controls and restrictions and there were also those who were dogged. Still, things were settled smoothly without any confrontation. The West Maidawgyi and her left-hand and right-hand gang leaders were not happy about this. What they wished was riots and panic. Such conditions were best opportunities for the power maniacs like them to make gains. In other words, this was a situation in which political gains could be made with the least investment. So, ambitious West Maidawgyi Suu Kyi took steps to hold talks by organizing the rootless and the fanatic on the Kaba Aye Pagoda Road not far from the Kokkine Road junction which is adjacent to the University Avenue and in the vicinity of Sedona Hotel. Last Saturday, 9 November 1996, she had cheaply organizable persons, fanatics and awalas gather near the Kokkine Road junction and Goodliffe traffic lights and she went to Goodliffe Road junction via U Kyi Maung's house. There were five cars. U Tin Oo was in one car, youths in the compound in another, and Suu Kyi, police and security in the respective cars. On getting in front of the Bahan Basic Education High School No 2 on Kaba Aye Pagoda Road at about 3.45 pm, about 200 persons opposed to Suu Kyi threw stones at the motorcade. The glass in the rear of Suu Kyi's car got cracked. The glass in the rear of the car which U Tin Oo was riding broke. The windshields in the front and at the back of the police car also broke. An officer on security duty accompanying them had to produce his pistol to keep the crowd away so that the motorcade could move out of the midst of people opposed to Suu Kyi. Security units moved in and the crowd dispersed at about 5.45 pm. Last Sunday evening (3 November 1996) also, a quarrel broke out in the gathering crowd near the Goodliffe traffic lights resulting in a stabbing. In the incident, the one who stabbed was NLD party member Soe Tint of Dalla Township and the victim was Myint Swe of Tamwe Township. NLD party members thus created problems by bringing in people from other townships into Tamwe and Bahan Townships. A study of the above incidents clearly indicates that situation was not like in the past and it had changed. Suu Kyi will get into trouble if she thinks that every group she sees is her supporters. Upon reaching the stage of being hit by stones openly she will have to exercise a restraint. It is difficult to allege specifically who are opposed to Suu Kyi, for Suu Kyi has caused trouble to various strata of society. There were dissatisfied people even in her party. Specifically, some people living from hand to mouth often experience hard times due to Suu Kyi's acts. There have been many instances in which normal daily life of such people were disrupted. Suu Kyi is one that could be tops in committing disruptive acts. She doggedly believed in fabrications, lies and exaggerations of people with slanted views and opposing attitudes, and with reliance on foreign strength she tried to prevent the flow of foreign investments into the country. No-one can say with certainty that there is no schemer among those closely surrounding Suu Kyi and those she deems trustworthy, who in reality plot to sacrifice her as a dual stroke to clear up complications. It is evident that Suu Kyi is being surrounded by internal and external enemies. Suu Kyi should see the closest enemy. After stone-throwing on 9-11-96 Saturday, last week, furtive movements were subsequently observed on the following day, 10-11-96 Sunday. Some people wearing supposedly NLD's uniforms showed themselves on the Shwedagon pagoda platform in the evening and also in some townships. This assumes the character of a challenge on something. Whatever challenge it is, the authorities will continue to act if necessary for the people's desire to live peacefully. What is called NLD is not a government -- it has no right to defy the law. As it is just an organization of people of same mind and opinion, the acts such as provocation, challenge and defiance are tantamount to putting nooses around their own necks. On Sunday evening, some crowds of people assembled again near around Goodliffe junction. There were also bystanders. Darkness fell as it was over 5 pm. As the crowds were about to disperse, as there was nothing unusual likely to happen, the dollar-earning embassy personnel and foreigner correspondents keep the crowds from dispersing, spreading word as though Suu Kyi would be coming there presently. They were waiting with video cameras ready to get scoops and make profit if something happened in the crowds. It is needless to wonder to what extent that movement was plotted and what purpose was aspired for. If a problem occurred, it would be blown up and broadcast shrilly by broadcasting stations deviod of integrity. Due to the attachment upon a former colleague and consideration for her being a naive woman politician, I would like to say a word of reminder with goodwill to the West Medawgyi title recipient Suu Kyi: "Be prepared to find a place to take two steps back whenever trying to make a step forward as manipulated by others."