From - Tue Jan 14 12:47:36 1997 Received: from majordomo.pobox.com (majordomo.pobox.com [208.210.124.23]) by calzone.oit.unc.edu (8.7.5/8.7.3) with ESMTP id MAA09645 for ; Tue, 14 Jan 1997 12:34:10 -0500 (EST) Received: from igc7.igc.org (igc7.igc.apc.org [192.82.108.35]) by majordomo.pobox.com (8.8.4/8.7.3) with ESMTP id MAA07491 for ; Tue, 14 Jan 1997 12:34:07 -0500 Received: from cdp.igc.apc.org (notes@cdp.igc.apc.org [192.82.108.1]) by igc7.igc.org (8.8.4/8.8.4) id HAA29323; Tue, 14 Jan 1997 07:46:44 -0800 (PST) Date: Tue, 14 Jan 1997 07:27:56 -0800 (PST) Reply-To: Conference "reg.burma" From: strider@igc.apc.org Subject: BurmaNet News January 14, 1997 To: Recipients of burmanet-l Message-ID: X-Gateway: conf2mail@igc.apc.org Errors-To: owner-burmanet-l@igc.apc.org Precedence: bulk Lines: 826 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 X-UIDL: 2c4c94fcf9bddab9a8ae1eddc58c7a63 X-Mozilla-Status: 0001 Content-Length: 42664 ------------------------ BurmaNet ------------------------ "Appropriate Information Technologies, Practical Strategies" ---------------------------------------------------------- The BurmaNet News: January 14, 1997 Issue #611 Noted in Passing: Suu Kyi and her clique are wrongfully planning to use the deceitful tactic of dialogue for their strategy of gaining power. (MYANMAR ALIN: THE MEANING OF DIALOGUE) HEADLINES: ========== THAILAND TIMES: BURMA ADOPTS LATEST BLOCK TO SUU KYI BKK POST: INDICTMENTS FOR KEY DEALERS PREPARED ABSDF: NEWS FROM CHINA-BURMA BORDER (3) MAIN FRANKFURTER RUNDSCHAU: BAVARIA TURNING TO BURMA DHAKA BANGLADESH RADIO NETWORK: ACCORD REACHED NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR: GENUINE DEMOCRACY IN THE HEARTS MYANMAR ALIN: THE MEANING OF DIALOGUE INDEPENDENT LETTER: RE ASIA TIMES--MYANMAR OPPOSITION ANNOUNCEMENT: J CREW STOPS SOURCING FROM BURMA CSI: ESCALATING HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS BY SLORC REGIME ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------- THAILAND TIMES: BURMA ADOPTS LATEST BLOCK TO SUU KYI HOME January 13, 1997 Agence France-Presse RANGOON: Burmese authorities mobilized civilians rather than armed riot police Sunday to keep crowds of Aung San Suu Kyi supporters from gathering near a busy intersection in Rangoon, witnesses said. Dozens of men in civilian clothes, wearing yellow arm-bands saying "on duty for the people," were stationed near a busy intersection where the opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) leader's supporters have been gathering on weekends. The men approached people in the area and asked them to move on, performing the same function that three truckloads of armed riot police had on the previous day. NLD supporters, spread out along the street over about 100 meters, quickly converged along with bystanders and photo-snapping military intelligence officers when NLD co-vice chairman Tin Oo made an appearance. "I come here at the bidding of Aung San Suu Kyi, who sends her best wishes and thanks you for your support" Tin Oo said. As the men with yellow armbands approached, Tin Oň told the crowd they should leave the area to avoid giving any excuses to security forces or provoking any incidents. He left after about one minute and the crowd quickly dispersed. NLD supporters have used the intersection, about one kilometer from Aung San Suu Kyi's residence, as a meeting point to greet party leaders since the authorities halted regular public meetings outsides the Nobel Peace Prize laureate's compound. The meetings were held every weekend following her release from house arrest in July 1995 until the end of September last year, when her residence was blockaded to prevent the party from holding a national congress. The roadblocks have come down intermittently but are remounted every weekend and when public disturbances or events take place, such as the large student demonstrations last month or the current national sports festival. Groups in civilian clothes and yellow armbands were often used to patrol areas when large public events are held, but Sunday was the first time they were used against Aung San Suu Kyi supporters, one observer noted. Major Hla Min, a Burmese intelligence official, told AFP in a facsimile send from Rangoon to Bangkok Saturday that NLD members had been dispersed because they had been gathering in the path of the sports festival's torch bearer. "This move by the NLD showed clear indications that, given the chance, they intended to disrupt the opening ceremonies of the National Sports Festival, so security personnel are now on the alert and carrying out their duties with vigilance to prevent any untoward incidents," he said. ***************************************************************** BKK POST: INDICTMENTS FOR KEY DEALERS PREPARED January 12, 1997 Nusara Thaitawat, Anucha Charoenpo INDICTMENTS for key drug dealers in the Golden Triangle are being prepared by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, a DEA source said. Agents, working in cooperation with local police in the Mekong region, are gathering evidence to put before US courts. They hope to issue the indictments this year. The measure, though seen by some Thai narcotics officials as time consuming, raises the change of catching the big fish, who usually escape arrest due to weak Thai laws and the limited resources for conducting investigations in the region. Key dealers from three groups in Burma, named as Wa, Kokang and the Eastern Shan State Army, have been identified. According to a senior police source, a number of Thai nationals could also be indicted. The US allows its courts to indict suspects in foreign countries, if there is proof that the drugs are intended for the US. Khun Sa's indictment on 10 federal counts of drug trafficking by the Eastern New York Court in 1989, together with 20 of his key lieutenants, contributed to his downfall a year ago. Following the indictment, a US-Thai joint operation led to the arrest of 13 suspects. According to both the DEA and Thai narcotics officials, the arrests led to the collapse of Khun Sa's network in Thailand, disrupting sales and supplies for his 20,000-strong Mong Tai Army. There was also the Thanong Siripreechapong case. He was the first former Thai politician to be extradited to stand trial in US. (BP) ***************************************************************** ABSDF: NEWS FROM CHINA-BURMA BORDER (3) January 13, 1997 caroline@ksc15.th.com Slorc Hands Over Namtee Sugar Mill To The KIO As an economic privilege, the State Law and Order Restoration Council (Slorc) handed over the Namtee Sugar Mill, situated in Moekaung Township, Kachin State, to the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) which reached an cease-fire agreement with the Slorc in 1994. The mill was not in operational condition at the time that Slorc handed it over to the KIO because the workers had sold off the tools from the mill when they heard the news that this mill was going to be given to the KIO. The KIO is now purchasing the necessary equipment for the mill from China's Yunan Province. There are about 100 workers working in that factory, and the KIO has also hired a number of skilled workers. The salaries of the workers vary from 2,000 Kyat to 10,000 Kyat a month. The KIO has spent a lot of money on this mill. However, it has not been able to gain any profits as production at the mill has not yet begun. Furthermore, the KIO is having problems in transporting essential equipment and machine spare parts from China. During the period of the Burmese Socialist Program Party (BSPP), there were two sugar mills in Hsarhmaw and Namtee within Kachin state. Hsarhmaw Sugar Mill was shut down when Infantry Battalion (IB) No. 105 was established there in 1980. Namtee sugar mill was poorly run under the BSPP's so-called Economic Projects and had a low production rate. At that time, people were being forced to grow sugar cane, and the government paid them low prices for their crops. Therefore, sugar cane growers left for Pharkang jade mine area to find another livelihood. The departure of the sugar cane growers resulted in a lack of raw materials for the mills. The KIO now has to organize the local people to grow sugar cane for them. It appears that the business ventures granted by the Slorc to the cease-fire groups are not in operational condition when they are awarded. Regarding such ventures, local people watch with interest to see if they can be turned into profitable enterprises. All Burma Students Democratic Front ****************************************************** MAIN FRANKFURTER RUNDSCHAU: BAVARIA TURNING TOWARD BURMA January 8, 1997 by Brigitte Spitz (translated from German) The Free State of Bavaria is financially supporting business contacts with the military junta in Burma. The Economics Ministry in Munich wants to subsidize Bavarian companies, which exhibit their products at a technology fair in Burma's capital, Rangoon. By doing so, the Christian Social Union [CSU] land government is deviating from Bonn's policy. The Federal Government halted any subsidies to this southeast Asian country after the bloody crushing of the Burmese democracy movement by the military nine years ago. Therefore, the FRG Economics Ministry is not granting German companies any subsidies for their participation in the technology fair, a spokeswoman told Frankfurter Rundschau in Bonn. In contrast, the Bavarian land government has included the "Technology Myanmar 97" fair, which is organized by the Munich Fair Association [Messe Muenchen GmbH] in Rangoon, in its program for participation in fairs. "We are primarily oriented toward the wishes of our local industry, with a view to jobs," Karin Haucke, spokeswoman for the ministry in Munich, said when asked about political reservations. One relies on the principles of "change through trade." In an interview with Deutsche Welle on Wednesday [8 January], Aung San Suu Kyi, Nobel Peace Prize laureate and leader of the Burmese opposition, once again came out against business contacts with the junta in Rangoon, which denied her party, the National League for Democracy (NLD), election victory in 1990. "In view of German history, I find it shocking that German managers are interested only in business but not in politics," Suu Kyi said. In addition to the Bavarian Government, the CSU- affiliated Hanns-Seidel Foundation will also be getting involved in Burma. The Foundation plans to hold a conference with the working title "Technology Transfer" in autumn. This conference is to be attended by companies, the Burmese military government, and scientists. It is hoped that this does not give a "wrong signal," Burkhard Haneke of th Foundation said. As DPA has reported, a member of Suu Kyi's NLD has been sentenced to 10 years in prison. A court in the northeastern district of Kayah found politician Saw Oo Rai, who was elected to parliament in 1990, guilty of publishing a book illegally and of collecting money for the Karenni rebel movement. ***************************************************************** DHAKA BANGLADESH RADIO NETWORK: ACCORD REACHED TO COMPLETE REFUGEE REPATRIATION BY MARCH January 8, 1997 (translated from Bengali) Bangladesh and Burma have agreed to complete the repatriation of Rohingya refugees by 31 March. The remaining 26,000 Rohingyas will be repatriated during this time. The agreement was reached at the 21st senior official- level meeting between the two countries in Chittagong today. It has been officially learned that the meeting was held in a cordial and good- neighborly atmosphere. At the meeting, the Burmese side handed over an entry permit for 2,709 Rohingya refugees. They also agreed to issue another permit for 5,000 refugees within the next 15 days. These refugees are awaiting repatriation at various camps in Bandarban and Cox's Bazar districts. Foreign Secretary M. Aminul Islam led the 12-member Bangladeshi team at the meeting, while the Burmese side was led by U Maung Aung, director general of immigration and census department. ***************************************************************** NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR: GENUINE DEMOCRACY IN THE HEARTS OF THE PEOPLE January 7, 1996 by Maung Nwe Sit Parents of the students were worried during the early days of December. The parents of the children who were studying at the universities were particular so. They were greatly worried because of inciting broadcasts of the Western stations, the BBC and the VOA, and rumours of the axe-handles inside the country bent on causing unrest. The parents want their children to be educated. They are desirous of favourable conditions for peaceful pursuit of education in order that their children may concentrate on their studies. They want prevalence of stability and peace throughout the nation to be able to work for the progress of their business undertakings. Not only the entire mass of national races but also the people of the world and friendly nations wish for stability, peace and progress of Myanmar [Burma]. However, the neo- colonialist and meddlesome western group would like to dominate the world and serve its selfish ends; it is against stability not only in Myanmar but also in other nations. Lackeys of the colonialists and axe-handles inside the country are more opposed to peace, stability and progress in the country. In Myanmar, peace and stability prevails and there is nearly cent per cent [one hundred percent] achievement in ensuring peace, growing national economy, on- going construction projects in all fields, strengthening of national solidarity and the rise in patriotism and nationalism among the people. Though all these are the blessings for the entire mass of the people in Myanmar, they constitute the source of jealousy for the destructive elements at home and abroad. Those who have intentions to secure positions in time of chaos and destruction in the country are excited. It has been for quite some time that a group with the political party backing has been trying to perpetrate a re- play of the second synchronised four-eights incident [the mass demonstration of 8 August 1988] between those inside and outside the country. It has also been for a long time that they have been violating the existing laws, directives, and orders in the country. The west has been supporting such breaches of law and attempts to incite unrest taking them as the struggle for democracy. Myanmar public regard the western stations, the BBC and the VOA, as the broadcasting stations in exile. Those political groups plotted to make incitements in the student circle. Majority of students realize that the State is providing unprecedented support for them to be able to pursue education peacefully and conveniently. They sympathize their parents. They foresee their future as well as the State's future. The Government has already clarified the matter in detail on what happened at Sawbwagyigon highway bus terminal in which three students were involved. Those who were present at Sawbwagyigon highway bus terminal know what really happened. It has been clarified in the newspapers that in connection with this matter, two development committee police personnel were fired and sentenced to two years' imprisonment with rigorous labour. The destructionist groups who wanted to drive wedge politically, mongered all sorts of rumours in the circle of students, made incitements to riots and instigated them to make protests. They attempted to create an uprising through the student strike timing at the situation while the road is open for Myanmar to become a member of the ASEAN and while the events of Visit Myanmar Year opening ceremony, Performing Arts Competitions, Myanma Regatta Festival, Student Sports Festival and National Sports Festival, the ceremony to convey the Lord Buddha's Tooth Relic for the third time, htidaw -- sacred umbrella hoisting ceremony of the Tooth Relic Pagoda, opening ceremony of University Diamond Jubilee Hall, various international sports contests, international conferences, meetings, seminars and workshops and Mayor's Marathon etc, were being held. On 2 December 1996, some students of Yangon Institute of Technology [YIT] made demands; they demanded that effective action must be taken against the two development committee police personnel involved the case that happened at Sawbwagyigon and how action was taken must be clarified in the newspaper; and the group who issued declaration identifying themselves as those who wanted to pursue education peacefully must be exposed. There were meddling footwork of outside political subversives in the protests of some students of Yangon Institute of Technology. It was started as if they staged a strike as they were plagued with indignation for what happened to the two students of YIT at Sawbwagyigon. Those who prolonged the protest from the evening of 2 December up to the morning of 3 December were political "wildcats". The students were given to hold the flags bearing peacock portraits as those in the NLD [National League for Democracy] flags. In the early morning on 3 December, the strikers led their way to the West bloc's embassy, the four 8's core, that the persons of deviated political outlook had paid their salute throughout the four 8's disturbances. They shouted some slogans of the four 8's uprising. Faculty members were able to persuade and dispersed the students. A total of 424 students and 172 civilians who had continued to demonstrate were detained temporarily. It is learnt that all students were sent back to their faculties and civilians were sent back to their parents through the respective Law and Order Restoration Councils. One of the three students who were involved in Sawbwagyigon incident expressed regret for what had happened due to them. By floating rumours that one of the three students had died, the destructive elements made continued attempts to stir up the students. As the destructive elements are lackeys of aliens, they are good at spreading rumours. I will present an example that a rumour which began on 5 December had already spread in Yangon, especially in schools, the next day. The rumour was none other than the false information that a plane, with film stars May Than Nu, Htet Htet Moe Oo, Ye Aung, and Min Oo, who were flying to Dawei to stage entertainments at the Student Sports Festival, crashed on its way. The rumour was floated with an evil intent to ring anxiety among parents of students and to discourage students from attending the festival. However, people had seen May Than Nu for many times on TV among artistes singing religious songs in paying obeisance to the Sacred Tooth Relic which arrived Yangon on 6 December. People also saw Ye Aung, Min Oo, and Htet Htet Moe Oo rehearsing for a play in the evening news on TV the same day. In reality, rumour is like a soap-bubble that always easily busts in the sun light. Those muddling in politics with rumours are persons engaged in soap-bubble politics. On 6 December morning, some YIT students met again at the institute and demanded formation of Student Union and also shouted anti-Government slogans. As the demands for the Government to step down have no connections totally with the Sawbwagyigon incident, political interferences in this incident have become fully visible. These students left the institute on 6 December afternoon to gather at Hledan junction in Kamayut. However, due to persuasion of the Minister for Education and faculty members, they returned back to their institute. Some of these YIT students arrived Hledan junction in the evening. After they were joined in by some persons, they began to gather at the junction. Political wild cats joined them, shouting slogans, accelerating stimulations, and distributing anti-Government leaflets and papers on political demands. They were making acts and shouting demands brazenly for a political force. External destructive political forces and diplomats, who did observe their norms, arrived at both incidents -- disturbances and shoutings on 2 December and creation of disturbances on 6 December -- providing rations and money and distributing alien instigative leaflets. These persons also handed rioters with sticks and other weapons to fight back security personnel. Those who distributed such weapons into Tiananmen Square demonstrations were spies of the Western block. They are attempting to fuel an ordinary demonstration into an armed fight by sacrificing students. By posing themselves as onlookers or those who happened to be at the scene by chance or who were watching the incident as it was happening in front of their houses, destructive politicians on the platforms made instigations to fuel the demonstrations to become large like the four eights disturbances. The Minister for Education and faculties persuaded them and took them back to their institute by cars. As 75-kyat notes were demonetized in 1987, some hostel students holding 75-kyat notes began to express their sad feelings and find means to return back home as their institutions of higher learnings were closed after the conclusion of examinations. Students expressing their feelings while dining at coffee shops were instigated by outside interferences to create disturbances. A group of outsiders destroyed a nearby saloon and created disturbances. But the students returned back to their hostels. The case ended peacefully as the Ministry of Education provided all the allowances for the students' home bound journey. Outsiders, circling the students, began to make attempts to enlarge the clamour by creating disturbances on 6 and 7 December. Their methods were the same as in 1987. They destroyed a building and a traffic light at the junction. It could be seen visibly that none of the students were involved in these destructive acts. More so called politicians began to gather at the scene, managing from beside. As students were coming towards Hledan junction, political wild cats and evil persons, who will snatch goods from shops when a chance to do so occurs, tried to create riots by showing students as a cause. Onlookers on the roadside and residents of the building in front of the former Kamayut Police Station insulted police on security duty at the scene by throwing stones at them. The police put down the rioters only after students had been dispersed and took away safely from there. Police have no other way to act like this for the maintenance of law and order and community peace. Foreign correspondents, who entered Myanmar by posing themselves as original tourists, some diplomats, and political news gatherers shot with cameras and video cameras on police putting down the rioters. When they got abroad they exaggerated the incident, announcing fabrications that the police had forcefully put down the student demonstrations. VOA and BBC fabricated and exaggerated news on demonstrations which occurred on 2 and 6 December. Security personnel asked those who were igniting patrol they had poured to cause trouble to some students' peaceful demonstrations to disperse. These trouble-makers would have left the scene willingly and peacefully if they were only ordinary onlookers. They were creating disturbances as they were political destructive forces. There were even defiances, insolent retorts and insult towards security personnel when these rioters were told by police to disperse. Voice of America, VOA, had broadcast lies on 7 December at 1800 that police threw stones at onlookers and rioters. VOA announced just the opposite of the true situation after making introduction remarks that the information was received from Bangkok VOA regional correspondent Gary Thomas of South-East Asia information branch. I think readers will remember thoughtless news on Myanmar which were blindly informed to BBC by Christoper Gunnis from Bangkok and Bangladesh during the four eight disturbances. I wonder how Gary Thomas, who is staying in Bangkok, could get true information on the incidents occurred in Yangon. I don't know whether he was just reporting all the news to VOA which were sent to him by destructive axe-handles inside the country. Rumours inside the country and fabrications by BBC and VOA cannot harm Myanmar's desire for stability, peace, and tranquillity and there is no way to harm the people's desire. Buddhists wish to pay obeisance to Buddha's Tooth Relic for many times with peace of mind, to maintain and enhance all-round progress and stability and peace which have already been achieved. They never accept disturbances. People had already learned the lessons of instability during the 1988 disturbances. It is the desire and also the responsibility of the entire peoples to maintain the momentum of stability, peace, and development the nation is achieving at present. It is important to know whether the hearsay news, which are floating in the nation, should be believed or not. I would like to restate that the genuine desire of the people comes out from their heart. The desire in the hearts of the people is the genuine democracy. The wish of a parliament of any alien country, any organization, individual, alien broadcast station or journal, a small group of traitors inside the nation or the vote of any whitehouse is not the people's genuine desire. ************************************************************* MYANMAR ALIN: THE MEANING OF DIALOGUE (excerpts) January 3, 1997 (SLORC press - translated from Burmese) by Kaytu Nilar Meeting and having a dialogue, which represents the essence of finding peaceful solutions to various problems, is welcomed as a noble act. The success of a dialogue, the essence of which is achieving a peaceful solution, depends on the honesty and integrity of the parties involved. Successive governments have tried in vain for national reconciliation talks with various armed insurgent groups to extinguish the fires of internal insurrection which emerged together with Myanmar's independence. The talks failed because the insurgents were more concerned with political and military gain with the objective of gaining power or to find a solution to a military impasse rather than obtaining internal peace and national reconciliation. Moreover, the bad effects of the internal strife became a chronic disease for the people. Successive governments have been accused of being anti-peace-loving and the culprits of internal instability. The State Law and Order Restoration Council had talks with various armed groups from 31 March 1989 through 1996 and they were successful due to the same bilateral views on national reconciliation. There is a lot to think about and reflect upon why at present Suu Kyi and her clique, who has legal standing but engaged in various illegal activities with support from their minions abroad, have been seeking dialogue with the SLORC while the so-called international community including the United States and the colonialists, and the expatriate Sein Win and his traitorous cohorts are exerting external pressure. In fact the position of Suu Kyi and her clique seeking dialogue with the SLORC is neither for national reconciliation nor democracy. If their intention is true then why did they oppose, boycott, or not recognize the National Convention which is committed to bring about national reconciliation and democracy. The answer is pretty clear: the call for dialogue is a propaganda ploy. The problem lies with their fundamental objective of gaining power. If talks are held they will coerce the SLORC to transfer power, write a new constitution of their choice, and abolish the ongoing National Convention rather than seek national reconciliation and democracy. Their fundamental objective is not sincere and is not in line with the prevailing situation. In other words, the dialogue which Suu Kyi and her clique are seeking will finally end up like the now defunct Burma Communist Party's [BCP] quest for power through talks. Today is not 1988 and we have passed 1990. The people can differentiate what is right and wrong, what is constructive and destructive. They have decided not to tread the path of anarchy laid down by Suu Kyi and her clique and stay away from their weekly magic shows. They have stood firm on the SLORC's national political path and remain clear of Suu Kyi and clique's concoction of a call for dialogue. At this stage minions of Suu Kyi and clique have made attempts to pressure the SLORC from all sides reiterating democracy and human rights. The neglect of Myanmar's real improved political, economic, and social situations alone shows the insidiousness of neocolonialism. The superpower and their allies' interference in other country's internal affairs by installing puppet regimes or leaders of their choice is an undisciplined and shameful act. Although the people are being influenced, agitated, persuaded, and manipulated by internal and external destructive elements they have stood firmly behind the leadership of the Defense Services, a national political force. That is why Suu Kyi and her clique with dwindling public support are cunningly calling for a dialogue. In conclusion, the BCP at one time laid down a strategy to gain absolute power with external assistance and used the peace talks as a tactic but their deceitful idea, unacceptable to the people, led to the BCP's demise. Similarly, at the present time, Suu Kyi and her clique are wrongfully planning to use the deceitful tactic of dialogue for their strategy of gaining power with external assistance. I dare say that as their tactic is rejected by the people, Suu Kyi and her clique face total obliteration. ******************************************************** INDEPENDENT LETTER: RE ASIA TIMES--MYANMAR OPPOSITION BANISHES DISSENTERS January 10, 1997 zni@students.wisc.edu (This letter to editor was sent to the Asia Times for publication.) Dear Editor: The article "MYANMAR OPPOSITION BANISHES DISSENTERS" by Stephen Brookes (January 10, 1997, Asia Times) prompted me to write this cautionary note. I don't think Mr. Brookes did justice to the complex issue of dissension within the National League for Democracy party under the leadership of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. SLORC has manipulated just about every segment of the society at large. In SLORC-orchestrated mass rallies aimed at denouncing "internal and external destructive elements" (i.e., Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and her supporters), SLORC has used college administrators with advanced degrees, nouveau riche with little schooling such as Pepsi's business partner Thein Htun, renowned Buddhist monks, Union Solidarity Development Association (USDA) students--an organization whose behavior and actions toward the democracy supporters Daw Aung San Suu Kyi likens with Hitler's Brown Shirt--the so-called ethnic leaders such as Naing Shwe Kyin, and the like, and state employees, not to mention the world-renown drug wardlord Kunsa. SLORC has been making attempts to create a split within the NLD, which has so far acted in unison--more or less--under the leadership of the 10-people Central Executive Committee of the NLD including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, U Kyi Maung and U Tin Oo. Disagreement and dissension in any revolution are to be expected. They are vital to, and needed for, a genuinely democratic politics. But urging other NLD members to resign, as the two recently expelled from the NLD has done, is against the interest of Burma's democratic revolution. (The word revolution is used here classically to refer to any social and political movement with liberty as its ultimate goal). SLORC has secretly "asked" some of the NLD members and elected representatives to resign from the NLD, as a way of discrediting the NLD leadership. They use many tactics including intimidation, fear, harassment of family members, the threat of loss of one's livelihood--, non-renewal or revocation of business or professional licenses, or open bribery such as granting business contracts, promise of professional advancement, betterment of one's position in society, or outright giving away of money and modern amenities such as telephones, TVs, VCRs, cars, etc., or the good old tactics of blackmailing. Further, SLORC has planted its moles within the NLD party. In one instance, one NLD member was sighted as handing over an audio-cassette tape (of an important NLD meeting) to SLORC intelligence at a teashop in Rangoon immediately after the said NLD member left the meeting where he was a participant. This action lost his NLD membership, and justifiably so. There are also some NLD supporters, sympathizers, or NLD members, former as well as current, who have lost stamina in Burma's strugggle's for democracy and freedom. There are also those who are believed to be working for or with business interests on backstage. Originally, some joined the NLD thinking that they were jumping on board something that was winning. Soon after the 1990 elections, SLORC decided that the election-winning NLD was NOT to be the government of the country, and began cracking down on the NLD bases. Many NLD supporters and members distance themselves from the NLD for reasons among which is the fear of persecution by SLORC intelligence. I don't think Stephen Brookes, in "MYANMAR OPPOSITION BANISHES DISSENTERS" addressed these issues of SLORC's infiltration of NLD, their divide-and-rule tactics, and the fear- and distrust-ridden political climate of the country . Another thing is readers should really read between the lines, not only when it comes to reading articles/"news" from SLORC's mouthpiece "The New Light of Myanmar," but also when reading articles about the NLD or Burma's democracy movement. For many, not all, journalists--particularly the foreign ones--, of various political orientations, still do not SEEM to be able to scratch beyond more than the surface (of political realities in Burma). Ironically, Brookes is the one who authored "READING BETWEEN THE LINES IN MYANMAR", (January 8, 1997, Asia Times) about why foreign journalists should read SLORC's official paper "The New Light of Myanmar" and how they should read it: between the lines. Brookes apparently failed to follow his own advice in "MYANMAR OPPOSITION BANISHES DISSENTERS." As the late Rudyard Kipling once wrote, "Things are not quite what they seeem. For this is the Orient, Young Man." (This is not the exact wording, but it essentially conveys Kipling's insightful observation.) Sincerely yours, Zarni Founder, The Free Burma Coalition University of Wisconsin, Madison, U.S.A **************************************************************** ANNOUNCEMENT: J CREW STOPS SOURCING FROM BURMA January 9, 1997 From: tlandon@ewu.edu I am not sure if this has been announced or not, but I just received this letter from J. Crew clothing today. -Tim December 30, 1996 Thank you for your expression of concern regarding commerce with Myanmar. Prompted by you and others, we are ceasing entirely our purchases from Myanmar subsequent to April 1997. We want you to know that we have done business in Myanmar in the belief that as in other dictatorial countries (the USSR, Yugoslavia, etc, etc.) commerce with the free world, though encouraged by the regime, would be one factor in ultimately ending the regime. The strength of the feeling that you and others express leads us to feel, however, that it is not suitable for us to continue in Myanmar at this time. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact our customer relations department at 1-800-932-0043. We appreciate your comments and look forward to serving you in the future. Sincerely, Diane Chang Senior VP, Manufacturing 625 Sixth Ave., NY, NY 10011 ********************************************************* CSI: ESCALATING HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS BY SLORC REGIME AGAINST BURMA'S ETHNIC MINORITIES December, 1996 (Christian Solidarity International) While the SLORC regime encourages tourism and investment, and crushes students protests, it is carrying out massacres, torture, forced labour, mass deportation and ethnic cleansing of Karen and Karenni minorities, according to evidence obtained by CSI (Christian Solidarity International) representatives who returned today (December 14). Caroline (Baroness) Cox (CSI-UK) & Dr. Martin Panter (CSRI-Australia) met Karen and Karenni people recently driven from their homes and heard first-hand evidence of atrocities and ethnic cleansing by SLORC. Caroline Cox crossed into Burma to visit remaining strongholds held by the Karen people in their desperate struggle to stay in their own land. Inside Burma, they found Karen people trying to retain their traditional way of life desperate reports that SLORC are building up a massive military force of 20-25,000 to attempt a final elimination of Karen people from their land. CSI also met General Bo Mya who confirmed the threat of an imminent offensive. Karenni people gave evidence illustrating SLORC's ethnic cleansing policy: *An estimated 70-80,000 Karenni have been forced to go to 'Relocation camps' in the last 3 months. Typically, the local Head man of a village receives a notice that everyone must evacuate within 3-4 days, leaving all possessions behind, and move to a specified Relocation camp. Then SLORC troops attack the village killing any civilians they find, looting, and burning the past 4-5 months. *Many people die in the Relocation camps from starvation and disease reportedly 400 have died in one camp alone (Shadow Camp) during the past 4-5 months. *It is estimated that there are about a further 10,000 Karenni people displaced in the border area camps in Thailand. *Many others have escaped into the jungle to avoid going to the camps, which are, in effect, concentration camps; others have fled from the camps to the jungle, because of the appaling conditions and are now trying to live in the jungle. Those now hiding in the jungle will not be able to survive there indefinitely, because of disease and lack of food. *The SLORC authorities allow no aid organisations into the camps and the people are thus totally dependent on the SLORC for survival. *All Karenni State territory is now controlled by SLORC troops; there are over 30 battalions, with up to 500 soliders in each, totalling a military presence of 15,000 soldiers in Karenni State. They frequently kill people on sight, whom they find left in villages or in the jungle. In November alone, 20 civilians are known to have been killed by troops. CSRI urges the international community to require SLORC to allow independent observers access to all area and people to monitor Human Rights and take aid. If SLORC deny access, they stand condemned and strong political and economic pressures should be applied as a matter of urgency, before these ethnic minorities are finally driven off their land and their ethnic cleansing by SLORC has been accomplished. For further information, contact: Caroline Cox, Tel. 0181-204-7336; fax 5661 Revd. Staurt Windsor, CSRI-UK, tel. 0181-042-8819; fax 8821 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------ BURMANET SUBJECT-MATTER RESOURCE LIST BurmaNet regularly receives enquiries on a number of different topics related to Burma. 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