------------------------ BurmaNet ------------------------ "Appropriate Information Technologies, Practical Strategies" ---------------------------------------------------------- The BurmaNet News: April 3, 1997 Issue #684 Noted in Passing: The evidence is overwhelming that the conditions for implementing economic sanctions have been met.'' - John Sweeney, president of AFL-CIO (see KYODO: U.S. LABOR LEADER URGES CLINTON) HEADLINES: ========== BKK POST: 150 MONKS DISROBED IN MANDALAY THE NATION: TIGHT SECURITY KEPT ON RANGOON AFTER UNREST THE STAR: UMNO YOUTH URGES BURMA TO UPHOLD HUMAN RIGHTS BERNAMA NEWS AGENCY: BURMESE MINISTER ASSURES SAFETY KYODO: U.S. LABOR LEADER URGES CLINTON TO SLAP SANCTIONS REUTER: CONNECTICUT COMMITTEE OKS BURMA SANCTIONS BILL THE NATION: UNOCAL PLEA ON RIGHTS CASE REJECTED VIENNA DIE PRESSE: INTERVIEW WITH BURMESE OPPOSITION THE HINDUSTAN TIMES: "CALL FOR PROACTIVE POLICY ON MYANMAR" THE HINDU: FAKE CURRENCY RACKET THRIVING IN NORTH-EAST THE NATION: FISHERMEN SAY BURMA BROKE DEAL ANNNOUNCEMENT: BURMA EVENING '97 ANNOUCEMENT: BURMESE NEW YEAR AND WATER FESTIVAL BURMANET SUBJECT-MATTER RESOURCE LIST ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------- BKK POST: 150 MONKS DISROBED IN MANDALAY April 2, 1997 Authorities detain 10 NLD dissidents Rangoon, AFP Burmese authorities disrobed 150 monks and detained 10 members of Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) in the wake of communal unrest in Mandalay, a resident of the city said yesterday. Buddhist monks in the central Burmese city have vandalised 12 mosques and other Muslim properties since communal unrest broke out in the middle of last month, the resident said during a visit to Rangoon. Burmese and NLD officials could not immediately be reached for confirmation. A dusk-to-down curfew remained in effect in Mandalay, where the attacks on mosques and Muslim property began more than two weeks ago in apparent retribution for an alleged sexual assault on a Buddhist girl. The junta has blamed the unrest on unnamed political agitators seeking to destabilise the country and sabotage its likely entry into the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) later this year. Analysts and opposition sources inside and outside the country have said the attacks might be an expression of discontent by monks with the ruling military. Burmese authorities were reported to have clamped down on previous attempts by younger monks in Mandalay to arrange demonstrations protesting the death of 16 of their number in prison camps. The military has also been accused of damaging the Buddha at the city's Payagyi Pagoda, searching for a legendary ruby which brings victory in war to its possessor, and of stripping valuables from temples elsewhere. (BP) ****************************************************** THE NATION: TIGHT SECURITY KEPT ON RANGOON AFTER UNREST April 2, 1997 AFP Rangoon - Security remained high around mosques and Buddhist monasteries in the Burmese capital yesterday, although the situation was calm after religious unrest, residents said. Muslims were on guard inside mosques in downtown Rangoon and government security forces remained posted outside mosques and monasteries, but no further attacks were reported on Monday. A dusk-to-down curfew continued in Mandalay, where the attacks on Muslim property began more than two weeks ago in apparent retribution for an alleged sexual assault on a Buddhist girl. (TN) ****************************************************** THE STAR: UMNO YOUTH URGES BURMA TO UPHOLD HUMAN RIGHTS March 30, 1997 (Kuala Lumpur, Internet version) KUALA LUMPUR -- Umno Youth yesterday urged Myanmar to uphold human rights and not to oppress Muslims, especially Rohingyas, in the country. Movement chief Datuk Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the ruling State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) should give an assurance that there would not be any more incidents where Muslims were oppressed. He said the movement would seek a meeting with Foreign Minister Datuk Abdullah Ahmad Badawi soon. "While we support the Government's stand that Myanmar should be admitted into Asean, the SLORC should also be sincere in solving the problem of Rohingyas," he said. Speaking to reporters after chairing the movement's exco meeting at Pusat Islam, he said Umno Youth's next course of action would depend on the advice of Wisma Putra. Ahmad Zahid said the movement's international bureau submitted a report on the problem of Muslims in Myanmar to the exco meeting. "We are making a statement on the matter because it is an international issue and not because it is a problem of the Muslim community," he added. ******************************************************* BERNAMA NEWS AGENCY: BURMESE MINISTER ASSURES SAFETY OF MUSLIM MINORITY March 31, 1997 (Malaysia, Internet Version) Gopeng -- Myanmar has assured that the country's Muslims, especially the minority Rohingya, will not be oppressed, Foreign Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said Sunday. He said Myanmar Foreign Minister Ohn Gyaw gave the assurance to Malaysia's Ambassador Abdul Wahab Harun in Yangon Saturday that his government would take steps to prevent the ethnic conflict there from escalating into racial oppression. Based on the information received by Malaysian Foreign Ministry, Abdul Wahab had met Ohn Gyaw and told him of Malaysia's concern over the situation in Myanmar, Abdullah told reporters after opening the Gopeng Umno branch meeting here. According to Abdullah, the Myanmar Foreign Minister had convinced the Malaysian mission in Yangon that what had occurred there was the work of certain extremist Buddhists. The Malaysian mission there would keep the Foreign Ministry posted of developments relating to the issue. Abdullah however would not elaborate on the issue, as racial discrimination would affect Myanmar's admission into Asean. ********************************************************** KYODO: U.S. LABOR LEADER URGES CLINTON TO SLAP SANCTIONS ON BURMA April 1, 1997 The largest U.S. labor organization said Tuesday it has urged President Bill Clinton to slap additional economic sanctions on Myanmar in reaction to escalating suppression of democratic activists and ethnic minorities by the impoverished Southeast Asian nation's military government. ''I strongly urge you to endorse the law and impose sanctions without any further delay,'' John Sweeney, president of the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organization (AFL-CIO), said in a letter to the president. ''The evidence is overwhelming that the conditions for implementing economic sanctions have been met.'' ********************************************************** REUTER: CONNECTICUT COMMITTEE OKS BURMA SANCTIONS BILL April 1, 1997 HARTFORD, April 1 (Reuter) - A Connecticut legislative committee on Tuesday approved a bill that would prohibit the state from purchasing goods and services from companies doing business in Burma. The measure, introduced by Democratic Rep. Jessie Stratton, is similar to a bill adopted by Massachusetts last year and signed into law by Governor William Weld. "This bill represents a strong stand against repression and for human rights," Stratton said. "The legislation would end any support Connecticut provides through its purchasing policies for Burma's totalitarian regime." Among the U.S. companies that have pulled out of Burma are Eastman-Kodak, Hewlett-Packard Co , Apple Computer Inc and Eddie Bauer. On the federal level, several U.S. senators have urged President Bill Clinton to impose sanctions on Burma authorized by Congress. ********************************************************** THE NATION: UNOCAL PLEA ON RIGHTS CASE REJECTED April 3, 1997 by Yindee Lertcharoenchok A US federal court in Los Angeles last week accepted a precedent-setting case brought by Burmese victims of alleged human rights abuses against oil giants Total and Unocal, the contractors for the Yadana gas pipeline, and two Unocal executives. The court rejected a motion by Unocal to dismiss the case, which was filed on Oct 3 last year. Unocal had argued the matter was outside the jurisdiction of the US court. US District Court Judge Richard A Paez on March 25 signed a 38-page order accepting the complaint, submitted by a group of 15 Burmese plaintiffs. The plaintiffs are seeking a court injunction ordering the multinational oil corporations to stop their activities and to pay compensation for alleged international human rights abuses that occurred as a result of the construction of the US$1.2 billion (Bt31.2 billion) Yadana natural gas pipeline. In particular, the plaintiffs charge the ruling Burmese State Law and Order Restoration Council (Slorc), the state-owned Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise (MOGE), the two oil companies and the two executives with legal responsibility for violations of international human rights. It accuses them of using forced labour in connection with the construction of the pipeline and committing crimes against humanity, torture including rape, and unlawful conspiracy. Paez dismissed the complaint against Slorc and MOGE on the grounds that they were entitled to sovereign immunity, but he still held them to be ''indispensable parties" to the proceedings, ''because complete relief may be accorded among the remaining parties in their absence". Jurisdiction over the plaintiffs' claims against the remaining defendants ­ the French oil firm Total, the American petro company Unocal, Unocal president John Imle, and Roger C Beach, chairman and chief executive officer of Unocal ­ was granted under the 1792 Alien Tort Claims Act. The 200-year-old law allows a lawsuit against multinational companies in US courts for actions and activities outside the US which violate international law. The plaintiffs ­ victims of rape, forced labour, forced relocation, assaults, and the death of family members ­ are represented by a coalition of human rights organisations and private attorneys including EarthRights International, the Centre for Constitutional Rights (CCR), and the law office of Hadsell and Stormer, etc. The victims are joined by Louisa Benson, a representative of the ethnic guerrilla Karen National Union and now a California taxpayer, who is suing the partners in the Yadana consortium for unfair business practice. In separate interviews in Bangkok and by telephone from the United States, EarthRights and CCR lawyers said the March 25 court decision was crucial to their attempts to bring the case against Slorc, MOGE and its foreign oil partners. According to Katherine Redford and Tyler Giannini of EarthRigths and Jennie Green, a CCR staff attorney, the court's decision to grant jurisdiction over Total and Unocal set a ''significant" or ''ground-breaking" precedent, as it allowed victims the right to sue multinational corporations for violations of international human rights law. The 1792 tort act had previously been applied only to environmental matters. ''It's significant because it recognises that multinational corporations can break international human rights law. ''This is the first case which deals specifically with forced labour and other forms of human rights violations," Green said. Redford, who is on an anti-Unocal-Total-Slorc campaign tour in the US to raise the American public's awareness of alleged gross human rights abuses as the result of the Yadana natural gas project, said the coalition acting on behalf of the plaintiffs was deciding whether to appeal against the exemption of Slorc and MOGE from the case. According to Giannini, the March 25 decision enables the plaintiffs to move into discovery ­ a process in which plaintiff-lawyers ask the defendants to provide them with documents related to the pipeline project, including the contracts and communications between partners in the Yadana consortium. Both Unocal and Total have denied all charges against them, including allegations of complicity with Slorc in its human rights abuses. Several Thai human rights and environmental workers said yesterday the plaintiffs' success in convincing the Californian court to listen to their case inspired them to seriously study whether they could file a similar lawsuit against the Petroleum Authority of Thailand (PTT). PTT is one of the four partners in the Yadana consortium. The state enterprise on Feb 2, 1995, signed a 30-year agreement with the MOGE under which Thailand will pay Bt10 billion annually for the purchase of Yadana gas. The gas will be extracted from Burma's Gulf of Martaban and pass through a seabed and overland pipeline across the southern Burmese Tenasserim Division into Thailand. (TN) ***************************************************** VIENNA DIE PRESSE: INTERVIEW WITH BURMESE OPPOSITION LEADER AUNG SAN SUU KYI March 30, 1997 (translated from German) by Raoul S. Kirschbichler "We Rely on a Constructive Dialogue" [Kirschbichler] How do you assess the latest conflicts between Buddhists and Muslims in Mandalay, Burma's second largest city? [Aung San Suu Kyi] In my view, these conflicts are the result of a double-edged policy by the military government. For years it has practiced a policy of consistent assimilation, particularly regarding ethnic minorities and different denominations. Buddhism was raised to a state religion; all other denominations are minorities whose concerns have never really been supported or promoted by the government. Since the government is striving to join ASEAN, it is now trying to refute this accusation. [Kirschbichler] A step that should actually be welcomed.... [Aung San Suu Kyi] Yes, but I fail to see a fundamental change of thinking. On the one hand, they want to build a new mosque for the Muslims in the city center of Mandalay, on the other the largely Christian Karens in the country's east are combated with all available means. [Kirschbichler] The military offensive against the Karens is primarily directed against the secession efforts of the KNU (Karen National Union). The religious background seems to play a subordinate role in this conflict. [Aung San Suu Kyi] A repatriation of the Karen refugees -- whenever the Thai Government is willing to do that -- will make it clear whether this is a serious repatriation program or the settlement of Christians in areas dominated by a Buddhist majority. You cannot separate the government's policy from Buddhism. The interplay between politics and religion is demonstrated by the fact that we have a special Ministry for Religious Affairs. It should make sure that Christians, Muslims, and Buddhists can live together peacefully. [Kirschbichler] When there were student protests in the Burmese capital of Rangoon last December, you immediately distanced yourself from the demonstrators' actions, even though the students have goals that are similar to those of your party, the National League for Democracy (NLD). [Aung San Suu Kyi] Goals must also be possible to implement. Loud protests are no real guarantee for this. In addition, there were once again clashes between demonstrators and soldiers. The NLD stands for passive resistance, even if there are peaceful demonstrations. We continue to support a constructive dialogue with the Government, which is more useful than any kind of resistance the Government might interpret as a provocation. [Kirschbichler] If the students were convinced of that, they would patiently wait for the day when your party can really have a say. [Aung San Suu Kyi] The policy of our party has no connection with the students' protests, even if the government would like to make such a connection. On the other hand, I understand the discontent of the people in our country. In the May 1990 elections, the NLD received almost 60 percent of all votes. Since then, our political ideas have not changed. Those who are convinced they have better proposals should not keep them secret. *********************************************************** THE HINDUSTAN TIMES: "CALL FOR PROACTIVE POLICY ON MYANMAR" April 2, 997 (New Delhi) By Apratim Mukarji New Delhi should adopt a proactive policy towards Myanmar instead of the reactive policy it has been pursuing in view of rapid developments taking place concerning that country. A recent seminar entitled "Recent Developments in Burma: Implications for India's Security" held at the Jawaharlal Nehru University heard participants argue that Myanmar which served as a bridge between South and South East Asia was too important strategically for India to ignore and be indifferent to. The call for a proactive Indian policy came in the midst of several developments concerning Myanmar. A United Nations investigative report has proved to be severely critical of the allegedly repressive rule of the military junta. While Washington is said to be examining the question of slapping hard economic sanctions against the country in view of the adverse UN report, the growing prospects of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) soon admitting Myanmar have coincided with more repressive measures against the democracy movement and an all-out offensive against the Karen minority community on the Myanmar-Thai border. Seminarists who were critical of New Delhi's approach to the situation in Myanmar felt it was based on a wrong premise that the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) ruling the country had provided a stable Government. The premise was wrong because the government was an "outlawed" one as it had usurped power by not allowing the Parliament elected in 1990 to form popular Government. The participants argued that if the military regime was stable it would not have sought to nullify the popular verdict. Similarly, the view that the junta had been able to usher in economic development was fallacious. Economic activity was taking place only in sectors where the benefits were accruing directly to the junta and its business cronies. The serious imbalances in the economy were perhaps worst reflected in huge forced labour, subjected possibly to a more ruthless working environment than anywhere else, showing that the economy had not really taken off. In such a situation an uprising could occur at any moment catching New Delhi in an awkward position, these participants felt. The policy of aligning India with the military junta was shortsighted, they felt. A second view that emerged at the seminar however felt that the military regime was going to continue in power despite international pressure. India, according to these participants, should now attend to the matter of emerging as a countervailing force against the growing influence of China in Myanmar. China had fully exploited the isolation of Myanmar in the international community by proving to be a friend, a development that India could no longer ignore as it was happening at its door-step. China was slated to consolidate its position further in Myanmar and, as these participants felt, India should lose no further time in engaging in a "constructive engagement" with the regime in coordination with the ASEAN policy. *********************************************************** THE HINDU: FAKE CURRENCY RACKET THRIVING IN NORTH-EAST INDIA April 2, 1997 IMPHAL, April 1. The arrest of 15 persons, including a former minister, in Assam in connection with the printing and circulation of fake rupees and foreign currencies may help smash the source of funding for some proscribed underground organisations and international smugglers. Police sources say the insurgents have been procuring sophisticated weapons from international gun-runners who do a roaring business along Indo-Myanmarese border by using these fake currencies. The smugglers also purchase drugs, gold and other costly items from Tamu, the Myanmarese town across the border mostly using fake kyats (Myanmarese currency). From time to time, the police arrest persons in connection with the printing of fake currency in some parts of Manipur. However, all of them are released since the police charge is not substantiated. The Security forces had once seized a truckload of high quality paper meant for printing currency notes. The paper was smuggled in from Bangladesh and the name of the younger brother of the then Chief Minister was linked to the case. Not surprisingly, the case was hushed up and the paper quietly secreted away. Intelligence sources told The Hindu that a standard press for printing fake currency notes was located in some inaccessible mountains. However, no one knew the exact location of the press. During a recent visit to Moreh, the smugglers' town near the international border, this correspondent saw these fake currencies being freely used. Several businessmen and their henchmen run illegal foreign exchange offices at Moreh where traders and tourists can exchange rupees for kyats and vice versa. Though the kyat has a higher value in the international market it is the other way round at Moreh where Rs. 100 fetches about 160 kyats. The traders said the ratio fluctuated from hour to hour depending on the quantum of business. Most of the illegal transactions in weapons, drugs and other contraband goods are done in the jungles. In view of the presence of armed insurgents and security personnel, the transactions are conducted in a hurry, leaving no time to the sellers to closely examine the currency notes. It has, therefore been comparatively easy for the smugglers to stuff fake notes in the bundles and pass them off as genuine currency. Police have alerted shop keepers in many parts of the Northeastern States against persons trying to dispose of fake currency. The former minister of Assam who has been arrested may spill the beans, making it possible for the police and Central forces to smash the network. **************************************************************** THE NATION: FISHERMEN SAY BURMA BROKE DEAL April 2, 1997 RANONG - In another setback after Burma scrapped deals with Ranong fishermen in 1995, fishing operators linked to Prime Minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh's son yesterday accused Rangoon of breaching a new fishing agreement. The operators, gathering at a hotel in Ranong, complained that they are not being allowed to transport catches out the fishing concession are despite the agreement. They claim they have to call for bidding on their catches in Rangoon and pay eight per cent duty before they can ship the catches to Thailand. The operators claim that under the agreement reached recently between Future Image Co Ltd, owned by prime minister's son Kreukphol Yongchaiyudh, and Burma's S Group Co Ltd, 300 fishing trawlers would be granted 45-day fishing rights for a concession fee ranging from Bt250,000 to Bt320,000, depending on the size of vessel. Ship owners have to pay an additional Bt120,000 for an annual membership fee on the day they sign the contract. The fee is collected by the two companies. The trawlers also each have to register with the Rangoon Port Authority. The operators said that 11 fishing trawlers from Ranong are participating in the joint venture on the assumption that being associated with Chavalit's son would provide them a risk guarantee. Instead, they are treated badly and banned from the existing concession area, they said. Future Image Co could not be reached from comment yesterday. In 1995, all fishing deals between Burma and operators in Ranong were scrapped following the killing of Burmese crewmen by Thai fishermen. Rangoon also claims Thai fishermen have violated the agreement by fishing outside the concession areas and taking more fish than they are allowed. An informed source said Rangoon has instructed its naval command in the south to strictly monitor the activities of fishing vessels operating under the Future Image Co and limit their movement in the area. Chavalit reportedly has good connections with Burma's military junta. He has been linked indirectly to many businesses involving Rangoon. (TN) ****************************************************** ANNNOUNCEMENT: BURMA EVENING '97 April 1, 1997 from FreeBurma@AOL.COM " Burma Evening '97 " (A Fund-raising Concert for Refugee Women & Children of Burma) According to the Amnesty International Annual Report, human rights violations in Burma reached the highest peak in 1996. Since early this year, the Burmese military junta has launched a series of attacks on ethnic Karen refugee camps along the Thai-Burma border, forcing more than 80,000 defenceless refugees, including women and children into Thailand . To help these refugees who are in urgent need, the Burmese Community in the Greater Washington, DC area cordially invites you to the following fund-raising concert. Your kind contribution will be a great help. WHEN: April 20, 1997 (Sunday) 2:00 - 3:00 PM (Food Bazaar) 3:00 - 5:30 PM (Burmese Cultural Concert) WHERE: Calvary Baptist Church 755 Eight Street, NW Washington, DC 20001 (Directions by Metro: Red or Yellow Line to Gallery Place-Chinatown. Parking available next to the Church. ) For ticket information contact: · Washington, DC (202)393-7342 - Virginia (703)834-5670 - Maryland (301)656-9559; (301)424-6009 · New York (718)381-4830; (718)434-6693 ( Also available at the gate - $10/ticket) ***************************************************************** ANNOUCEMENT: BURMESE NEW YEAR AND WATER FESTIVAL April 1, 1997 From: Saism@aol.com We are very glad to inform you that we will be celebrating the Burmese New year with traditional Thingyan ( water festival). Please join us in this most joyous festival in the vicinity of beautiful Los Angeles. You will enjoy folk dances, songs and a veriety of foods as well as meeting new friends and strengthening old friendships. Entrance fee will be one dollar per person. Please invite your friends and relatives! Let's all have a good time. Location: Barnes Community Certer 350 Mc Pharrin Avenue Monterey Park, C.A 91754 Date: April 13, 1997 ( Sunday) Time: 10:00 AM through 3:00 PM Directions: From I 10 Exit Grfield, go South, pass through Garvey and turn right on Newmark ave. At first sign turn left (Ramona), Monterey Park. From I 60 Exit Garfield, go North,turn left on Newmark ave. At first sign turn left (Ramona), Monterey Park. More info: Please call (818)458-8109 Taw Myo Shwe (818)288-1460 Thandar Aung " MAY YOUR NEW YEAR BE FILLED WITH HAPPINESS..." BURMESE ASSOCIATION ********************************************************** 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: [volunteer needed] History of Burma: zni@students.wisc.edu International Affairs: Julien Moe: moe@interport.net 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 Aung San Myint: aungsan@giasd101.vsnl.net.in 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] --------------------------------------------------------------------------- FREE BURMA WEB PAGES: http://FreeBurma.org This single page serves only as an easy to remember URL and departure point to resources promoting the establishment of democracy in Burma. Please write to FreeBurma@pobox.com to add a site or for further information." - Glen, system administrator FREE BURMA COALITION: to get involved in the Free Burma Coalition, send a message to: zni@students.wisc.edu or visit their homepage, accessible through: http:// FreeBurma.org There is also an e-mail list-server especially for Free Burma activists BURMANET SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION: 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. We are also grateful to many other friends around the world who send us articles to post. 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 a message to: majordomo@igc.apc.org a. For the BurmaNet News only: in the message, type: subscribe burmanews-l b. For the BurmaNet News and 4-5 other messages a day: in the message, type: subscribe burmanet-l (NOTE: all lower case letters, last letter is a lower case "L", not a one). Letters to the editor, comments or contributions of articles should be sent to the editor at: strider@igc.apc.org ***************************************************