------------------------ BurmaNet ------------------------ "Appropriate Information Technologies, Practical Strategies" ---------------------------------------------------------- The BurmaNet News: April 6, 1997 Issue #686 Noted in Passing: "It's very strange. The police just stopped and watched. They did very little apart from spraying the occasional water gun." - Western tourist re: monks destroying a mosque in Pegu (see THE NATION: EYEWITNESS RECALLS RECENT UNREST) HEADLINES: ========== AP: BURMA EXPLOSION CONFIRMED SLORC: INFORMATION SHEET A-0031 AFP: SENIOR JUNTA OFFICIAL VISITS CAPTURED KAREN BASES THE NATION: SECURITY ALERT ISSUED IN BURMA THE NATION: EYEWITNESS RECALLS RECENT UNREST IN BURMA AFP: MP RELATIVE OF BURMESE INTELLIGENCE CHIEF, RELEASED AFP: BANGLADESH TIGHTENS SECURITY ON BORDER WITH BURMA THE NATION: REPORT CLAIMS WOMEN SUFFER MOST BKK POST: KAREN SLAIN IN ATTACK BY BURMESE INTRUDER THAI DELEGATION TO THE UN: STATEMENT TO CLEAR UP BKK POST: UNOCAL HAS BUYERS FOR STAKE IF WASHINGTON BKK POST: ENVIRONMENTALISTS START PIPELINE PROTEST BANGKOK POST: NEW RECRUITS CONSULT AS ASEAN AWAITS MYANMAR ALIN: NOTICE ISSUED ON RENEWAL OF SATELLITE MYANMAR ALIN: NOTICE ISSUED ON CASING INSTALLATIONS ***************************************************** AP: BURMA EXPLOSION CONFIRMED April 7, 1997 RANGOON, Burma (AP) -- A mail bomb exploded in the home of a leading member of Burma's military government, killing his eldest daughter, officials and relatives said today. A senior military officer confirmed that an explosion occurred at 8:52 p.m. Sunday at the house of Gen. Tin Oo, the army chief of staff and one of Burma's most powerful generals. Tin Oo was believed to have been the target of a previous bomb attack at a Rangoon pagoda. On Christmas Eve, two bombs exploded in a temple housing a tooth believed to have belonged to Buddha, killing five people and injuring 17. The bomb went off shortly after Tin Oo visited the temple. The officer said Tin Oo was not hurt in Sunday's explosion, but a member of the general's family confirmed that his eldest daughter, 33-year-old Cho Lei Oo, was killed by what was believed to have been a mail bomb. A funeral for the mother of two was scheduled for Tuesday. She was married to a major in the Burmese army. There was no claim of responsibility and the government did not initially accuse anyone. The government has blamed past bombings on communists, rebel groups and pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, winner of the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize. All deny such charges. Two rebel groups -- the Karen National Union and the All-Burma Students Democratic Front -- told The Associated Press in Bangkok, Thailand, that they had nothing to do with the blast. The rebels, under siege in a government offensive, have never shown a capability in urban terrorism. Man Sha, vice secretary-general of the KNU, attributed the attack to a rivalry within the ruling State Law and Order Restoration Council. ``This situation does not concern the KNU. It concerns the SLORC,'' Man Sha said. ``Inside their army, they're having more and more power struggles.'' Speculation has recently focused on jockeying between Gen. Maung Aye, a hard-line former field commander who counts Tin Oo among his allies, and Gen. Khin Nyunt, the powerful head of military intelligence. A veteran of campaigns against ethnic and communist insurgents, Tin Oo had threatened in public speeches to ``annihilate'' opponents of the regime but in general, he rarely speaks publicly of politics and is a popular commander with the troops. No one answered the telephone today at Suu Kyi's home. Her political activities have been severely restricted since September. A member of her political party, the National League for Democracy, said her line had been cut. Several soldiers were seen outside the closed gates of Tin Oo's compound this morning. No damage to the one-story building could be seen from the street. Earlier, a couple dozen soldiers stood guard at the house in a western Rangoon suburb. There is already a heavy military presence in Rangoon and other Burmese cities following recent clashes between Buddhist monks and Muslims. Tensions between the military government and its democratic and ethnic opponents are high. The military warned Burmese citizens Sunday to refrain from political agitation during the upcoming New Year's festival. The festivities, which culminate April 17, are celebrated in large part by citizens dousing each other with water. Rangoon has suffered several bombings the past year: A small explosive device went off in July underneath a government billboard urging citizens to crush the state's enemies. No one was hurt. The Christmas Eve blast at the pagoda that killed five was blamed by the government on the Karen National Union, a border-based group seeking autonomy from Rangoon. Government opponents, however, accused the military of planting the bombs as a pretext for a crackdown on the opposition. **************************************************** SLORC: INFORMATION SHEET A-0031 April 7, 1997 From: Ok Kar Information Sheet No. A-0031 Date 7 - 4 -97 On the evening of the 6th of April an explosion took place at the residence of Lt. Gen. Tin Oo, Secretary (II) of the State Law and Order Restoration Council. In this incidence the general's eldest daughter Cho Lei Oo age ( 34) who is a mother of one ( 6 ) years old and one ( 2 ) years old was killed in the terrorist bomb explosion. An initial investigation reveals it was a parcel bomb. ********************************** AFP: SENIOR JUNTA OFFICIAL VISITS CAPTURED KAREN BASES April 4, 1997 RANGOON, April 4 (AFP) - Lieutenant General Tin Oo, chief of staff of the Burmese army, has visited captured bases of the rebel Karen National Union (KNU) in southern Burma, the official press reported Friday. The New Light of Myanmar pictured Tin Oo, who is also second secretary of Burma's ruling junta, inspecting captured weapons at the headquarters of the KNU's Fourth Brigade at Minthamee Thursday. Accompanied by an entourage of government ministers and officials, he took a helicopter trip to three Karen bases in Tenasserim division. "Only when there is peace and tranquility in border areas, will regional development tasks be carried out effectively," the New Light quoted him as saying. Forces of the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC), as the ruling junta is officially known, have swept through KNU enclaves close to the Thai border in a massive offensive that began in early February. The KNU, which has been fighting rule from Rangoon for almost 50 years, is the only major ethnic insurgency yet to reach a ceasefire with the junta. Some 15 other insurgencies have reached accords with the SLORC through a combination of military pressure and promises of development assistance. The KNU group has lost its fixed bases in the current offensive and an estimated 20,000 Karen civilians have fled to Thailand but the rebel leadership is determined to continue guerrilla resistance. Since the offensive began, other key SLORC figures including its chairman Senior General Than Shwe, and the army chief General Maung Aye have paid visits to captured KNU areas. The New Light report said that Tin Oo met with troops of SLORC's regional battalions and their families, and local representatives of the junta's mass organisation, the Union Solidarity Development Association and other groups. ******************************************************** THE NATION: SECURITY ALERT ISSUED IN BURMA April 6, 1997 AFP Rangoon - The military commander of the Rangoon division has urged both civilian and military officials to be alert to security threats during festivities leading up to the Burmese New Year on April 17. Rangoon city mayor Ko Lay issued a similar warning, calling for "thorough vetting" of people taking part in song, dance and slogan-chanting competitions to prevent any anti-government agitation. Both men's comments were carried in The Mirror daily yesterday. Security was stepped up in Rangoon and other urban centres after Buddhist-Muslim tensions erupted three weeks ago, with groups of Buddhist monks vandalising mosques and destroying Muslim property. The Burmese New Year, which falls on April 17, is traditionally preceded by four days of revelry in which people crowd the streets, and in a good-natured was splash each other with water and hold community festivities. "Given the prevailing situation, it is incumbent upon district and township officials to be constantly on security alert until the Thingyan [water festival] ends," the military commander, Maj Gen Khin Maung Than said on Friday. The Mirror daily said he was addressing a meeting of district and township officials, also attended by Thura Shwe Mann, commander of the 11th division which was called into Rangoon to beef up security. Khin Maung Than told the officials to look out for any kind of "instigations" that could lead to unrest. Mayor Ko Lay told a separate meeting at the city hall that any word or deed aimed at lowering the prestige of the government must be prevented. "Through vetting should be made of various groups taking part in song, dance and slogan-chanting competitions to see that they do not indulge in anti-government agitations or cause disturbances," he was quoted as saying. The mayor's city hall platform has traditionally been the focus of waterdousing and revelry during the water festival, attended by high-ranking government officials and resident diplomats. The festive atmosphere at the elaborate, make-shift pandal at city hall is somewhat dampened by the presence of large Chinese-made Tanks stationed inside the gates after troops put down student arrest last year. (TN) ******************************************************* THE NATION: EYEWITNESS RECALLS RECENT UNREST IN BURMA April 5, 1997 (excerpts) PEGU, Burma - Buddhist monks in Burma are widely known to be politically active and are often seen leading anti-government demonstrations, but to witness an army of monks armed with batons marching down the streets is a rare, shocking sight for an independent foreign traveller. Foreign tourists visiting the country under the heavily prompted Visit Myanmar Year were kept away from possible hotspots and predictably the Burmese junta quickly slapped a visa ban on foreign journalists. Ten days later, Pegu, the former capital of the ancient Mon kingdom about 80 kilometres to the northeast of Rangoon, was shaken with similar explosive violence. Hundreds of saffron-robed Buddhist monks, batons and sticks in hand, took to the streets joining their religious colleagues to express anger with the country's Muslim population. A group of militant monks broke away and attacked a mosque in the neighbourhood, vandalising it to their satisfaction. Surprisingly, Burmese policemen and troops armed with weapons, riot shields and water guns, did not attempt to stop either the march or the ransacking. Instead, they joined curious onlookers in watching from a safe distance. "It's very strange. The police just stopped and watched. They did very little apart from spraying the occasional water gun," one western tourist said. It was a disheartening sight to see monks clambering up minarets, ransacking prayer towers and literally destroying everything inside the mosque, including the ceilings and floor coverings. All that remained was piles of debris and heavy sorrow implanted in the hearts of local Muslims who did not quite understand why they had been so violently attacked. The best they could do was try to restore the mosque, clean up the mess and gather all the religious documents, including copies of the Koran. ******************************************************* AFP: MP RELATIVE OF BURMESE INTELLIGENCE CHIEF, RELEASED April 4, 1997 RANGOON, April 4 (AFP) - An elected Burmese opposition MP who was charged with running an authorised medical clinic has been released after paying a small fine, informed sources said Friday. Doctor Than Nyein, whose medical license was revoked on February 19 by the health ministry for "breaching medical professional ethics," was released from custody Wednesday after paying 1,000 kyats (six dollars at the prevailing market rate). He is the brother-in-law of intelligence chief Lieutenant General Khin Nyunt, first secretary of the ruling junta, the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC). Observers noted it was the first time a member of the main opposition National League for Democracy (NLD), which is led by Nobel Peace Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, had been tried according to due legal process. NLD party members found guilty of even a minor law violation are usually given sentences ranging from three to seven years. Than Nyein is vice-chairman of the NLD's Rangoon division. He won a seat in the May 1990 general elections, which were swept by the NLD. The SLORC ignored the results and never convened parliament. Meanwhile, sources said another NLD MP and physician is due to appear in a Rangoon court on Friday. Doctor Than Aung is facing charges brought against him on February 21 for allegedly running an authorised clinic and causing the death of a patient through negligence. Observers in the Burmese capital were awaiting the outcome, to see if Than Aung would receive a fair trial like his NLD collegue, Than Nyein. ********************************************************** AFP: BANGLADESH TIGHTENS SECURITY ON BORDER WITH BURMA April 5, 1997 CHITTAGONG, Bangladesh, April 5 (AFP) - Bangladesh authorities have put border guards on alert along its border with Burma to thwart the possible re-entry of minority Moslem Rohingyas, security officials said Saturday. The move came after Burmese immigration authorities warned of a possible renewed exodus by the Rohingyas. But the local commander of the paramilitary Bangladesh Rifles told AFP "there is nothing to worry about and the step is a precautionary one." Most of the Rohingyas have been repatriated in recent months. The Bangladesh home ministry has ordered the local radio station to broadcast in local language to inform police if any Rohingyas are spotted in southeastern Bangladesh, especially in the fishing town of Teknaf and nearby Cox's Bazar beach town. Security sources said several Islamic religious groups in coalition with the Rohingya Solidarity Organisation (RSO), which has been representing the minority group, were "trying to ignite problems and exploit the people." Local admistration and aid officials said economic reasons were the main driving force for any attempt to return to Bangladesh as millions of dollars of aid have poured in since the crisis started. RSO has no contact address in Bangladesh. Of the 250,000 Rohingya refugees, around 25,000 are still awaiting to be repatriated after fleeing their homes in 1991 alleging persecution by Burmese troops, a charge Rangoon denies. *************************************************************** THE NATION: REPORT CLAIMS WOMEN SUFFER MOST April 5, 1997 AP Widespread human-rights abuses inflicted by the military government in Burma fall hardest on the country's women, a Burmese opposition group said yesterday. The country's best-known woman, pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, winner of the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize, has been silenced by the regime and is virtually confined to her home. But ordinary women, especially those belonging to ethnic minorities, have also suffered badly at the hands of the regime, the All Burma Students' Democratic Front (ABSDF) said in a new report seen in Bangkok. The ABSDF is composed of students who fled the jungles of Burma, also known as Myanmar, after the current regime, the State Law and Order Restoration Council, gunned down thousands of anti-government demonstrators in 1988. A government official, speaking on customary condition of anonymity, called the allegations "ridiculous" and typical of such organisations. He said the group want to make the government look bad so they can get sympathy and support. The report said the army frequently drafts women as forced porters in its campaigns against the country's various rebel groups, including the ABSDF, and makes them act as human mine-sweepers. The soldiers often gang-rape the women at night and routinely rape women whose villages are razed in an attempt to pacify ethnic rebel groups. Tens of thousands are forced to live in misery as refugees in Thailand. The level of care that rural mothers can provide their children has steadily deteriorated since the military first seized power in 1962 and sent the economy and health-care system on a long, downward spiral, the report said. Lack of economic opportunities has sent tens of thousands of Burmese women and girls across the border to make a living in the sex industry of wealthier Thailand, where they are subject to beatings and sometimes murder, the report said. They are particularly vulnerable to Aids. The report noted that women traditionally have had little voice in Burmese society. Of the 485 members of the parliament elected in 1990, only 15 were women, all members of Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD). The NLD overwhelmingly won the vote but the regime never allowed parliament to convene. Most of the allegations have been backed up by previous reports by human-rights groups. The government postponed its regular news conference this month "due to unforeseen circumstances," apparently referring to an outbreak of rioting by Buddhist monks against minority Muslims in several cities. ******************************************************* BKK POST: KAREN SLAIN IN ATTACK BY BURMESE INTRUDER April 5, 1997 by Supamart Kasem, Mae Sot, Tak A Karen refugee was killed and another injured by Burmese soldiers who crossed the border into Thai soil in Phop Phra district early yesterday morning to harass refugees. Some 40 other refugees, including children, women and the elderly, were forced to return to Burma, said a Border Patrol Police officer. About 80 heavily-armed Burmese troopers slipped across the border into Huay Nam Nak village, in Tambon Chong Khaeb at about 5 a.m. The intruders fired warning shots at Karen refugee shelters and asked them to return to their homeland. Frightened by the shots, two refugees ran from the scene, prompting Burmese troops to fire at them. Ar Ngae, 37, was shot in the back and died instantly. Another victim was Mrs Na Boe, 30, who was seriously wounded. The Burmese soldiers then forced 40 other refugees to return to Burma. The 346th Border Patrol Police Unit rushed to the scene after being alerted about the incident. They sent the seriously-wounded woman to Mae Sot hospital. On the same day, seven armed members of an unidentified gang crossed the border at Ban Rim Moei in Tambon Tha Sai Luad in Mae Sot district. The gang clashed with a Thai patrol for about five minutes before retreating to Burma. No injuries were reported during the brief gunfire. (BP) ******************************************************* THAI DELEGATION TO THE UN: STATEMENT TO CLEAR UP MISUNDERSTANDINGS April 2, 1997 From: David Arnott STATEMENT IN THE EXERCISE OF THE RIGHT TO REPLY BY THE DELEGATION OF THAILAND TO THE 53RD SESSION OF CHR* Mr Chairman, I take the floor today to exercise the right to reply in order to clear up certain misunderstandings of the representative of Fimarc, an NGO, in his statement yesterday (1 April 1997) concerning the policy of Thailand towards the Karen displaced persons from Myanmar. Thailand acknowledges the concern of the international community over the situation along the Thai-Myanmar border, as well as the need for protection of Karen displaced persons fleeing the fighting in Myanmar. We wish to reassure that the Royal Thai Government had been taking steps to address the plight of the Karen displaced persons long before the above concern was raised. International aid agencies and relief workers have also been granted access to provide food and shelter for them at safe sites in Thailand for decades. The recent incident along the Thai-Myanmar border is not new to Thailand. Throughout the past decades, Thailand has, based on its deeply rooted value instilled in every Thai individual, provided considerate and generous hospitality to everyone fleeing unrest from neighboring countries. At the height of the Cold War, more than half a million of Lao, Cambodian and Vietnamese displaced persons found their safe refuge on Thai soil. A decade thereafter, there remain almost a million people from Myanmar living in Thailand as illegal migrants and displaced persons, posing enormous social, economic and security burden on Thailand. In spite of the above, Thailand will continue to adhere to its long-standing value of providing safe refuge and humanitarian assistance to all fleeing unrest from neighboring countries. With regard to persons fleeing the fighting in Myanmar, the following policies have been adopted: - Thailand stands firm in her support for peaceful resolution of ethnic conflicts in Myanmar. - In the current situation of outflow of Karen civilians from Myanmar, Thailand grants them permission for temporary stay and allows a number of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to assist them in the provision of necessities such as food, medication, medical services, education, etc. Furthermore, the Thai Government has taken steps to move Karen displaced persons to sites deeper inside Thailand for better security. Indeed, as recently as 25 March 1997, we have received a letter from the UNHCR Regional Representative in Bangkok, expressing the appreciation of the UNHCR for the actions taken by the Thai authorities in the following words and I quote "UNHCR is well aware of the difficulty in coping with arrivals of large numbers of asylum seekers. We understand that the Thai Government and NGO staff are working to upgrade sanitary conditions in these encampments and this too is commendable. Please extend to the responsible officials in the field, both military and civilian, UNHCR's appreciation for their actions that conform with the Royal Thai Government's stated policy of granting temporary refuge to persons fleeing conflict in Myanmar." Permanent Mission of Thailand 2 April 1997 ................................ *The above statement by Thailand was delivered in Geneva to the Commission on Human Rights on 2 April 1997. The NGO statement which inspired the reply was made by Fimarc (International Federation of Rural Adult Catholic Movements) under the agenda item dealing with Indigenous Issues. The section of the Fimarc statement referred to by the Thai delegate was the following: " In Asia, indigenous peoples are the most impoverished, marginalised and oppressed sector of society. In most Asian countries, indigeous peoples are struggling to reclaim their lands, their culture and their identity. But such stuggles are often repressed by governmental forces. Alarming news of serious violations of human rights is coming out of Burma. The Karen living in that country are often suppressed and killed by Burmese troops. Refugees living in the most appalling situation in Thailand are forced to return to Burma into a very dangerous situation. About 5,000 Karen refugees were recently returned forcibly from Thailand, according to a document distributed by Associated Press". (unofficial translation from the French) ****************************************************** BKK POST: UNOCAL HAS BUYERS FOR STAKE IF WASHINGTON IMPOSES BAN April 4, 1997 (slightly abridged) Firm's chief slams sanctions as 'only hurting the people' by Boonsong Kositchotethana Companies, mostly from the Pacific rim, are keen to buy Unocal Corp's huge Yadana gas stake in Burma if the Californian energy concern is forced to abandon its holding. The company would be affected by proposed legislation imposing US economic sanctions on Burma. Unocal president John Imle said if Unocal had to pull out from Burma, "we would not have difficulty divesting our interest in Yadana. There is a list of companies which have expressed interest. Most are from this side of the Pacific". Yadana, which means gem in Burmese, is Burma's largest gas field, located 240 kilometres south of Rangoon in the Gulf of Martaban. It has certified gas reserves of 5.7 trillion cubic feet, and other rich gas deposits are nearby. Washington is under pressure from legislators who want Unocal to sell its 28.26% stake in the US$1-billion Yadana project as part of efforts to force Burma's military rulers to change their policies, which are seen as repressive. Unocal and Total, its French partner in the Yadana project, have been singled out by groups opposing the State Law and Order Restoration Council's human rights record and crackdown on democracy activists. Last year, a self-proclaimed Burmese government in-exile filed a lawsuit against Unocal accusing it of complicity in human rights abuse by participating in the project. Unocal quickly rebutted the lawsuit brought against it by the National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma and Federation of Trade Unions of Burma as "false, irresponsible and frivolous". Senator Mitch McConnell from Kentucky has been the most vociferous opponent of Unocal's participation in the venture. The legislation he proposed in the last Congressional session, had it been passed, would have required Unocal to sell its investment in Burma. But the Cohen-Feinstein amendment was passed instead. It clears projects already in Burma but threatens to impose US economic sanctions if repression in the country increases. This threatens American business. "When faced with a choice of business partner in the future, governments in the region would likely choose a more reliable, long-term partner," Mr Imle said. He said the Cohen-Feinstein amendment was a good compromise, but still represented the threat of sanctions. "It dampens the enthusiasm of US investors who may want to expand their business in Burma. It also looms as an unpredictable and dangerous impediment to the new investor," he said in a prepared statement, a copy of which was obtained by the Bangkok Post. Caterpillar, a heavy-equipment manufacturer, was an example of how unilateral sanctions not only hurt people in the targeted country, but also damaged business at home, he said. In the 1980s President Reagan tried to block construction of a natural gas pipeline from Russia to Western Europe to punish the Russians for the Polish government's crackdown on dissidents. No other nation cooperated with the US. The pipeline was built by Japanese companies and Caterpillar suffered a loss of business. According to a Caterpillar spokesman, the company went from being the industry leader with 85% of the Russian market to being termed an "unreliable supplier". Caterpillar's headquarters at Peoria, Illinois, suffered an economic slump. Another example is Cuba. Last year, Congress passed the Helms-Burton law designed to topple Fidel Castro, still in power after 35 years of US sanctions. "The president has postponed enacting the Helms-Burton because of the furore from our closest allies. But why add sanctions to sanctions? Who suffers? The people do. The government stays," Mr Imle said. He noted that Cuba was soon to welcome Pope John-Paul II. "To me, that not only says sanctions against Cuba have failed, but the policy of using sanctions as a foreign policy tool has also failed. "Sanctions don't topple governments. They hurt people. Why not rely on good, old-fashioned diplomacy," he said. The State Department recently put a few people with extensive diplomatic experience into its embassy in Rangoon. "I think it is fair of our Congress to give these people an opportunity to use their skills to advantage in bringing about a resolution of the impasse between the United States and Myanmar [Burma], and even between Aung San Suu Kyi and the Slorc." The Rangoon government vows that it is in transition to democracy. "I would like to see the United States have a hand in bringing that about more quickly through skillful diplomacy, rather than by attempting to isolate a country that's trying to come out of its isolation of 30 years or more." Mr Imle called for support from US firms doing business in Asia. "We in the business community in Asia need to use a louder voice in Washington to defeat harmful sanctions legislation. Despite the victory over harsher legislation last year, we don't have any time to breathe easy. We will face the issue of sanctions on Burma in this legislative session. And we need help. "If we really want to help create a more open society in Myanmar, we need to obtain a greater understanding of the problems they face in maintaining a unified country and in transitioning to a market economy. We need to raise the level of communication, not decrease it. As I said earlier, an open economy is the fastest route to democracy. Let's give it a chance to work." (BP) ******************************************************* BKK POST: ENVIRONMENTALISTS START PIPELINE PROTEST April 6, 1997 Environmental groups in Kanchanaburi yesterday mounted a campaign to protest against the Yadana gas pipeline project. Protest banners were strung up in front of several shophouses in Muang district as environmentalists cruised Muang and Tha Maka townships in pick-up trucks equipped with loudspeakers blaring messages about the disadvantages of the project and urging residents to join their cause. One of the organisers of the campaign, Wisant Pongwittayapanu, maintained that the campaign was meant to keep the public informed about the potential threats against forest and wildlife as well as their own safety posed by the gas pipeline. He claimed that Kanchanaburi residents were supportive of their cause and gave them cloths to make banners. The pipeline is to carry gas from the Yadana gas field in Burma to a power plant in Ratchaburi. (BP) ******************************************************* BANGKOK POST: NEW RECRUITS CONSULT AS ASEAN AWAITS April 3, 1997 (slightly abridged) Laos and Burma have agreed to hold close consultations as they prepare for admission into the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, Laotian Deputy Foreign Minister Phongsavath Boupha said. The two countries' prime ministers agreed that a close exchange of views is needed during the preparatory period, Mr Phongsavath was quoted as saying yesterday by Radio Vientiane, monitored in Bangkok. The matter arose during Laotian Premier Khamtay Siphandone's just-ended visit to Burma as guest of Burmese Prime Minister Than Shwe. Mr Phongsavath welcome Burma's offer to let landlocked Laos use its ports, saying it "reflects Burma's good intentions toward the Lao government". Laos already uses ports in Thailand and Vietnam. Burma also proposed a road link with Laos. It has built a road as far as the Mekong River border. The two leaders pledged support for an Asean-initiated plan for road and railway networks linking Southeast Asia with southern China. Laos and Burma signed an agreement to fight drug trafficking through information exchanges and joint suppression measures. ***************************************************************** MYANMAR ALIN: NOTICE ISSUED ON RENEWAL OF SATELLITE TV LICENSES April 2, 1997 (translated from Burmese) Subslug: Notice issued by the Directorate of Communications of the Ministry of Communications, Posts, and Telegraphs, dated 14 March 1997 Licenses for satellite television receivers issued by the Directorate of Communications have expired on 31 December 1996. Applications for renewal of licenses and payment of license fees for 1997 are to be made within 30 days from the expiration date. The annual license fee for each satellite television receiver is Kyat 12,000 while the fee for an extra television set is Kyat 1,200. Payments may be made by check or bank draft addressed to the "Directorate of Communications." Direct payment to the directorate's account should be made to "Account No. MD-0380 Director General, Directorate of Communications, payment for satellite television receiver license" at Myanmar Economic Bank Branch-3 and two copies of the receipt are to be submitted to the directorate. Licenses shall be regarded as expired if payment for license renewal is not made within 90 days from the expiration date and the satellite television receiver and license are to be sent to the Directorate of Communications or an organization designated by this directorate. It is hereby declared that failure to comply with this notice will result in three years imprisonment or a fine of Kyat 30,000 or both imprisonment and fine under Subsection-1, Section-6 of the Myanmar [Burma] Telegraphs Act. Signed: Htay Aung, Director General, Directorate of Communications, Yangon. ********************************************************** MYANMAR ALIN: NOTICE ISSUED ON CASING INSTALLATIONS AT YADANA GAS FIELD (abridged) March 22, 1997 (translated from Burmese) Yangon [Rangoon], 21 Mar--The Total Myanmar Exploration and Production has announced that it will conduct the installation of casings needed for the production and transport of natural gas at the Yadana Gas field from the second week of March 1997 to the end of April 1997. The areas where the casings will be installed are designated as Points A, B, C and D. The Fisheries Department has cautioned local fishing trawlers to stay out of the designated areas to ensure the safety of the equipment and avoid undue delays. *****************************************************************