------------------------ BurmaNet ------------------------ "Appropriate Information Technologies, Practical Strategies" ---------------------------------------------------------- The BurmaNet News: September 19, 1997 Issue #824 HEADLINES: ========== NLD: STATEMENT NO. 9/97 SCMP: DETENTION OF MINISTERS-IN-EXILE DEPLORED NCGUB: WASHINGTON DC PRESS CONFERENCE SPEECHES FEER: IT'S OUR PARTY THE NATION: ACTIVISTS STAGE RALLY AGAINST BURMA JUNTA BKK POST: SLORC CLAIMS VICTORY OVER 'ANARCHY' SCMP: GOAL OF JUNTA STILL AN ILLUSION SLORC: INFORMATION SHEETS INDEPENDENT REPORT: DEMONSTRATION IN BONN/GERMANY EARTHRIGHTS INTERNATIONAL: NEW CONTACT INFORMATION: ANNOUNCEMENT: NEW PUBLICATIONS ON BURMA -------------------------------------------------------------------------- NLD: STATEMENT NO. 9/97 September 18, 1997 From: burma@sydney.net [The Following is the text taken from the original transcript of the National League for Democracy] National League for Democracy 97B West Shwegondaing Street Bahan Township Rangoon Statement No. 9/97 1. At about 16:15 hours on 15-9-97, a military intelligence officer came to the house of the Chairman of the National League for Democracy (NLD), U Aung Shwe. The officer started by saying that Secretary (1) of the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) wished to meet the Chairman at 09:30 hours the next morning (16-9-97). He then said that U Soe Myint and U Lun Tin, two members of the Central Executive Committee (CEC) of the NLD would also be included. He added nothing more about the proposed meeting. 2. Chairman U Aung Shwe, Deputy Chairman U Tin U and General Secretary Daw Aung San Suu Kyi met at about 16:45 hours to discuss the matter. It was decided that in accordance with the principles laid down by the NLD elected Members of Parliament and by the organizational committees of the NLD at various levels, party matters must be handled jointly by the Chairman and the General Secretary. Therefore it would not be possible for the Chairman U Aung Shwe to attend the meeting alone (without the General Secretary). This decision was conveyed to Deputy Chairman U Kyi Maung and to Secretary U Lwin and their consent was obtained. 3. In order to convey the decision to Secretary (1) of the SLORC, the MI officer who had issued the invitation was asked, through the MI unit in Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's compound, to come to see the Chairman. It was indicated that the matter concerned was of great importance and that if the MI officer was unable to come that evening he should come to the house of the Chairman not later than 08:00 hours the next morning. 4. At about 07:30 hours on 16-9-97, a member of the MI came to the Chairman's house to find out who had arrived. The Chairman called him back (as he was leaving) to remind him that the MI officer who had come the previous day should come by 08:00 hours that morning. However the officer did not arrive. He only came at about 08:45 hours, after CEC members U Soe Myint and U Lun Tin had arrived, to convey them (and the Chairman) to the proposed meeting with Secretary (1). 5. The Chairman told the MI officer that he could not come. As there were commands and regulations within the army, so also a political party had rules and principles to which the Chairman himself must adhere. It was a policy decision of the NLD that party matters had to be handled jointly by the Chairman and the General Secretary. In this instance, as the Chairman had been invited only with two stipulated members of the CEC, he would not be able to come. However, in accordance with the principle of keeping open the road to negotiation, it had been agreed that U Soe Myint and U Lun Tin should go to the meeting. 6. U Soe Myint then told the MI officer that he and U Lun Tin would be attending the meeting to explain to Secretary (1) the reasons why the Chairman was unable to attend the meeting, to listen to what Secretary (1) had to say and to convey his words to the CEC. 7. After reporting back to those concerned the MI officer tried to persuade U Aung Shwe to attend the meeting. When the Chairman firmly refused, the MI officer said that plans for the meeting had been cancelled and left. 8. One of the salient comments made by the MI officer was that in the statement issued (by the NLD) after the Chairman, U Hla Pe and U Than Tun (two members of the CEC of the NLD) met Secretary (1) of SLORC on 17-7-97, the Chairman had guaranteed that negotiations carried out with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi would meet with success, but by now refusing to take the opportunity offered on the present day, the Chairman was acting in a destructive manner. 9. In the statement issued after the meeting on 17-7-97, not only had Chairman U Aung Shwe guaranteed that negotiations with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi would meet with success, it had also been made clear that party matters must be handled jointly by the Chairman and the General Secretary, in accordance with the mandate given by the elected Members of Parliament of the NLD and the organizational committees of the party at various levels. 10. Therefore Chairman U Aung Shwe was acting correctly in accordance with party policy. In future also, in seeking genuine negotiations, the NLD will stand firmly by its principles, with the support and encouragement of the people. 11. It was decided that a statement (on the matter of the proposed meeting with Secretary (1)) would be issued so that members of the NLD, the people of Burma and the international community could make a correct assessment of the situation. However, in the interests of achieving harmonious relations, it was also decided that the contents of the statement should be discussed in advance with the authorities. With this end in view, Deputy Chairman U Tin U conveyed the following message to a member of the MI unit in Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's compound at about 11:00 hours on 16-9-97. "Tomorrow the NLD will be issuing a statement in connection with the matter which occurred this morning, 16-9-97. Before issuing the statement, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi would like Colonel Than Tun to come to see her in the interests of achieving harmonious relations between the two sides. Could we be informed as soon as possible of the time when the colonel would be able to come". 12. Not only did the authorities fail to send Col. Than Tun, they unilaterally issued a statement entitled "Meeting Called Off" to foreign news agencies abroad. The claim made in the statement that Chairman U Aung Shwe and the two members of the CEC had been "extremely delighted" with the invitation to the meeting is quite untrue. 13. As the NLD understands very well the nature of genuine negotiations, we will continue to strive for such negotiations with the support of the people. Central Executive Committee National League for Democracy ********************************* SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST: DETENTION OF MINISTERS-IN-EXILE DEPLORED September 18 , 1997 William Barnes in Bangkok Human rights activists yesterday lashed out at Thailand's detention of three ministers in Burma's government-in-exile, saying the move had "opened a can of worms". The politicians were last night believed to be near the Thai-Burmese border and human rights groups hoped they would be quietly released within Thailand. But the publicity over the arrests sent tremors through the Burmese community-in-exile in Thailand, which is there under sufferance. All three were elected to Parliament in the opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi's landslide election victory in 1990 but, like many others, fled the military's intolerance of any dissent. They were picked up with several others in an immigration swoop. "The publicity makes this much harder to resolve quietly. They have been accused of having false papers - no proper passports. We are optimistic but concerned," said an observer monitoring the case. Dapper Thai officials might not be impressed by the unassuming longyi-wearing MPs-in-exile, but it is hard to believe that the authorities were unaware of who they were detaining. Teddy Buri, the Asia-Pacific affairs minister in the National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma, who is frequently contacted by diplomats and journalists, was detained on Monday night. With him were minister of health San Aung and minister of justice Thein Oo. An American named Michael Deer, who apparently had connections with the exiled groups, was also taken, and five other Burmese. The Government of Prime Minister General Chavalit Yongchaiyudh has better relations with the prickly Rangoon regime than its predecessors. The junta's intelligence chief, Lieutenant-General Khin Nyunt, claimed two months ago the government-in-exile was behind an attempt to blow up a top general in Rangoon. His daughter was killed instead. Meanwhile, a British man who handcuffed himself to a Rangoon school to protest against military rule in Burma was being deported, a Burmese government official said yesterday. James Mawdsley, 24, of London, was cut loose and arrested after spray-painting Metta or "love and kindness" on school walls. He was visited in detention by British diplomats who said he was being treated well. The Briton's sister in England, Emma Mawdsley, 27, said her brother felt a lot of sympathy for the Burmese opposition and had spent time on the Thai border with student-exile groups who had fled after the 1988 uprising against the military junta. Burma's main opposition party said any political dialogue with the junta would have to include the National League for Democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi. *********************************************** NCGUB: WASHINGTON DC PRESS CONFERENCE SPEECHES September 17, 1997 [excerpts] From: Soe Pyne PRESS CONFERENCE IN WASHINGTON DC VIEWS AUNG SAN SUU KYI INTERVIEW The National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma held a press conference at the National Press Club in Washington, DC, on September 17. NCGUB Prime Minister Dr. Sein Win and U Bo Hla Tint, minister for South and North American Affairs, conducted the press conference where a videotape interview with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi was presented. Freelance journalist Jeanne Hallacy, who recently was in Burma, conducted the interview. Dr. Sein Win and U Bo Hla Tint made the following speeches at the press conference attended by about 40 television and print journalists and people representing different organizations: oooo ((Dr. Sein Win)) I'd like to take the opportunity to express my thanks to the members of the grassroots movements all over the world, who by embracing our cause as their own, have brought democracy closer to Burma. In particular, I'd like to express gratitude to the people, Congress, and Government of the United States for all the support given to the Burmese democracy movement. Selective purchasing legislation introduced by different cities and the state of Massachusetts have had an enormous impact on the illegitimate military junta and are a tremendous boost to our effort to restore democracy. Economic sanctions imposed by the United States have helped to raise the level of international pressure on the illegitimate military regime and also severely weakened the Burmese currency -- in turn making it harder for the military to pay off its henchmen. My thanks also to Canada and the members of the European Union which have imposed visa restrictions and withdrawn GSP and trade privileges from the Burmese military. Scandinavian countries, Japan, Australia and others are also establishing conditions to help restore democracy in our country. Such joint action by the international community has directly affected the military regime and created conditions conducive to a dialogue for national reconciliation in Burma. We are closer to such dialogue now than ever before and I call on the international community and grassroots organizations to continue their important support. On the question of ASEAN, let me say to the member nations that democracy is in your best interests. Democracy in Burma will bring greater regional stability, security and openness for economic investment, stem the flow of refugees and erase the ugly stain that Burma brings to ASEAN in the international community. I call on the member nations to play a greater regional role in supporting democracy in Burma. So far ASEAN's constructive engagement with the Slorc, including granting membership, have failed to bring any positive change. Now that Burma is a member, I call on ASEAN to intervene constructively and with seriousness. It is in their best Interest and the people of the region. As Aung San Suu Kyi said.. one cannot address the economic problems without addressing the political problems. It is quite simple. ((Bo Hla Tint)) Thank you prime minister. I think it is important to add one point about relations with the West, particularly the United States. Burma with Slorc's approval produces over 60% of the heroin reaching American streets and children. The Slorc not only has turned a blind eye to this drug flow but has benefited while filling the military's own pockets with dollars. This devastating drug flow will continue as long as the brutal military remains in power. I can assure you that a legitimate democratic government in Burma will give highest priority to stopping this drug problem. Finally, I would like to end with a look to the future. The illegitimate military is rotten and crumbling from within. Detested by the people, it is a leading producer of the world's drugs, a leading violator of human rights, and is destroying a once proud society and education system once the envy of the region -- all to fill their own greedy pockets. Imagine a country in today's modern world that forces its own people, including children, to conduct slave labor at gunpoint; a country that keeps a Nobel prize winner under house arrest for six years; a country that slaughters and imprisons thousands of its own people for wanting a free society; a country where owning a fax machine can lead to seven years in jail. I say it is time for Slorc to recognize the legitimately elected government and enter into a serious dialogue with the democratic forces and ethnic groups toward real national reconciliation. I pledge to you as one of the legitimately elected members of parliament that a democratic government will restore democratic rule, respect human rights and freedom of expression, develop the rule of law to protect investments, and bring Burma into the community of responsible nations. ************************************ FEER: IT'S OUR PARTY September 25, 1997 By Shada Islam in Brussels Asia, Europe spar over which Asians can join dialogue When it was launched in early 1996, the Asia-Europe dialogue was meant to be a cosy arrangement between European Union governments and the richest countries of East Asia. But suddenly it appears everyone wants to join the party. The first formal Asia-Europe Meeting, or Asem, held in Bangkok last February, brought together 15 EU governments, China, Japan, South Korea and the seven countries then in Asean. With a second gathering now planned for London next April, several other Asian and Pacific nations have launched a high-profile diplomatic campaign to join the club. Australia, New Zealand, India and Pakistan each say Asem is incomplete. If Europe is serious about upgrading its presence in Asia, they insist, it must widen its focus to encompass the entire region. For these four, Asem membership is partly a question of diplomatic prestige. But there's more at stake: While the EU and East Asia may bicker incessantly over human rights, the 18-month-old dialogue s allowed the two regions to build closer political, economic and trade links. Asem finance and economics ministers, or instance, will meet in Thailand and Japan later this month. Senior officials have used the forum to talk about multilateral de issues, including streamlining customs tariffs and promoting joint business ventures. An Asia-Europe Foundation in Singapore is charged with boosting exchanges between universities and think-tanks. " It may have started life as a talking hop, but Asem is now being seen as a counter weight to Apec" -the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum-says Rolf Langhammer, head of development economics at the Kiel Institute of World Economics in Germany. Hence the nonmembers' public-relations campaign. Australia's deputy prime minister, Tim Fischer, insisted during a recent visit to Brussels that his country's " raft of formal and informal linkages with Asian and European interlocutors" makes it an gal Asem participant. And India's EU envoy, Chandrashekar Dasgupta, says: We must ask ourselves whether an Asia-Europe Meeting is not incomplete without the participation of India, the second-largest country in Asia and the world. The Subcontinent is one area where many feel expanding Asem could do much good. The Kiel Institute's Langhammer argues that the participation of South Asian countries could help narrow the development gap within Asia, and indirectly intensify economic links between East Asia and South Asia. Manuel Marin, who deals with Asian policy at the European Commission, is backing Indian and Pakistani entry into Asem. So is the EU's current president, Jacques Poos. But the membership bids have caused dissension in Asem's ranks. Most European governments, anxious to step up their presence in Asia, favour enlargement. But Asian members say expansion mustn't be too rapid. " Enlargement will happen," says an Asean diplomat in Brussels. " But it's a question of getting the timing right." The first big membership issue will almost certainly be Burma, which members of Asean say should be automatically included by virtue of its recent admission to the regional bloc. British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook has said Burma won't be invited to the meeting in London because of the. Burmese leadership's poor human-rights record. This prompted Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad to warn of a possible Asean boycott of the gathering. Although Asean diplomats in Europe don't think things will come to that, the argument will certainly cast clouds over the expansion issue. Senior officials from both sides will meet in Luxembourg on October 30 to hammer out standards for judging membership applications. Many Asians contend that each side has the right to determine the membership of its regional group: Asians decide who sits on their side of the table and Europeans do the same for theirs. EU officials disagree. Asem enlargement must be decided by " double consensus," says European Trade Commissioner Leon Brittan. " We have the right to approve what the other side has decided. No one can force anyone in." That message is clearly designed to ensure that Burma doesn't come to the London meeting. But the issue won't go away that easily. As a Malaysian diplomat in Brussels warns: " It will be hard for some Asean countries to support the entry of new members if Burma is not in." ****************************************************** THE NATION: ACTIVISTS STAGE RALLY AGAINST BURMA JUNTA September 19, 1997 Nation, Agencies A GROUP of around 20 Burmese dissidents yesterday marked the ninth anniversary of military rule in their homeland by burning a banner bearing the names of the ruling junta in front of the Burmese Embassy in Bangkok. Meanwhile, in Jakarta pro-democracy activists picketed the Thai Embassy to protest against the arrest and planned deportation of exiled Burmese activists in Bangkok. "In the name of democracy and humanity, free the NCGUB officials and activists, and cancel their deportations which would endanger their lives," read a statement from the Pijar Indonesia group which was handed to an embassy official. Thai Immigration officials on m Monday arrested three activists from the National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma (NCGUB) saying they were illegal immigrants. Six members of Pijar entered the Thai Embassy and displayed banners criticising the arrests and demanding their release. In the statement, Pijar accused the Thai government under Prime Minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh of "close cooperation" with the "iron hand" State Law and Order Restoration Council (Slorc) in Burma. It said that the arrests "support the Thai government's backing of the accusation made by Burmese intelligence chief Lt Gen Khin Nyunt last July that the NCGUB is a group masterminding a terrorist conspiracy against the ruling junta." The group said that Bangkok's support of Slorc's "anti-democracy" politics was a "step back" and that the Thai government should be held responsible for the safety of the NCGUB activists if they were deported back to Burma. .Associated Press reports from Washington: A senior US official criticised Slorc on Wednesday for refusing again to talk to the leader of a movement to bring democracy to the country. Testifying before the House International Relations Committee, John Shattuck, assistant secretary of state for human rights, said the US goal in Burma "is to start a genuine dialogue between Slorc and the democratic opposition led by Aung San Suu Kyi and with representatives of ethnic minorities." "Unfortunately, as recently as this week the Slorc has rejected dialogue," Shattuck said. He said the United States would continue working with its allies to isolate the Burmese regime 'until it ends its widespread repression of human rights'. ******************************************************* BKK POST: SLORC CLAIMS VICTORY OVER 'ANARCHY' September 19, 1997 The military government yesterday lauded its own efforts to restore order to the country in the nine years since it took power in a violent coup. Today, we, the people of this nation, celebrate the anniversary of the State Law and Order Restoration Council (Slorc) by glancing back over our shoulders at what it has been able to achieve in the years since 18 September 1988" said an editorial in all state-run newspapers. As is the custom on the anniversary, there were no celebrations yesterday. Pomp and ceremony are reserved for Armed Forces Day on March 27. About 20 Burmese students in exile burned the national flag outside the embassy in Bangkok yesterday, along with a banner bearing the names of the Slorc's top 20 generals. Yesterday's editorial in the state-run newspapers said " anarchy" had threatened the country with disintegration before the Slorc took over, adding that moves for party pluralism would usher in " a new era of democracy in our own mould, democracy based on discipline" . It said: " We have today a better nation." The Slorc was set up in 1988 after troops crushed seven months Of unprecedented pro-democracy protests across the country. Several thousand people who had flocked to the streets to voice their desire for change were killed or imprisoned during the protests. Thousands of others fled to border areas or neighbouring countries like Thailand and India. All official newspapers Printed in colour to hail the anniversary carried special articles on the achievements of the government over the years. Among other things, the articles mentioned Burmese recent entry as a full member into the-Association of Southeast Asian Nations and its successes in negotiating ceasefire agreements with rebels from most of the country's ethnic groups. But exiled Burmese activists said the government had made few strides forward, due to its dismal human rights record and failure to recognise 1990 elections which were won by the National League for Democracy the party founded by Nobel Peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi. " The Slorc has been propagandising. this very seizure of power as if it were an act of salvation of the country," said the National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma (NCGUB), the self-proclaimed government-in-exile. " This is nothing but a blatant insult to the people, and taking pride in the massacre and seizure of power as if it were an act of justice can only be seen as the act of those without, culture," an NCGUB statement said. The NCGUB said the Slorc had not improved the situation for the people of Burma, but instead had stepped up political repression on opposition politicians and imposed extreme restrictions tantamount to house arrest on Ms Suu Kyi. A human rights yearbook released by the NCGUB gives examples of rights violations the Slorc is accused of committing since 1988. It documents persecution of NLD members and tells of forced labour, forced relocation and other abuses. *********************************************** SCMP: GOAL OF JUNTA STILL AN ILLUSION September 18, 1997 William Barnes Nine years after the formation of a military junta designed to lift a once-prosperous country out of poverty and isolation, Burma remains poorly equipped to face a future with few friends. A senior diplomat in Rangoon has a quick explanation: "Real freedom is anathema to people used to barking out orders." But when the State Law and Order Restoration Council was born in the wake of the anti-democracy crackdown on September 18, 1988, that left thousands of protesters dead, it was certainly not part of the plan that Burma should remain poor and lonely. Months before, dictator General Ne Win had stunned the nation by stepping down after admitting that a quarter-century of his quasi-socialist rule had brought the country to its knees. But the optimism caused by the ageing strongman's calls for free markets and a multi-party Government was quickly tempered as the unbending nature of his chosen "transitional" vehicle the SLORC, to use its ugly acronym, became clear. "It was always inherent contradiction to expect military figures brought up in the tradition of a very self-reliant ultra-nationalist like Ne Win to relax their control and allow the markets to work their magic," the diplomat said. The generals expected that if they could lift Burma on to the Asia high-growth bandwagon, greater wealth would reduce the clamour for political freedom. But the SLORC's closed military minds were shocked when their political puppet party was blown out of the water in 1990 elections. Opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy won by a landslide - even though its leaders had been locked up by the frustrated junta. The generals have ruled with an iron fist ever since. Brief construction booms in Rangoon and Mandalay have been unable to disguise the wretched state of the rest of the economy where "a lot of absurdities still need to be shaken out", another envoy said. Foreign economists suspect that only by feeding off drug money can Burma continue with many of its prestige building projects. ********************************************** SLORC: INFORMATION SHEETS September 18, 1997 From: OKKAR66127@AOL.COM Information Sheet No. A-0130(I/L) Date.18-9-97 (1) Trading Arms for Peace (A) On 16 September a group of (40) armed insurgent led by Soe Way of the Myeik Township Burma Communist Party traded arms for peace at Taninthayee Division. They also brought (268) family members with them. (B) From 3 to 5 September 12 members of the Kayin National Union along with (42) family members traded arms for peace in Kayin State, it is learnt. (2) Press Release of Myanmar Embassy in Washington D.C. PRESS RELEASE (17 September 1997) EMBASSY OF THE UNION OF MYANMAR 2300 S STREET, NW, WASHINGTON, DC 200084089 TEL: (202) 332 9044 FAX: (202) 332 9046 THE NATIONAL LEAGUE FOR DEMOCRACY (NLD) BALKS, STAYS AWAY FROM TALKS Tuesday in Yangon, the second round of meetings between the officials of the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) and representatives of the National League for Democracy (NLD) was abruptly cancelled as Daw Aung San Suu Kyi vetoed it despite the earlier acceptance by the NLD Chairman. It is regrettable that the positive response of the NLD Chairman and other Central Executive Committee members was short-lived. The NLD which had been clamouring for a dialogue has now decided to spurn the magnanimous gesture of the government, solely because Daw Aung San Suu Kyi remains obdurate and inflexible. Who indeed is obstructing the national task of rebuilding a united and prosperous nation? ------------------------------------------ Information Sheet No. A-0131(I) Date.18-9-97 (1) 39 Members of Armed Groups Exchange Arms for Peace 1-19 August Altogether 39 members of armed groups exchanged arms for peace from 1 to 19 August 1997. They included ABSDF (All Burma Students Democratic Front-Central) in Northern Command area, ABSDF No 702 Battalion in North-East Command area, Chin armed group in North-West Command area, Kyondoe Defence Group in South-East Command area, No 2 Company of No 7 Brigade of KNU (Kayin National Union) in Southern Command area, BCP (Burma Communist Party) members and families in Taninthayi Division. Officers of respective military camps extended warm welcome to them and assisted them by fulfilling their immediate requirements. (2) Myawady Bank Ltd Opened in Mandalay Myawady Bank Limited (Mandalay) was opened at 55, 30th Street, between 74th and 75th Streets, in Mandalay on 17 September. Myawady Bank was opened in Yangon on 4 April 1993. It offers 14.25 per cent interest, the highest rate among the private banks, and is now extending services with 113 financial institutions of 35 countries from Asia, Europe, Africa, Australia and America. (3) Myanmar, Laos Discuss Border Area Management, Cooperation (4) Delegation to Attend ASEAN Senior Financial Officials' Meeting (5) Indonesian National Defence College Delegation Arrives A delegation led by Brig-Gen Johny P Mandas of the National Defence College of Indonesia arrived Yangon by air on 17 September. --------------------------------------- Information Sheet No. A-0132(I/L) Date.18-9-97 The NLD released a statement on 17 September 1997 regarding their failure to accept the invitation extended by the government to have an open discussion. One of the very first responses, NLD issued in their statement is that Chairman U Aung Shwe and the other two Central Executive Committee members were told by an intelligence officer that Lt. Gen. Khin Nyunt, Secretary (1) of the State Law and Order Restoration Council would like to see them and that they were told to come at 9:30 am on 16 September to meet him. Secondly, the statement also mentioned that according to their party principles the general secretary of the party must be present with the chairman in such undertakings. It is quite a shock to learn that the NLD could manipulate to come up with such a false statement from the very beginning stating that they were being verbally instructed by the intelligence officer to meet Secretary (1) of the State Law and Order Restoration Council Lt. Gen. Khin Nyunt at 9:30 am on 16 September. In fact, it is learnt that the Chairman U Aung Shwe held a meeting at 13:00 pm on 16 September at the NLD headquarters in Yangon where he explained about the official written invitation from Secretary (1) of SLORC Lt. Gen Khin Nyunt addressed to Chairman U Aung Shwe of the NLD. The NLD Central Executive Committee members U Soe Nyunt, U Lun Tin, U Than Tun, U Nyunt Wai and U Hla Pe were present at the meeting. Besides, U Tin Oo and U Kyi Maung also attended this meeting. To come to the next point- in having official relationship with the political parties the government is obligated to directly deal with or through the officially recognized chairman or the chairperson of the ten presently and legally recognized political parties. Chairmen/ Chairpersons are also regarded as the main figure and key spokesperson of the party he or she represents. There are quite a number of differences of concepts and opinions among the top NLD leadership on the NLD Chairman U Aung Shwe's refusal to accept an invitation extended by the government to have an open discussion. To cite some prevailing expressed views: "---the NLD has continuously called for a meeting between the government and its party to take place but NLD has destroyed the opportunity when the government made it open and possible." "---Our party is going against its aims and objectives which are conducive to bring harmony, national reconciliation and mutual respect." "---Though accepting the official written invitation and agreeing verbally to honour the meeting with Secretary (1) Lt. Gen. Khin Nyunt, especially when the government liaison officer arrived at his(chairman's) residence after picking up the other (2) invited NLD top leaders with the transport provided by the government, Chairman U Aung Shwe's flat refusal to attend the meeting was not pragmatic and predictable. We have provocatively insulted the government upon being showered recognition by them." "---U Aung Shwe being a chairman of a political party should not breach his given promise. The meeting between our party and the government has nothing to do with Daw Suu Kyi whether she is included or not in the meeting. We have made another big mistake again. The other time was when NLD walked out of the National Convention destroying its own objective." "---Our party and the SLORC are running on a two parallel lines before and when the SLORC made the effort for exploration of initiative we ignored it. It is now very difficult to understand on what track we are running and what our perspective are." "---Even if Daw Suu Kyi has been included in the meeting between SLORC and NLD there is no way that decisions can be made there without the approval of the party. Everyone understands that her inclusion is not the essential factor. U Aung Shwe as the chairman of the party should not be overshadowed by Daw Suu and party's affairs should be given priority." Ironically, Daw Suu Kyi had been preaching democracy since she first caught herself involved in party politics since 1988. But in reality she vetoed the wish of the majority of the top NLD leaders and blocked the constructive meeting which was to take place between the NLD and the SLORC. This clearly indicates that hypocrisy prevails in the NLD and democracy means fulfilling the desires and whims of a single person of that party. While the SLORC being a military government has been branded dictatorial and undemocratic by the West but in reality that military government practices collective decision. It is an opportune time for the world to realize that a different ultra form of dictatorship prevails in the NLD. N.B. The (10) Legally Recognized Political Parties in Myanmar 1. Kokang Democracy & Unity Party. 2. National Unity Party. 3. Union Kayin League. 4. Union Pao National Organization. 5. Mro or Khami National Solidarity Organization. 6. Shan Nationalities League for Democracy. 7. Shan State Kokang Democratic Party. 8. Lahu National Development Party. 9. Wa National Development Party. 10. National League for Democracy. *********************************** INDEPENDENT REPORT: DEMONSTRATION IN BONN/GERMANY September 18, 1997 From: 101564.2652@compuserve.com Demonstration in front of the SLORC embassy in Bonn This is the first time in Germany that the school children went to the SLORC embassy street in Bonn and demonstrated against the ruling military dictators and drug-dealers of Burma, who recruited fellow school children in Burma to army and to prostitution as well. The school children, about 50 in number, stood in front of the SLORC embassy carrying several transparents " The children are misused here for war ", " Here is the recruiting place for child-soldiers ". The most spectacle of the day is that these school children are in uniform. The demonstration was organised and conducted by " terre des hommes "in cooperation with the Burma Bureau Germany. When asked by the journalists and reporters, Burma Bureau Chairman George Khan said, the youngest protester in the demonstration is six month old, whose parents have fled to Germany recently due to the cruelty of the SLORC. The demonstration of the school children aimed to commemorate the coming International Children Day, which falls on September 20. The Burmese community and the Burma Bureau in Germany expressed their gratitude to terre des hommes and the press for the news transparency. Nwe Aung Germany, Sept.18, 1997. ***************************** EARTHRIGHTS INTERNATIONAL: NEW CONTACT INFORMATION: September 18, 1997 From: EarthRights International PO Box 12 Lard Phrao Junction Lard Phrao, Bangkok. 10901 Thailand tel/fax: 66 2 5122051 email: earth@ksc8.th.com ****************************************** ANNOUNCEMENT: NEW PUBLICATIONS ON BURMA September 19, 1997 From: "Moe K. T." "Map of Myanmar - Burma (Travel Maps)" Price: $8.95 Subject: Travel Publisher: Globe Pequot Pr Binding: Hardcover Expected publication date: October 1997 ISBN: 1853687987 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ "The Vanishing Tribes of Burma" by Richard K. Diran List: $45.00 -- Available Price at bookstores: $31.50 Subjects: Photo Essays; ARCHAEOLOGY/ANTHROPOLOGY; Anthropology Publisher: Watson-Guptill Publications Binding: Hardcover Expected publication date: October 1, 1997 ISBN: 0817455590 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ "The Voice of Hope" by Aung San Suu Kyi, Alan Clements, Aung San Suu Kyi List: $24.95 -- Available Price at bookstores: $19.96 Subjects: Aung San Suu Kyi; Democracy; Burma; Pacifism; Religious aspects; POLITICS/CURRENT EVENTS Publisher: Seven Stories Pr Binding: Paperback Expected publication date: October 1, 1997 ISBN: 1888363509 ***************************************************