------------------------ BurmaNet ------------------------ "Appropriate Information Technologies, Practical Strategies" ---------------------------------------------------------- The BurmaNet News: September 28, 1997 Issue #830 HEADLINES: ========== SLORC: INFORMATION SHEET NO. A-0143(I/L) REUTER: AUNG SAN SUU KYI CALLS FOR DIALOGUE REUTER: SLORC ALLOWS LIMITED 300 NLDS ABSDF: NLD CONGRESS TO PROCEED DESPITE THREATS OF VIOLENCE BURMANET: 29 NLD MEMBERS HAULED AWAY NLD-LA (AUSTRALIA): CELEBRATION CEREMONY MARKING NLD(LA) AUSTRALIA: STATEMENT ON THE 9TH ANNIVERSARY INDEPENDENT REPORT: MY VIEW ON THE FAILED DIALOGUE BURMANET: SLORC FEARS CAR ACCIDENT MAY LEAD TO PROTESTS SLORC: INFORMATION SHEET NO. A-0145(I) -------------------------------------------------------------------------- SLORC: INFORMATION SHEET NO. A-0143(I/L) September 26, 1997 From: OKKAR66127@aol.com No. A-0143(I/L) Date.26-9-97 PERMISSION GRANTED The National League for Democracy sent a letter to the Yangon Division Law and Order Restoration Council Office and also Bahan Township Law and Order Restoration Council Office informing the party's intention to hold a meeting in commemoration of its 9th annual meeting on the 27th and 28th September at Daw Su Kyi's University Avenue compound. Upon receiving this letter Major General Khin Maung Than (Yangon Division Law and Order Restoration Council Chairman as well as Yangon Command Commander) called U Soe Myint (NLD Central Executive Committee member as well as NLD Yangon Division Chairman) to his office intimating the fact that the permission being granted to hold the meeting and further explained to him the rules and regulations any legally recognized party has to abide and honour to avoid unnecessary complications and consequences. U Soe Myint was also explained in detail that the permission was being granted to hold the meeting with (300) participants and to conduct it in a peaceful and orderly manner. Recently on the 24 September the National Unity Party was also permitted to hold a meeting with (300) participants in which the party fully abided by the rules and regulations. It was learnt that the meeting was concluded peacefully and successfully without any unneccessary complications and consequences. Therefore, for the NLD to achieve the same successful and happy ending it is expected that they will conduct their meeting in accordance with the existing rules and regulations as well. ******************************************************* REUTER: AUNG SAN SUU KYI CALLS FOR DIALOGUE September 27, 1997 RANGOON, Sept 27 (Reuter) - Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi called on Saturday for dialogue with the ruling military junta as her National League for Democracy Party (NLD) opened a key two-day special meeting without incident. The meeting marks the ninth anniversary of the party's founding, and was held with the blessing of the ruling State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC)-- in sharp contrast to a year ago. The military government thwarted a similar meeting planned by the NLD on September 28 and 29 last year by detaining over 400 delegates in different regions to prevent them from attending. In May this year, regional authorities prevented about 100 NLD delegates from attending a meeting to mark the seventh anniversary of the general election held in 1990, which the party swept but the ruling military never recognised. Political analysts and diplomats said the SLORC allowed the meeting to take place this time because it did not want to provoke western criticism by creating any incidents. ``The NLD is trying to create something out of this meeting, but I don't think the SLORC will allow itself to be provoked by the opposition and create trouble,'' said one Asian diplomat. Burmese Foreign Minister Ohn Gyaw is attending the U.N. General Assembly and the SLORC did not want to tarnish its image at this critical time, the analysts said. Burma's presence at a meeting of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) forum next year in London is uncertain because it was not included in the pioneer meeting held in Bangkok last year. Some members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are lobbying for Burma, which joined the Asian regional grouping this year, to attend the ASEM session. Analysts said this may be another reason why Burma may be taking a softer line on the opposition. On Saturday, Suu Kyi told about 700 delegates who gathered in a makeshift tent in the compound of her lakeside residence in Rangoon that dialogue with the military government would be successful if it was based on ``sincerity and mutual respect.'' ``NLD is ready to hold meaningful dialogue with the government based on sincerity, mutual respect and intention to work for the benefit of the people,'' she said. ``We believe the dialogue will succeed without fail if it is based on these principles,'' she added, in renewing her call for discussions. The NLD has been at loggerheads with the SLORC over human rights abuses, repression and the military's curbs on its political activities. Earlier this month, a meeting sought by the SLORC's powerful Secretary One Lieutenant General Khin Nyunt with senior NLD leaders failed to take place because the NLD insisted Suu Kyi should be present. The SLORC does not recognise Suu Kyi's opposition role and did not invite her to the proposed meeting. The military on Saturday conducted tight security checks of delegates at checkpoints along University Avenue where Suu Kyi resides. There were no incidents, although the SLORC had originally limited the number of participants to the meeting to 300 and more than double the number turned up. The two-day meeting will review the party's activities and lay down future plans and policies ******************************************************** REUTER: SLORC ALLOWS LIMITED 300 NLDS September 26, 1997 (abridged) RANGOON, Sept 26 (Reuter) - Burma's ruling military government said on Friday it would permit the opposition National League for Democracy Party (NLD) to hold a two-day special meeting from Saturday to mark the ninth anniversary of its founding. When the NLD planned a similar meeting on September 28 and 29 last year, the military government thwarted it by detaining over 400 delegates in different regions and preventing them from attending temporarily. An NLD source said hundreds of party delegates had already arrived in the capital Rangoon. ``About 500 delegates from different parts of the country have now arrived in Rangoon to attend the meeting,'' he added. He said about 600 delegates had been expected to attend the meeting, which would review the party's activities and lay down future plans and policies. In May this year, regional authorities prevented about 100 NLD delegates from attending a meeting to mark the seventh anniversary of a general election in 1990 which the party won but whose victory the ruling military never recognised. The NLD has been at loggerheads with the SLORC over human rights abuses, repression and the military's curbs on its political activities. The NLD has sent invitation cards to Rangoon-based representatives of the foreign media to attend but government sources said foreign journalists were not given visas to come to Rangoon to cover the meeting. Suu Kyi, whose telephone went unanswered, and other senior NLD party officials were not available for comment. ****************************************************** ABSDF: NLD CONGRESS TO PROCEED DESPITE THREATS OF VIOLENCE September 26, 1997 From: dawn@cm-sun.cm.ksc.co.th Bangkok, Friday: - Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, General Secretary of the National League for Democracy (NLD) declared that the NLD Congress will proceed in Rangoon on September 27 despite threats of Slorc-orchestrated violence. About 150 township NLD leaders including elected MPs have gathered in Rangoon to attend the 2-day meeting which is scheduled to begin tomorrow. Today, Slorc troops blocked people from entering in or leaving the compound of Daw Suu's house, the venue of the meeting. The military regime has ordered guest houses and hotels to deny accommodation to the members of the NLD. Slorc has stationed USDA members armed with batons at Hledan and Kokkine intersections near the compound. The Union Solidarity and Development Association is notorious for assaulting pro-democracy activists including Ms Suu Kyi. NLD members have been warned that the USDA members plan to storm into the venue and beat up participants in order to disrupt the Congress. The Congress will mark the anniversary of the NLD, which was formed on September 27, 1988. In other news received from Rangoon, Slorc has sealed off Ah Myin Thit (New Vision) library which is located on Zayyarthiri Street, Hledan, Kamayut, near the Rangoon University compound and arrested seven students from the Rangoon Institute of Technology three weeks ago. Slorc continues to detain them and it is not known where they are being kept. The students have been identified as Soe Htun, Thein Myint, Moe Kyaw, Khin Maung Win, Myo Yan Naung Thein and two others. RELATED INFORMATION FROM BURMANET September 26, 1997 The USDA is a mass organization founded by the SLORC. Members receive privileges such as lower prices on fertilizer and access to low cost computer courses. Civil servants and students are often forced to join, or their names are simply added to the USDA membership rosters without even asking them. The USDA thugs who have been used to attack Aung San Suu Kyi and other NLD members in the past are mainly poor people from the satellite towns outside Rangoon who have been hired or receive benefits for participating in aggression against the NLD. It should also be noted that NLD members from out of town have difficulties finding a place to stay when they come to Rangoon. Hotels and guesthouses are afraid to accept NLD members because of harassment from the SLORC. If they stay at friends' houses, the friends must report that they have a guest to the ward Law and Order Restoration Council office. Those friends then become known to the SLORC as pro-democracy supporters and may face harassment as a result. If the friends do not report that they have a guest at their house, both the host and the guest can be arrested and fined. ****************************************************** BURMANET: 29 NLD MEMBERS HAULED AWAY September 28, 1997 Although the NLD Congress was allowed to proceed at Aung San Suu Kyi's compound on September 27, riot police and USDA members were milling around the intersections at both ends of University Avenue. On the 27th, many people, including journalists, were blocked from entering the compound. BurmaNet has learned of one incident in which 29 NLD members, including 3 MPs, were not allowed to proceed down the street into the compound. Instead, the riot police rounded them up near theintersection of University Avenue and Kaba Aye Pagoda Road and forced them into trucks. They were then driven out of town against their will to one of the satellite towns, Dagon Myo Thit, were they were dumped at different locations. On Sunday September 28, 745 NLD members attended the Congress. It is not yet known if there were any other incidences of violence. ************************************************************ NLD-LA (AUSTRALIA): CELEBRATION CEREMONY MARKING THE 9TH ANNIVERSARY OF FORMATION OF NLD September 27, 1997 From: "A. Kyaw" A celebration ceremony marking the 9th anniversary of formation of National League for Democracy in Burma, which was organised by National League for Democracy (Liberated Area) Australia, was held at No. 91, Church Street, Lidcombe, Sydney, Australia, the office of National League for Democracy (Liberated Area) Australia at 12 p.m. on 27.9.97. U Daniel Aung, Member of Parliament for Maing Pyin constituency, U Win Khet, Vice-chairman of National Council of The Union of Burma, and U Tin Tut, Member of Parliament for Ein me constituency , representing National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma, delivered speeches regarding the formation of NLD, the struggle for democracy in Burma, current political situations, and tripartite dialogue. Responsible personnels from the Committee for Restoration of Democracy in Burma, All Burma Students' Democratic Front, All Burma Students' League, All Burma Students' Democratic Organisation, Australia Karen Organisation, Karen Youth Organisation, Burmese Family Sydney, Burmese Community Broadcasting Group and members of NLD(LA) Australia, attended the ceremony. The questions raised at the floor were answered by U Tin Tut and the ceremony ended at 2 p.m. ******************************************************* NLD(LA) AUSTRALIA: STATEMENT ON THE 9TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FORMATION OF THE NLD September 27, 1997 From: "A. Kyaw" STATEMENT by NLD(LA)AUSTRALIA ON THE 9TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FORMATION OF THE NATIONAL LEAGUE FOR DEMOCRACY IN BURMA Today is the 9th anniversary of formation of the National League for Democracy in Burma. NLD was formed on 27th September 1988 and is now standing legally in Burma. From its very inception, NLD has laid down its objectives as follows : (a) to establish a genuine democratic country with the consent of the people which guarantees fundamental human rights; (b) to systematically create a democratic movement based on the strength of the people's unity through the leadership of the NLD in order to fulfil objective (a); (c) to lay a foundation for the preservation of a long-lasting Union in harmony with the will of the people for generations to come; (d) to strive to prevent the return of repressive and despotic political systems. The NLD participated in May 1990 election and won a landslide victory as it has succeeded in its endeavour to gain people's trust and support. But up to now, SLORC has been still rejecting the election results and trying to neglect to honour their own promises. NLD has repeatedly called SLORC for dialogue and made its position clear by stating that holding a dialogue signifies noble intentions and parties involved should not adopt aggressive or reproachful attitudes so that a mutually beneficial compromise can be found. Since its taking of people's power, 9 years has already elapsed and no progress towards a democratic system in Burma has been seen yet. Intimidation, harassment, discriminatory act, arrest, summary execution, imprisonment and torture become the daily practices of the ruling military regime. NLD, the winning party of 1990 election, is still patiently and painstakingly trying to solve the national problems peacefully. SLORC should have responded good-naturedly and sincerely to the calls for dialogue by NLD. But unfortunately, we regret to say that the offer for a dialogue made by SLORC a couple of days ago to the chairman of NLD, U Aung Shwe, was not a sincere one as it has excluded our leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. In our mankind history all the hard-learned lessons indicated that truth always prevailed at last. We, democratic forces, have a firm belief that we must prevail in our quest for democracy and human rights in Burma. Long live NLD. Down with dictatorship and Militarism. National League for Democracy (Liberated Area) Australia ************************************************************** INDEPENDENT REPORT: MY VIEW ON THE FAILED DIALOGUE by U Thaung September 27, 1997 From: brelief@gol.com (BurmaNet note: U Thaung was the editor of a prominent Burmese-language newspaper, the Mirror Daily, in the late 1950s and 60s. In 1964, the military regime imprisoned him for 3 years for his views and nationalized his paper. He left Burma in 1980 and has continued to write about Burmese politics. He is the author of "A Journalist, a General and an Army in Burma") My view on the failed dialogue........ By U Thaung It is learnt that the Burmese Minister of Foreign Affairs, U Ohn Gyaw is ready to answer questions on the failed dialigue with the SLORC and the NLD, at an Asia Society function in New York. My dear minister, for me I have no question, because I already know the answers clearly. Here is my deduction, please convey my conclusion to your masters. It is obvious that the failure of SLORC's invitation to NLD for the dialogue should be blamed on Lt. Gen. Khin Nyunt, Secretary (1) of the State Law and Order Restoration Council. Though the intention of the meeting is one of the most important step for the SLORC, he did not invite the NLD leaders properly. He gave only 17 hours of night time for the NLD leaders to prepare for the dialogue. More over the most improper act is that a MIS officer knocked at NLD President Aung Shwe's residence late in the evening and announced that he come in the morning for discussion. No Burmese wants such kind of invitation. Such an invitation is a bad omen in Burma. Thousands of Burmese were invited like this and ended up in the prisons instead of meeting tables. ( I certainly know that because I am one of those victims.) None trust such enticement by a MIS officer in Burma. It seemed that the SLORC intended to make a propaganda show claiming that they are sincere for a dialogue and blame the NLD for failure. It's merely a childish trick, that the Burmese as well as the civilized world will not buy this. The generals should know that the international ( including ASEAN nations) pressure for meeting with Daw Aung San Su Kyi is a means to change the current political system in Burma. Ruling a nation by a group of military officers in the form of a committee is not practical, even illegal. It must be changed. The world asked the SLORC to talk with the real people's leaders to seek ways to change the system. It's not suggested to invite for a tea party. Furthermore, the generals should look back at what they have done to the nation. A rich nation had been turned into a pauper state. Inflation is in uncontrollable situation. People are starving while holding big bags of worthless Kyat papers. The Finance Minister is kowtowing down at the World Bank meeting to grant loans, while some general pressured a Japanese firm to guarantee for a small loan to the Burmese Government from a Japanese commercial bank. Though the SOLRC stopped press meetings, these facts could not be hidden from actualities. It's a chaotic situation that the Government even dare not open the Universities for fear of demonstrations. In this situation the only way out for them is to abandon the military rule system and for that sole purpose, they must talk to the people's leaders, to seek ways and means of change. The SLORC must have a blue print for that purpose- to dismantle the military dictatership machine. Not only that, the SLORC must prove their sincerity to the NLD leaders prior to the invitation. U Ne Win is still alive, they should not forget their master. They should follow the Newinian way of negotiation. In June 1963, Ne Win invited leaders of armed rebels to come to Rangoon to talk peace. Three months before that he announced general amnesty and released all the political prisoners. Thus I request SLORC to soften its stance for the sake of national reconciliation and reduce its suppression of the democratic opposition. Why not release all the political prisoners for the sucess of the dialogue? After that, please invite the NLD leaders again properly giving them enough time to prepare for the conference. For a meaningful dialogue, the invitation cards should not be sent by name, it should simply ask for a delegation. The NLD, I believed have already decided their choice of delegate members. I am an admirer of Daw Aung San Su Kyi as national leader and my respect enhanced when I read the following story written by Yindee Lertchroenchok in the Thai leading newspaper The Nation (30-5-97) x x x x x x x "In her recent proposal to SLORC, the Nobel Prize laureate agreed to stay out of any NLD dialogue with the ruling generals. "Suu Kyi has assured SLORC that the NLD was not seeking power and that the dialogue could be "unconditional?? and "secret" and be "talk about talk", "talk about agenda" or "talk about modality". "She agreed that she would stay out of the talks and let other top NLD leaders - U Kyi Maung, U Tin Oo and U Aung Shwe - participate in them. Asean countries have been informed of Suu Kyi's latest peace overture, according to the sources. " x x x x x In accordance with this policy, I am sure that the NLD leaders are prepared, always ready for the talk. I believe they have plans for a process of changing the nation on the right track a new democratic nation. U Thaung http://www2.gol.com/users/brelief/Index.htm **************************************************** BURMANET: SLORC FEARS CAR ACCIDENT MAY LEAD TO PROTESTS September 27, 1997 A female Rangoon Institute of Technology student was recently killed when a car driven by a Wa man crashed into her in Rangoon. At first the SLORC intended to hold a civil trial for the Wa driver, and the Wa hired a lawyer to represent him. Later, the SLORC decided to hold the trial in the prison in a military court, and the lawyer was not allowed to represent his client. The Wa are an ethnic group living in a mountainous area of Northern Burma along the China border. Most Wa learn Chinese rather than Burmese, and their main political organization, the United Wa State Party is known to have supported itself through the sale of opium. The UWSP signed a ceasefire with the SLORC in 1989. Rangoon sources said that the SLORC is afraid that university students might organize protests if the Wa driver were given a light sentence or let off. Most civilians feel that the law is not equally applied in Burma. Those from privileged groups such as the SLORC and their family members and members of certain powerful ceasefire groups purportedly involved in the drug trade, such as the Wa and the Kokang, are treated leniently by the courts. In contrast, NLD members and student activists are often given extremely harsh sentences for minor offenses. One NLD member, for instance, was sentenced to two years in prison for a minor car accident in which no one was killed or seriously injured. The recent crash brings to mind an incident a few years ago when the son of Dr. Kyaw Win, Ne Win's physician and now the SLORC's ambassador to Canada, killed a university student in a car accident. He was allegedly drunk, but because of his status, he only spent a month in prison in a VIP bungalow. He was reportedly provided with a cook and newspapers, and he was allowed to wander around freely. A medical student at the time, he was permitted to take his exams from his prison bungalow. This incensed university students and political prisoners who felt that such lenient treatment was extremely unjust. Last year, a Wa who shot a Burmese policeman in Mandalay got off scotfree, much to the consternation of local residents and the police. The commander of the Mandalay Divsion Military Command was quoted as saying, ""No charges would be brought against the Wa officer in the name of national interest' A group of Wa were drinking at a hotel on the night of a full moon festival and making a lot of noise. When the situation started getting out of hand, the hotel staff called the police and asked them to intervene. A policeman arrived and tried to arrest one of the Wa, but the others protested violently. At this point, the Burmese policeman fired warning shots in the air. One of the Wa partiers shot the policeman dead in front of the hotel staff and local onlookers. According to the Liberation Alliance of Burma (LAB), a coalition of youth and students inside Burma, Burmans, police officers, and even soldiers in the Mandalay area have become extremely resentful towards the Wa and their unruly behavior, which is sanctioned by the Burmese military. The SLORC had originally planned to reopen the universities during the week of September 22. Over the past month, military intelligence called Soe Htun, one of the leaders of the December demonstrations, in for questioning three times. They told him that a student union could not be formed, but perhaps a student welfare committee would be allowed. Then they told him to make sure that demonstrations did not break out again, but he said that he could not control the students. If the students wanted to demonstrate, what could he do? Now Soe Htun is under arrest, and his wherabouts are unknown. The SLORC also asked university lecturers to guarantee that they could prevent the students from organizing protests, but the lecturers also said they could not. Thus, the SLORC decided to postpone opening the universities yet again. The SLORC has instead decided to open selected, traditionally politically- inactive colleges first and the other universities later. The Masters degree programs at Rangoon University's main campus are now open, and government technical institutes outside Rangoon will soon start classes. The Computer College in Rangoon is also supposed to open its doors in the near future, but the other Rangoon universities and institutes and the provincial colleges may stay closed until December. The military regime is staggering the opening of the universities for two reasons. First, by initially opening only a few programs, SLORC intelligence and troops can more easily control the student population. If they feel that the situation is under control, then they can gradually open more campuses. Second, some students attending universities which are being opened later will feel angry at their activist peers, and blame them for the disruptions in their education. Because there is no real rule of law, only the threat of force in Burma today, the SLORC must rely on intimidation to maintain order. A mere car accident takes on much greater significance in Burma than it would elsewhere, as it ignites memories of past injustices and has the potential to spark civil unrest. ******************************************************* SLORC: INFORMATION SHEET NO. A-0145(I) September 27, 1997 From: OKKAR66127@AOL.COM No. A-0145(I) Date.27-9-97 (1) Minister for Finance and Revenue Addresses 1997 World Bank/IMF Joint Annual Meeting Myanmar delegation led by Minister for Finance and Revenue Brig-Gen Win Tin attended the 1997 World Bank/International Monetary Fund (IMF) Joint Annual Meeting held in Hong Kong, the People's Republic of China, from 23 to 25 September. The Minister delivered a statement at the meeting, attended by delegations of 182 member countries, on 24 September.To cite a few paragraph from the minister's speech:- "In this context, I would like to point out that the Fund and the Bank were established to provide financial and technical assistance to all member countries based on economic consideration, irrespective of political perspectives. In view of this, I would like to request that the Fund and the Bank to avoid applying double standards and seriously reconsider all the points I have made above, to help resolve the pressing needs of their member country and extend tangible support to Myanmar. As a responsible member of ASEAN, we are ready to contribute positively towards economic and political stability and harmony in the ASEAN family. By the same token, we are also eager to lend our support and cooperation to the Fund and Bank in their regular and special operations, particularly on issues of concern to the developing countries as a group." (2) Exim Bank of Thailand Will Grant $ 21.06 million to Myanmar Sutech Co Ltd Myanmar Sutech Co Ltd and Export Import Bank of Thailand signed an agreement on a 21.06-million-dollar loan at the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation on 26 Sept. Myanmar Sugarcane Enterprise and Sutech Engineering Co Ltd & Associates of Thailand are jointly undertaking construction of 2,000-ton Nawade Sugar Mill near Mya Village, Pyay Township, Bago Division, after forming Myanmar Sutech Co Ltd, a joint-venture company. The Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation plans to build 10 sugar mills in this year. ***********************************