------------------------ BurmaNet ------------------------ "Appropriate Information Technologies, Practical Strategies" ---------------------------------------------------------- The BurmaNet News: October 10, 1997 Issue #841 HEADLINES: ========== THE NATION: RAMOS MAY SEE SUU KYI DURING HIS BURMA VISIT REUTER: KINKEL TO LOBBY FOR DEMOCRATIC BURMA IN ASIA THE NATION: UNIFIED FIGHT ON TERRORISM AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL: APPEAL FOR PRISONERS BAY AREA ROUNDTABLE: PRESS RELEASE - ERICSSON BOYCOTT TACDB PRESS RELEASE: THAI MOI OFFICIALS INCITING VIOLENCE THE NATION: GLIMMER OF HOPE ON UNIVERSITY AVENUE BKK POST: COUNTRY 'CAN DO WITHOUT BURMESE GAS' BKK POST: FIVE FOREIGN GIRLS RESCUED FROM SWEATSHOP IMPHAL FREE PRESS : TROUBLE DOGS MOREH SATYAGRAHA MYANMAR ALIN : THOSE WHO ARE COMPLICATING MATTERS ANNOUNCEMENT: BURMA FAMILY FESTIVAL DAY IN CANBERRA FBC ANNOUNCEMENT: REGIONAL AND TOPICAL LISTSERVERS -------------------------------------------------------------------------- THE NATION: RAMOS MAY SEE SUU KYI DURING HIS BURMA VISIT October 9, 1997 AFP MANILA - Philippine President Fidel Ramos yesterday said diplomats were working out his possible meeting with pro-democracy opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi next week during his visit to Burma. "This is something that is still being worked out by our Department of Foreign Affairs authorities who are in charge of scheduling in collaboration with the host government," Ramos said at his weekly news briefing. "Everything we have right now is preliminary. I'm not saying that it [the meeting] is going to take place," Ramos added. Ramos is to proceed to Burma and Laos after a brief visit to Hong Kong on Monday to address the World Economic Forum. "I hope to portray the Philippines as being still very strong in economic fundamentals," at the forum, Ramos said. The Philippine economy has been battered by a currency crisis sweeping Southeast Asia. Ramos said he would meet Hong Kong Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa, and would discuss the continued protection of Filipino workers in the special administrative region of China, as well as pursue the extradition of an alleged Filipino drug dealer. The visit to Burma and Laos, the newest members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to which the Philippines also belongs, hopes "to determine from their leaders how we of the Philippines can help," Ramos said. Ramos will return to the Philippines on Oct 18. ******************************************************* REUTER: KINKEL TO LOBBY FOR DEMOCRATIC BURMA IN ASIA [slightly abridged] October 7, 1997 BONN, Oct 7 (Reuter) - German Foreign Minister Klaus Kinkel said on Tuesday he would lobby support in Thailand, Korea and Japan for more democracy in Burma during a planned trip to the region later this month. Kinkel said the international community must use the fact Burma now has full membership of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to put pressure on its military leaders to end their ``politics of repression.'' He said the situation in Burma would be high on the agenda during his talks with Thai, Korean and Japanese government officials. ``I will express the Europeans' hope and wish that the decision to give Burma full ASEAN membership leads to openness and democratisation,'' Kinkel was quoted as saying in a ministry statement. Kinkel's made the remarks a day after he and other European Union foreign ministers extended an EU ban on granting visas to senior Burmese officials for a further six months. He echoed EU concerns over human rights abuses in Burma and renewed their call on the SLORC (Rangoon's State Law and Order Restoration Council) to open dialogue with opposition parties, including that of Nobel peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi. ``Burma should not be allowed to remain an island of repression in a region which has become one of the most dynamic parts of the world because of its brisk economic development,'' Kinkel said. **************************************************** THE NATION: UNIFIED FIGHT ON TERRORISM October 9, 1997 AFP TOKYO - Japan and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) vowed to step up cooperation in the fight against, terrorism yesterday as they wrapped up a two-day conference, officials said. "Japan and Asean nations agreed to strengthen counter-terrorism measures including the exchange of intelligence on terrorism," a Foreign Ministry official said. The meeting, which was not open to the Media, was attended by anti-terrorism experts from Japan and Asean, which groups Brunei, Burma, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. The meeting was organised based on a proposal that Japanese Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto made during his visit to Asean member countries in January during the hostage crisis at the Japanese ambassador's residence in Lima, Peru. ******************************************************* AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL: APPEAL FOR PRISONERS OF CONSCIENCE October 9, 1997 From: ajsloot@worldonline.nl EXTERNAL AI Index: ASA 16/26/97 EXTRA 134/97 Health concern / Prisoners of conscience 9 October 1997 MYANMAR U Cho Aung Than Dr Aung Khin Sint, medical doctor U Win Tin, aged 67, writer Three prisoners of conscience, all in their 60s, have been transferred to hospital where the condition of at least one of them is feared to be critical. Amnesty International, which learned of the transfers on 9 October 1997, is concerned that the three be given all the medical attention they need, and that they not be returned to prison under any circumstances. U Cho Aung Than, Dr Aung Khin Sint, and U Win Tin, all activists with the National League for Democracy (NLD, the leading opposition political party), were transferred to the Yangon General Hospital from Insein Jail, Myanmar's largest prison, where hundreds of political prisoners are serving sentences. Although Dr Aung Khin Sint and U Win Tin are no longer believed to be in critical condition, it is feared that U Cho Aung Than's condition remains very serious. U Cho Aung Than, NLD leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's cousin and former assistant, was arrested in June 1997 for allegedly passing funds to NLD members from foreign nationals. In August he was sentenced along with his sister and her husband to 10 years imprisonment. Before his arrest he was in poor health. Dr Aung Khin Sint, a medical doctor and NLD member of parliament-elect, was arrested in August 1993 and sentenced to 20 years imprisonment. He was released in February 1995, but was rearrested in July 1996 and is believed to be serving the remainder of his sentence. U Win Tin, one of the original NLD members and a prominent writer, was arrested in July 1989. Since then he has been sentenced three times to a total of 19 years imprisonment. In November 1995 he was forced to stay in a tiny military dog cell along with 28 other political prisoners. Two of these prisoners, both NLD activists, have subsequently died in custody. The 67-year-old U Win Tin is suffering from a heart condition, acute inflammation of the vertebrae, and is in need of dental treatment. Prison conditions in Myanmar are characterized by overcrowding, and a lack of adequate food, sanitation, and medical care. Unhealthy prison conditions and inadequate and delayed medical treatment have contributed to deaths in custody of political prisoners. Over 1,000 political prisoners remain in jails throughout Myanmar. The State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC, Myanmar's military authorities) continues to arrest and detain anyone who opposes their repressive policies, particularly NLD members. Although the SLORC allowed an NLD congress to take place in September 1997, on four previous occasions in the last 18 months they arrested hundreds of people who attempted to attend NLD meetings. The SLORC also continues to prevent the NLD from addressing public gatherings. RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send telegrams/telexes/faxes/express/airmail letters in English or your own language: - urging that U Cho Aung Than, Dr Aung Khin Sint and U Win Tin be granted full medical care and complete access to their families while in hospital; - urging that they not be returned to prison, but released immediately and unconditionally as prisoners of conscience. APPEALS TO: Lieutenant General Khin Nyunt, Secretary 1 State Law and Order Restoration Council c/o Director of Defence Services Intelligence (DDSI) Ministry of Defence, Signal Pagoda Road Dagon Post Office Yangon Union of Myanmar Telegrams: General Khin Nyunt, Yangon, Myanmar Telexes: 21316 Faxes: +95 1 229 50 Salutation: Dear General General Than Shwe, Chairman State Law and Order Restoration Council c/o Director of Defence Services Intelligence (DDSI) Ministry of Defence, Signal Pagoda Road Dagon Post Office Yangon Union of Myanmar Telegrams: General Than Shwe, Yangon, Myanmar Telexes: 21316 Salutation: Dear General COPIES TO: diplomatic representatives of MYANMAR accredited to your country. PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY. Check with the International Secretariat, or your section office, if sending appeals after 10 November 1997. ************************************************* BAY AREA BURMA ROUNDTABLE: PRESS RELEASE - ERICSSON BOYCOTT October 7, 1997 From: Dan Orzech FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 7, 1997 Contacts: - Bay Area Burma Roundtable: Dan Orzech (510) 528-0653 - Seattle Campaign for a Free Burma: Larry Dohrs (206) 784-5742 - Australia Free Burma Coalition (Sydney): Amanda Zappia (02) 6297 7734 - Australia Human Rights For Burma (Perth): Ivan Brabant (08) 9451 8905 - Australia Burma Support Group Melbourne: Mary O'Kane (03) 93802986 - Federation of Trade Unions-Burma (New Delhi, India): Aung San Myint 91-11-5623759 - Free Burma Coalition - Philippines: Merci Ferrer (63-2) 435-2900 - Burma Support Group Norway: Camilla Buzzi 8800 1943 - Chicago Coalition for a Democratic Burma: Don Erickson (312) 421-5513 - Students for Environmental Action at Stanford: Jill Shenker (415) 723-3307 - Los Angeles Burma Forum: Kevin Rudiger (310) 399-0703 - New York - Wetlands Preserve: Mark Goldberg (212) 966-5244 - Canadian Friends of Burma: Christine Harmston (613) 237-8056 ERICSSON HIT WITH WORLDWIDE PROTESTS OVER BURMA Cell Phone Maker faces Demonstrations, Boycott San Francisco, CA -- Having already lost municipal contracts worth up to $90 million because of its investment in Burma, Swedish telecommunications giant Ericsson now finds itself faced with a worldwide boycott of the company's cellular phones. In the coming week, demonstrations will take place at Ericsson facilities or distributors in over a dozen different locations around the globe. The boycott, which has already been under way in Scandinavia since June, will focus on Ericsson's cellular phones because Ericsson is the major supplier of cellular equipment to the military in Burma. Other cellular phone manufacturers such as Motorola have already pulled out of Burma. While cellular phones are widely available to the military and business partners of the generals in Burma, ordinary citizens in Burma who are caught with telecommunications equipment such as cell phones, fax machines or modems without a license face a prison sentence of up to fifteen years. On June 22, 1996, James Nichols, honorary consul in Myanmar for Sweden, Norway and several other European countries, died in prison after serving six weeks of a three-year sentence. His crime -- unauthorized use of a fax machine. $50 BILLION IN MARKETS CLOSED Ericsson's business dealings in Burma are already affecting Ericsson's bottom line. The company found itself locked out of bidding last year on contracts worth up to $90 million with the city of San Francisco. San Francisco, like New York, and a number of other cities, and the state of Massachusetts, bars contracts with companies which do business with the military in Burma. The combined budgets of the cities and states which refuse to do business with Ericsson now tops $50 billion. Ericsson's sales in Burma have never reached more than a few million dollars a year. "Ericsson is trading a few million dollars in sales in Burma for the potential loss of hundreds of millions of dollars of municipal contracts," says Simon Billenness, an analyst with Franklin Research and Development, an investment firm based in Boston. "Investors should think twice about buying stock in a company which is managed like that." Institutional investors may soon agree, as major holders of Ericsson stock like the University of California find themselves facing a growing chorus of demands to dump holdings in Burma related companies. Burma's democratically elected leader, Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, has repeatedly called for Western corporations to end their support for the military regime in Burma. She reiterated that position most recently in a meeting with Unocal President John Imle at her home in Rangoon, where she remains under virtual house arrest. ********************************************************** TACDB PRESS RELEASE: THAI MOI OFFICIALS INCITING VIOLENCE AGAINST BURMESE October 9, 1997 From: tacdb@ksc.th.com Thai Ministry of Interior (MOI) officials inciting violence against Burmese residents of a UNHCR administered 'safe camp'. BANGKOK- Troubles at the Ministry of Interior run 'Burmese Students Center', commonly known as the 'Safe Area', have reached crisis levels in recent days. An alleged beating of a camp resident, Ko Wai Moe, by the Camp Commander, Pi Moo, on the 3rd of October has outraged residents who are calling upon the Thai government to take measures to ensure their personal safety. On the 3rd of October at around 9 p.m., an armed group of villagers, including MOI representatives from the camp, assaulted a group of Burmese exiles for 'making a loud noise'. The Camp Commander later admitted to assaulting this group of camp residents. This admission has created a climate of unrest within the camp that has already resulted in an attack on the MOI office within the compound. Residents are concerned that the events of recent days will provide the officials with an excuse to further restrict the rights and liberties of Burmese camp residents, who already endure severe restrictions on their freedom of movement and freedom of assembly. It has been alleged that a series of recent attacks on camp residents by the villagers of 'Ban Maneeloi' in Ratchaburi province, Thailand, have been actively encouraged by the Camp Commander, who has offered alcohol and gifts of money to some villagers in return for acts of harassment and intimidation. Newly elected Chairperson of the Burmese Students Association (BSA), Aung Htun, stated yesterday that around 8.30pm on the 5th of October, one masked Thai villager attacked a camp resident who was returning from volunteering labor at a local monastery. The Camp commander, when approached about this incident, told BSA that he gave villagers his full permission for the villagers to carry out the attack and would take no measures against future attacks. A spokesperson for TACDB in Bangkok, Thailand, commented that "...these acts of intimidation perpetrated by Thai officials are shameful. Burmese students in Ban Maneeloi have enjoyed good relations with their Thai neighbors in the past. It is a shame to see this community being undermined and destroyed by a kind of state-sanctioned intimidation and violence.". Roads leading into the area had been blocked off last night by local police. The Ministry of the Interior (MOI) and representatives of the Prime Minister's office in Bangkok could not be contacted for comment. For further information please contact TACDB in Bangkok on (+662) 216 4463 or representatives of BSA at the Burmese Students Centre in Ban Maneeloi on 01 651 9929. ---------------------------------------- Thai Action Committee for Democracy in Burma (TACDB), 328 Phayathai Road, Rajthevee, Bangkok 10400, THAILAND. tel/fax: (+662) 216 4463 email: tacdb@ksc.th.com ****************************************************** THE NATION: GLIMMER OF HOPE ON UNIVERSITY AVENUE October 9, 1997 Aung Zaw A Burmese proverb has it that "the cow will be spared only if the tiger takes pity". In the wake of the National League for Democracy's (NLD) party conference there is some debate among Burmese about who is the tiger and who is the cow. One student in Rangoon said the tiger is the ruling junta, officially known as the State Law and Order Restoration Council (Slorc). The cow is the NLD which won a landslide victory in the 1990 elections but was denied the chance to form a government. However, another politically active student disagreed: "Slorc is not a tiger." If Slorc is, "it must be in deep trouble", he said. Toward the end of last month Slorc made an unexpected move: it gave the go-ahead for the NLD to hold its planned conference. Analysts and opponents interpreted the move as an encouraging sign from the ruling junta which has barred the NLD from holding party meetings for years. Aung San Suu Kyi, the 1991 Nobel, Peace Prize winner and secretary-general of the NLD, has not spoken in public since the junta blockaded her home in September 1996, thus ending her weekend "democracy forums". Previously, whenever party delegates in the provinces were summoned to attend the planned conferences they were harassed by local officials and some were imprisoned. This time, the meeting was given the green light with some conditions. Slorc allowed only 300 participants. In addition, it subjected delegates to checks and set up a tight security network along University Avenue where Suu Kyi resides and the two-day congress was convened. Nevertheless, when the meeting started more than 700 delegates and guests were admitted while other party members and supporters were harassed and trucked outside the city by police. "We don't know whether it [the permission] was a conciliatory gesture but it is a positive development," said an exiled NLD member. The self-proclaimed Burmese government in exile hailed the junta's decision. But Aung Saw Oo, a former NLD member and spokesman for the exiled NLD [Liberated Area] cautioned, "It is too early to say anything." Some political analysts in Rangoon agreed: "There must be a hidden agenda we don't know what Slorc's real intention is." At any event, the NLD did not miss the chance for a rare get-together,. At the congress, a nine point resolution was reached at the end of the two days of meetings. The resolutions call for political dialogue and the release of the approximately 1,000 political prisoners. "There is no other means to solve the country's problems other than in meaningful dialogue," the NLD statement said. Suu Kyi also thanked Slorc for allowing the meeting to take place. But as the congress started, the official press strongly attacked the NLD and Suu Kyi Slorc's media accused Suu Kyi of being the main stumbling block to dialogue. Just before the congress the NLD rejected Slorc's invitation for a meeting. If it was held, it would have been the second meeting between the NLD and Slorc in three months. In July, Slorc Secretary One Lt Gen Khin Nyunt surprised people both in and out of Burma by inviting U Aung Shwe and two other senior NLD members to a meeting. So why did the NLD cancel the second meeting? The NLD statement said chairman Aung Shwe decided not to attend talks with Khin Nyunt because they would not include Suu Kyi. "The NLD is in favour of a meaningful dialogue with Slorc but this would have to include Aung San Suu Kyi," it said. Slorc then attacked the NLD for not accepting the offer. According to a veteran journalist in Rangoon, Slorc's liaison officer came to meet U Aung Shwe. The NLD chairman told him to come the next day. Shortly after the invitation, the senior NLD leaders called an urgent meeting. At the meeting, they decided to go only if Suu Kyi and the NLD chairman were invited. If that was not possible they offered to send two senior leaders but not Aung Shwe. The next day, the liaison officer came. Aung Shwe informed him of the outcome of the urgent meeting. The meeting was called off. In an apparent reference to the negotiations, the NLD stated in the resolutions: "The NLD reiterated in a resolution that it had mandated key representatives of the party for all important matters to be its chairman U Aung Shwe and secretary-general Aung San Suu Kyi." "Current ills can be cured only by face to face dialogue between Slorc and the NLD, which has the right to nominate its own representatives," it said. Some independent political analysts in Rangoon saw an obvious divide and conquer gambit in Slorc's invitation. At the same time they felt that the senior NLD leaders were worried about a possible split. "They [Slorc] know Aung Shwe and U Lwin [another senior NLD leader and ex-army officer] are not hard-liners. They are comfortable with Aung Shwe." It is a well-known fact that the NLD has two powerful factions: one is the ex-army faction and the other is the group of intellectuals. So far, the ex-army faction remains strong and runs the party. Some of the well-respected intellectuals have left the NLD camp or been imprisoned. A source close to NLD politics said the party's second line leaders are unhappy about some of the decisions made by senior executive committee members. "Though they admire and respect Suu Kyi they are not happy with the ex-army faction," the source said. Suu Kyi's recent warning was obvious enough. She said: "Anyone who tries to disrupt the unity of the party or harm the democratic movement should know that the party disciplinary committee will take action against them." Recently, Tun Shwe, an elected NLD member from Moe Nyo township, submitted a 28-page paper to the party leaders criticising the NLD for being headstrong. The show in Rangoon isn't over. "There is a political stalemate," said a student activist belonging to the underground All Burma Federation Students Union in the capital. "Slorc knows it needs to break it. But the hard part is that they don't want to sit down with the 'Lady'," referring to Suu Kyi. Some generals have come to the realisation that they need to sit down with the NLD but they want to have the upper hand, he said. Suu Kyi sent out her message at the congress: "It's much more fun to be friends. We should not be enemies. We all belong to the same country." But the generals apparently don't think the same way as she does. ******************************************************* BKK POST: COUNTRY 'CAN DO WITHOUT BURMESE GAS' October 9, 1997 Chakrit Ridmontri Energy consumption can be met locally Thailand's energy supply remains secure with no need to acquire natural gas from Burma's Yadana and Yetagun fields, a conservationist argued yesterday. The director of Towards Ecological Recovery and Regional Alliances, Witoon Permpongsacharoen, said Thailand generated 18,900 megawatts (MW) of electricity while consuming only 13,311 MW last year. It was therefore not necessary for the Electricity Generating of Thailand (Egat) to produce more electricity using natural gas from Burma. He said the halt of the gas pipeline construction would not cost the country 40 million baht in daily fines or subject it to an energy shortage as project owner Petroleum Authority of Thailand (PTT) has claimed. The PTT signed a contract with Burma in 1995 to purchase gas from two fields to feed an Egat power plant in Ratchaburi. The 260-km gas pipeline connecting with the Burmese pipeline at Ban 1-tong in Thong Pha Phum district of Kanchanaburi will pass through 50 kilometres of forest, six kilometres of which is lush. Mr Witoon spoke at a panel discussion on the controversial gas pipeline project at Chulalongkorn University's Centre for Social Development Studies yesterday. He accused the PTT of lying when it claimed it was subject to pay a daily fine to the Burmese government of up to 40 million baht a day if could not finish its pipeline by the end of June next ear. He said the fine would go to the gas exploration consortium in which its affiliate PTTEP International of Thailand holds a 25 percent stake. The other stakeholders include the French oil firm Total. Unocal of the United States, and Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise. Mr Witoon claimed that the prices the PTT agreed to pay for the gas were higher than that from other sources because its subsidiary would benefit from the deal. He wants the PTT to halt construction until it clarifies "irregularities" in its contracts and a proper mechanism is set up to monitor its performance. Otherwise, he said, the irregularities would occur in the 12 other gas pipeline routes to form a network nation-wide. M.R. Sukhumbhand Paribatra, Democrat MP from Bangkok, believed the PTT was at a disadvantage when it signed the contract but that it was too late for the opposition to halt the pipeline construction because it was nearly finished. "However, it doesn't mean that we can do nothing. If the contract is unfair to us the PTT must promptly reveal its details so that we will be able to renegotiate with Burma and find ways to minimise the social and environmental impact," said M.R. Sukhumbhand, a member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. The PTT is due to reveal the details of the contracts it made with Burma and its contractors on Friday in talks with its opponents led by the Kanchanaburi Conservation Group. The talks were scheduled following a preliminary discussion on Tuesday between the two sides mediated by the Institute of Dispute Resolution. ******************************************************* BKK POST: FIVE FOREIGN GIRLS RESCUED FROM SWEATSHOP October 9, 1997 Pavit Sorajana, Ralph Bachoe Five foreign girls were rescued from a sweatshop in Taling Chan, Bangkok, yesterday. Police and labour inspectors raided Panama Garment Co, in the, Chao Phraya housing estate, and found one male and eight females, including a Burmese girl and four Laotians, aged 14-16. Booppa sae Chua, 49, who claimed to be the supervisor, was charged with illegal detention and harbouring illegal immigrants. Somehai Klaipuek, the owner, and Mrs Ratchada, his wife, were not at the factory when it was raided. Among those rescued was a 16-year old Burmese girl. Ma Lwin is six months pregnant and was sold by a Burmese slave trader to a Chinese household in Mahachai where she worked as a maid for six months before she escaped to Bobay market where she got a job on a construction site. The Burmese man, she claimed, lives in Mahachai where he plies his trade between Thailand and Burma. Ma Lwin, who arrived in Thailand in September last year, said she escaped from her former employer's home because she could not stand the verbal and physical abuse. Apart from board and lodging, she received no salary and was expected to work there for a year. She said she escaped a police raid at the construction site last month and was brought to her present work place by her 25-year-old Burmese boyfriend. He is said to be doing odd jobs in Thon Buri. She claimed the sweatshop employed 18 workers when she arrived a month back. So far, eight of them have left, either returning home or eloping with their boyfriends. She said they have to work from 7.30 a.m. until 10.30 p.m., sometimes until 2 a.m, with Sunday off. They are paid 1,500 baht a month, plus board and lodging. Ma Lwin, who believes she will be sent back to Burma, has appealed to be returned next month when her boyfriend could give her some money. The raid was carried out at the request of Paveena Hongsakul, a Chart Pattana MP, who said she had received complaints of conditions of slavery at the factory. The workers said they were given plain rice with a fried egg three times a day throughout the year. Lae Kaewilai, from Laos, said she had worked in the factory for five months after she was brought there from Nakhon Phanoni by a broker. She alleged she was forced to work all day and night with 2-3 hours sleep a day. Whenever she fell asleep during work she would be beaten by the employer. All the five girls will be sent to a remand home at Pak Klong Talad to day and after that back home. **************************************** IMPHAL FREE PRESS : TROUBLE DOGS MOREH SATYAGRAHA October 5, 1997. By A staff Reporter Imphal Oct 4 : The Moreh Council, Moreh has withdrawn its support to the Samata Party-led satyagraha currently underway at Moreh. The Council has taken this step in protest against alleged violation by the organisers of the consensus arrived at with its representatives on October 2, Y. Thoungamba, president of the MCM stated in a communication to George Fernandes today. The MCM would also observe a silent protest against the Satyagraha, the communication added. A separate release said the satyagraha had violated their agreement by making provocative statements against the Myanmarese government. The former minister and Kuki Inpi president Holkhomang Haokip criticised Samata Party for holding the border trade responsible for drug trafficking. Describing the Moreh satyagraha a Samata Party gimmick, Holkhomang said in a release that drug smuggling from Golden Triangle had been going on for the last many decades along the porous Indo-Myanmar border through a dozen points. The involvement of security forces in drug trafficking as claimed is a very bad reflection on the state and Central governments, he said. Stating that legalisation of free trade has fulfilled a long cherished desire of the people of Manipur and Moreh, the release said some developments have taken place at Moreh because of this. Fight drug smuggling and its menace by all means but do not do it at the cost of livelihood do the Moreh and the surrounding areas, Holkhomang said. Stressing the need open the border trade at Bihiang in Churachanpur, Kongkan Thana in Ukhrul district, New Somtal and Kholmumlen in Chandel district, the release stated that Mizoram, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh are in the process of opening trade centres. "We have to look to South East Asian countries for trade and commerce," he added. ************************************************ RANGOON MYANMAR ALIN : THOSE WHO ARE COMPLICATING SIMPLE MATTERS [translated from Burmese] September 27, 1997 Maung Saw Tun U Aung Shwe is the legal chairman of the National League for Democracy [NLD]. U Aung Shwe was a brigadier general in the Defense Services and also served as an ambassador. He rose to the rank of brigadier general for his devotion to duty served as an ambassador because of his diplomatic abilities. Although his advanced age has put him past retirement age he is still actively engaged in politics and is the legitimate leader of the NLD. He attended the National Convention as the leader of the NLD and the Central Executive Committee included his one time subordinates -- Former Col. U Lun Tin and Former Col. U Lwin. This occurred during the time when U Aung Shwe and the NLD Central Executive Committee removed Daw Suu Kyi as party general secretary by a party resolution. Similarly, Former Gen. U Tin Oo and Former Col. U Kyi Maung were also removed from the party Central Executive Committee. They are all indebted to the Defense Services -- Daw Suu Kyi owes her prominence to being the daughter of Gen. Aung San and the others for what they are. But in reality they still criticize, condemn, and attack the Defense Services showing their lack of appreciation and ungratefulness. The U Aung Shwe-led NLD National Convention delegates walked out of the National Convention on the orders of Daw Suu Kyi and they immediately reversed what they had already discussed. U Aung Shwe in his old age had inadvertently become a victim caught in Daw Suu Kyi's web. How ironic for a former brigadier general with vast political, military, and diplomatic knowledge and experience to fall prey and be manipulated by an inexperienced lady who is fit to be his daughter. There is definitely someone behind this inexperienced lady. Simple matters became complicated the moment restrictions were lifted against Daw Suu Kyi. The West orchestrated her every thought and proclamation and carefully selected the words. Madeleine Albright, the Jewish lady, came to Myanmar [Burma] and reiterated Daw Suu Kyi's words. Before creating a problem, Daw Suu Kyi will have lunch with western diplomats at their homes. Her masters, the western diplomats, will also come to her house. Some time later after these visits a problem will arise. The facts are common, conspicuous, and known to all.Lt. Gen. Khin Nyunt, Secretary-1 of the State Law and Order Restoration Council [SLORC], and responsible personnel invited the legitimate leader of NLD, U Aung Shwe, and two other Central Executive Committee members to hold talks on matters of national interest. It seemed even the elderly soldier U Aung Shwe was pleased with the meeting with SLORC Secretary-1 Lt. Gen. Khin Nyunt. It also seemed he had reached an understanding and expected another meeting. Lt. Gen. Khin Nyunt invited U Aung Shwe and two NLD Central Executive Committee Members for a meeting at 0930 on 16-9-97. U Aung Shwe gladly accepted the proposal and even remarked an invitation would not be necessary. On the morning of 16-9-97 Daw Suu Kyi, the former general secretary who was removed from the NLD, prevented U Aung Shwe and party from attending the meeting without her. Isn't it ironic for a party chairman to adhere to an order from the general secretary? A former strong-willed army person had been humbled. But on the other hand, it could not be imagined how he would face the new generation of defense services leaders and the nation's leaders? ****************************************** ANNOUNCEMENT: BURMA FAMILY FESTIVAL DAY IN CANBERRA October 8, 1997 From: Amanda Zappia The newly formed United Burma Welfare Association (UBWA) in conjunction with all people of Burma residing in Canberra will hold a Family Festival Day as part of Austcare's Refugee Week. Traditional Burmese cuisine, culture, dance, music and craft will be available to stimulate the interest of the Canberra community. As hundreds of thousands of refugees line Burma's borders due to the repressive and brutal military dictatorship, SLORC, the UBWA will also have a display showing the plight of refugees from Burma in Thailand, Bangladesh, India and China. Please join the festivities and become aware of the culture and ethnic diversity and political turmoil of Burma, one of Australia's Asian neighbours. Place: Rotunda, Glebe Park, Canberra City Date: Saturday 18th October 1997 Time: 12.30 PM For further information please contact: Ma Ma (02) 6273 4215 Ko Thet (02) 6241 5113 Mobile 0411451647 ***************************************** FBC ANNOUNCEMENT: REGIONAL AND TOPICAL LISTSERVERS October 7, 1997 From: glen Thanks to a new server dedicated to our use, we can now have all the listservs we need! Here are the listservs that have been created and how to sign up (they're also listed in the little Burma.net book you picked up at registration.): OIL oil@burma.net Send an email to sysop@burma.net with subject "subscribe oil" REFUGEES refugees@burma.net Send an email to sysop@burma.net with subject "subscribe refugees" DRUGS drugs@burma.net Send an email to sysop@burma.net with subject "subscribe drugs" WOMEN'S ISSUES women@burma.net Send an email to sysop@burma.net with subject "subscribe women" GRASSROOTS LOBBYING lobby@burma.net Send an email to sysop@burma.net with subject "subscribe lobby" FUNDRAISING fundraising@burma.net Send an email to sysop@burma.net with subject "subscribe fundraising" NEWCOMERS newcomers@burma.net Send an email to sysop@burma.net with subject "subscribe newcomers" AIDS aids@burma.net Send an email to sysop@burma.net with subject "subscribe AIDS" BOYCOTTS boycotts@burma.net Send an email to sysop@burma.net with subject "subscribe boycotts" LETTER WRITING/FAXING letters@burma.net Send an email to sysop@burma.net with subject "subscribe letters" SELECTIVE PURCHASING selective-purchasing@burma.net Send an email to sysop@burma.net with subject "subscribe selective-purchasing" So choose one or more (or all!) and sign up! Also, some of the regional groups which met on sunday are starting regional listservs. If you'd like to make sure you're on your regional listserv to keep in touch with the active spiders and groups around you, send the request to sysop@burma.net and specify which region(s) you want to be on. CALIFORNIA region.usa.ca@burma.net Send an email to sysop@burma.net with subject "subscribe region.usa.ca" PACIFIC NORTHWEST region.usa.nw@burma.net Send an email to sysop@burma.net with subject "subscribe region.usa.nw" MIDWEST region.usa.mw@burma.net Send an email to sysop@burma.net with subject "subscribe region.usa.mw" NORTHEAST region.usa.ne@burma.net Send an email to sysop@burma.net with subject "subscribe region.usa.ne" WASHINGTON DC region.usa.dc@burma.net Send an email to sysop@burma.net with subject "subscribe region.usa.dc" If there are other topics that many of us are focusing on, we can create addtional listservs too. There are also other tools available on burma.net for any focus group to use- websites, news/discussion/meeting server, and live chat. Just ask sysop@burma.net or glen@pobox.com or see www.burma.net for details. **************************************************