------------------------ BurmaNet ------------------------ "Appropriate Information Technologies, Practical Strategies" ---------------------------------------------------------- The BurmaNet News: November 6, 1997 Issue #862 HEADLINES: ========== KYODO: MYANMAR'S AUTHORITIES ARREST 50 NLD MEMBERS KNU: THAI, BURMESE DELEGATES DISCUSS NEW REFUGEES US EMBASSY, RANGOON: BURMA ECONOMIC TRENDS REPORT: 1997 SLORC: INFORMATION SHEET No. A-0197(I/L) KNU REPORT: RECENT EVENTS IN KAW THOO LEI KNPP: REPORT [7]: HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS ASIAN AGE: TRADERS SNEAK INTO INDIA, GATES REMAIN CLOSED BKK POST: BURMA AGREES TO HELP FIGHT DRUG-RUNNERS FBC: BURMA ACTIVITIES AT COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY ALTSEAN ANNOUNCEMENT: RE APEC AT VANCOUVER ANNOUNCEMENT: KAREN TRANSLATOR IN LA NEEDED -------------------------------------------------------------------------- KYODO: MYANMAR'S AUTHORITIES ARREST 50 NLD MEMBERS November 5, 1997 YANGON, Nov. 5 Kyodo - Myanmar's security authorities on Wednesday arrested 50 members of the National League for Democracy (NLD) at the party's branch office in Tamwe in eastern Yangon, the NLD said. Authorities also ordered NLD leader Aung San Suu Kyi not to leave her house and Vice Chairman Tin Oo not to visit her home Wednesday, the NLD said in a statement. The statement criticized the ruling junta, the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC), saying the arrests restrict legitimate political activities by a legal political party. On Tuesday police placed barricades on roads leading to the NLD office in Tamwe to prevent Suu Kyi from attending a political gathering. The junta earlier appeared to have softened its stance by allowing Suu Kyi on Oct. 21 to meet members of the NLD youth wing in Thaketa on the outskirts of Yangon. On Oct. 28 authorities denied the NLD's request to hold a political meeting at the party's branch office in a northern Yangon suburb and riot police placed barbed-wire barricades on all roads leading to the office. The junta has refused to recognize the result of the 1990 general election won by the NLD in a landslide. ------------------------------- [related excerpts] BKK POST: SLORC BARS SUU KYI FROM LEAVING HOME November 6, 1997 Rangoon, AFP -- An official source denied that Ms Suu Kyi had been stopped from leaving her residence on Rangoon's University Avenue, but had been told riot police would be deployed to block the party meeting. Top NLD figures, including party chairman Aung Shwe and deputy chairmen Kyi Maung and Tin Oo, gathered at the Rangoon division NLD office close to Ms Suu Kyi's home, and were due to head to Tamwe with the NLD leader. When Ms Suu Kyi failed to show after one hour, the scheduled meeting with around 50 NLD youth members and the organising committee for the Tamwe township was cancelled, NLD sources said. The official source said Ms Suu Kyi was not prevented from coming out, but had been "repeatedly told" that any meeting outside her compound would not be allowed. Even if she had ventured out, barricades would have been put up around the Tamwe office and the meeting prevented, he said. Dozens of riot police and other security personnel were deployed around the Tamwe office, as they had been on Tuesday, when the NLD postponed a meeting, anticipating the authorities would block it. ************************************************** KNU: THAI, BURMESE DELEGATES DISCUSS FATE OF NEW REFUGEES November 6, 1997 From: A meeting was held on November 1st between Thai and SLORC military officials at Ber Kler village in Thailand. The Burmese agreed to allow one NGO official to attend the meeting. Repatriating the newly arrived refugees and how to supply them with food and medicine once they have returned were discussed, however, no agreement was reached. The Burmese delegate announced that if the refugees did not return, then they would force them to come back. At present there are 1,061 people at Kwee Ler Taw village and another 503 refugees at Htee Saw Shee village. The refugees at these two villages are not allowed to enter Nu Poe camp. Many of these refugees come from the Kya In Seik Gyi area. Following an attack on former KNLA No.16 Battalion commander Thu Mu Heh's village in which two of his sons and one daughter were killed, Thu Mu Heh requested reinforcements from the Burmese Army. The three battalions which were sent in response have been terrorizing the villagers in the area. Living conditions have become so difficult, that they have been forced to flee to Thailand. Although no agreement was reached at the meeting. Thai officials did allow medicine to be given to the new refugees at their sites in Thailand on the 3rd, but food aid was not allowed and Thai soldiers monitored the distribution of medicine. An official from the UNHCR came on 4/11/97 to speak about the situation. Thai, KRC and NGO officials went to look at a place for the new refugees to stay at Baw Neh Hta village in Thailand. The Thai military said it will take responsibility, for the security of the new site. Food and medicine are now allowed to be distributed to the new refugees. ******************************************** US EMBASSY, RANGOON: FOREIGN ECONOMIC TRENDS REPORT: BURMA, 1997 September 1997 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Burma, renamed Myanmar by the military State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) that has ruled it since 1988, is a resource-rich but poor country with a population estimated by its government at 47 million. Most of recorded GDP derives from agriculture. Although economic data are incomplete and distorted, annual per capita GDP may be between US $200 and $300 on a money basis, perhaps $600 to $900 on a purchasing power parity basis. Burma's principal legal merchandise exports are wood, beans and pulses, fish, garments, precious stones, and rice. Burma is also the world's leading producer and supplier of opiates. Most heroin consumed in the United States in believed to originate from Burma. Other U.S.-Burma trade is growing but remains relatively small, worth less than $200 million in merchandise trade in 1996, including $87 million worth of Burmese garment exports to the U.S. and perhaps $10 million worth of Burmese travel services consumed by U.S. visitors. Burma's economy stagnated under policies of state socialism and national self-sufficiency during the 1962-88 military dictatorship of General Ne Win. >From 1988 to 1993, the SLORC partially liberalized economic activity and reduced obstacles to foreign trade and investment, inducing substantial albeit unevenly distributed real growth. Since 1993, the pace of economic reform has slowed, with the state continuing to monopolize some major exports and to own 58 firms that dominate many sectors of the non-farm economy. From 1993 to 1996, liberalization was reversed in the rural economy, as the Government of Burma (GOB) applied increasing coercion in an unsuccessful effort to boost state-monopolized rice exports by multiple-cropping and expanding irrigation, but resumed again in 1997. The GOB's chronically large fiscal deficits were the main obstacle to continued economic liberalization, as well as the main cause of Burma's chronically high money supply growth and price inflation. These deficits were caused in part by low and declining tax revenues and overreliance on nontax receipts. They were also caused in part by high defense spending, apparently equivalent to at least half of central government spending and to 8% to 10% of recorded GDP, that has funded a doubling of armed forces personnel despite the absence of any evident external military threat and the signing of cease-fires with most internal insurgent groups. Since 1995, increased spending on public works has also contributed to the deficit. As liberalization slowed, so did growth. GOB data suggest that recorded money GDP grew in real terms by 7.5% in fiscal year (FY) 94/95, 6.9% in FY 95/96, and 5,8% in FY 96/97. Although these figures may overstate real GDP growth, the recent slowing of growth that they indicate is largely genuine and likely to continue absent substantial further economic or political liberalization. During the mid 1990s, an illusion of sustained rapid economic growth was created by consumption growth much in excess of GDP growth. This reflected a widening of the recorded trade deficit -- to 20% of recorded GDP in FY 95/96 -- financed largely by increased workers' remittances and by increased unrecorded net foreign exchange inflows possibly caused largely by increased domestic retention of receipts from exports of narcotics. These rental (easy money) foreign exchange inflows caused the real exchange rate to appreciate during the mid- 1990s, discouraging production of manufactured exports and import-substitutes. Since 1995, merchandise exports have stagnated and public sector exports have declined, resulting, since early 1996, in a foreign exchange shortage concentrated in the public sector. In response, the GOB has printed kyat to buy dollars, restricted private imports while spending private sector foreign reserves for public sector imports, accelerated sales of real estate and mineral exploration rights for foreign currency, and borrowed foreign exchange on commercial terns from foreign investors and import suppliers while not paying much of its large prior external debt service obligations. During FY 96/97, the GOB's fiscal deficit grew relative to recorded GDP; money supply growth and price inflation appear to have accelerated; and foreign reserves fell to less than one month's import coverage. Severe flooding in July and August that damaged the rice crop is likely to further exacerbated inflation. In the long run, prospective natural gas export receipts may improve Burma's balance of payments situation insofar as they are invested in producing exports and import substitutes. In the short and medium term they will not, partly because they are already largely effectively obligated until well into the next decade. The GOB appears to have no immediate prospect of regaining access to significant amount of concessional external financing from sources other than the Government of China, its foremost aid donor. On the other hand, since 1989, the real incomes of most farmers have increased, although those of some urban workers, notably including government officials, have decreased. Since 1993, the GOB has launched conservation measures to curtail unsustainable logging in areas it controls, and has launched numerous public works projects to improve Burma's woefully inadequate physical infrastructure. From 1993 to 1995, this increase in infrastructure building was accomplished in part by a large increase in uncompensated rural labor. However, since mid- 1996, the GOB appears to have curtailed this practice somewhat, at least in central Burma, relying increasingly on imported heavy construction machinery to build regional irrigation works, and on army labor and paid contract labor to build railroads. During FY 96/97, the GOB adopted less coercive rice production and procurement practices, reduced rice exports, and reduced the growth of its defense expenditures. And during FY 96/97, for the first time since FY 92/93, the real exchange rate did not appreciate. The persistence of an official exchange rate at which Burma's currency, the kyat, is now worth about 30 times more than the market exchange rate, facilitates official rent-seeking, but does not greatly misallocate resources or retard growth, since few transactions occur at prices reflecting the official exchange rate. However, the GOB's practice of equating kyat-denominated and foreign-currency-denominated transactions at the official rate in its national accounts distorts those accounts and reduces economic transparency. New attempts to deal with the foreign exchange problems involving imposition of tight controls over the market rate of exchange and of import licenses have created problems both for Burmese and foreign traders. Burma remains the world's largest producer and exporter of opiates with a potential annual production of about 2,500 tons. In recent years it appears that an immensely large percentage of profits from the narcotics trade have stayed ashore. The government has reached cease-fire agreements with ethnic minority groups involved in narcotic trafficking and leading narcotraffickers and has encouraged them systematically to invest in infrastructure and other domestic projects. Burmese import division growth in excess of production and export growth in the mid-1990's appears to have been fueled largely by increases in workers' remittances and domestically returned narcotic receipts. Though we lack adequate information to quantify these amounts, narcotic proceeds are still known to be invested also in Thailand and other countries in the region. The deterioration of public education since the onset of military rule in the 1960s will affect growth and development prospects for years to come. This appears to have accelerated since 1988, as the SLORC has reduced real spending on education and health. Between two-thirds and three-quarters of Burmese school children drop out before fifth grade, and primary school enrollment has declined in recent years, apparently largely in response to rising formal and informal school fees. Schools at all levels were closed for much of 1997 out of apparent GOB concern that students might publicly protest to challenge GOB policies, as they did in October and December 1996. Public concern in the U.S. and other countries about the GOB's human rights abuses, its suppression of Burma's pro-democracy movement since 1988, and its failure to suppress narcotics trafficking, poses diverse political risks for firms doing business in or with Burma, and has induced many foreign firms to discontinue or restrict their activities. The consequent decline in foreign investment has exacerbated the balance of payments crisis. Since 1988, the GOB has lost access to most foreign aid, including financial assistance from the international financial institutions, which the U. S. Government is required by law to oppose. The governments of the U.S. and of E.U. member states grant no GSP tariff preference to imports of Burmese origin, provide no preferential financing in support of exports to Burma or investments in Burma, grant no licenses to export military equipment to Burma, and refuse to issue visas to senior members of the military government or to military personnel. Since 1994, ten U.S. cities, one county and one state have enacted laws barring their governments from buying goods or services from firms that invest in or buy from Burma. Since May 1997, the U.S. Government has prohibited new investment in Burma by U.S. firms and nationals, and is the only government to have applied such legal constraints on its business relations with Burma. Consumer opposition in the U.S. and some other countries to the military government's refusal to honor its pledge since 1988 to transition to a multiparty democracy has also discouraged U.S. and other countries' private sector to do business with Burma. ************************************** SLORC: INFORMATION SHEET No. A-0197(I/L) November 5, 1997 From: OKKAR66127@AOL.COM Authorities Prevent NLD from Holding Unauthorized Rallies to Maintain Stability and Tranquility in the Nation The government of Myanmar is trying to move the country towards democracy within a solidified union and a supportive economic infrastructure. In doing so the government is interested in meeting its commitments while it expects others to meet theirs. For the long term benefit of Myanmar it is important that the National League for Democracy Party plays a constructive role and cooperates with the authorities and (9) others legally existing political parties in the country to create conditions necessary to support a fully functioning democracy in Myanmar. Regretfully, Daw Suu Kyi's rigid and uncompromising stance towards the authorities has created unnecessary setbacks for Myanmar in its transition towards democracy. The confrontational line she has been pursuing in the political arena has quite often forced the authorities to take necessary measures intending to maintain stability in the country by the lawful enforcement. Unfortunately, her actions and motives are not only unsupportive in the building of democratic institutions but serious setback for Myanmar in becoming a functioning democracy within a reasonable amount of time. Daw Suu Kyi's attempts to hold unauthorized political activities in various townships in spite of the incessant requests by the relevant township authorities not to do so are seen as a confrontational stance taken to create conditions to make the government seemingly repressive and rigid. Although, through the international media, she has created an image where her activities and movements have been severely restricted by the government. In reality it is not to be such so. (Please refer to appendix (A) for activities Daw Suu Kyi has taken for the month of October.) The relevant authorities have from time to time extended every effort to be sure that these political activities are held conveniently as long as they are conducted within the framework of the law and within the establish regulations governing such meetings. It is very much regretful and surprising to witness that Daw Suu Kyi, who has been criticizing the Myanmar Government for not being a democracy has failed to realize that even in a full-fledged democratic society political activities have to be conducted with the framework of the law. Activities intended to create civil unrest, disobedience are not tolerated by any government in the world regardless of political system they practice. In order to prevent any unnecessary incidents from taking place the NLD Tamwe Township representatives have been informed by the relevant authorities to refrain from holding unauthorized outdoor political rally in the township on the 5th of November. It is also learnt that Daw Suu Kyi's effort to attend the Tamwe Township NLD rally has been prevented from realization. ---------------------------------- Daw Suu Kyi's Activities in October 1997 A chronology of Daw Suu Kyi's activities which took place at her residence and outside her residential compound- (1) Oct. 1st -Visited Panitayarma Shwe Taung Gone Monastery with son Kim - Visited mother Daw Khin Kyi's grave with son (Kim). - Went to Mingladon International Airport to see off Kim. (2) Oct. 2nd - Round table discussion inside residential compound attended by 52 NLD youths. - Dr. Thet Min visited Daw Suu Kyi at her residence. (3) Oct. 6th - NLD C.E.C members met at Daw Suu Kyi's residence for a meeting. - NLD female members met with Daw Suu Kyi at her residence. (4) Oct. 8th - NLD Pa-An Township representative met with Daw Suu Kyi at her residence. (5) Oct. 17th - Held a religious ceremony of paying homage to some elderly politicians altogether (300) person participated. (6) Oct. 18th - Attended birthday party of an acquaintance. (7) Oct. 19th - Visited (5) residences including former President of Myanmar Mahn Win Maung. - Held a religious ceremony inviting 5 monks at university avenue residence. (8) Oct. 20th - Held meeting with (9) C.E.C members at residence. - Danuphyu Township NLD representative and wife visited university avenue residence. - Meikhtila Township NLD representatives visited university avenue residence. - NLD youths visited university avenue residence. (9) Oct. 21st - Visited NLD Thaketa Township office. (10) Oct. 22th - C.E.C member U Lwin and family visited residence to celebrate U Lwin's birthday. (11) Oct. 23rd - NLD youths visited residence for a discussion. - Visited shops at Mayangone and Sule Pagoda Road. (12) Oct. 25th - Visited U Tin Oo's residence. (13) Oct. 26th - Visited (4) residences of acquaintances. (14) Oct. 27th - Invited (5) monks to university avenue residence. (15) Oct. 28th - Visited NLD Mayangone Township office. Chronology of Exchange of Visits Between Daw Su Kyi and Some Members of the Yangon Diplomatic Corps. (1) Oct. 10th - Visited French Ambassador at his residence. - Visited British Ambassador at his residence. - US CDA visited her at university avenue residence. (2) Oct. 11th - British Ambassador's spouse visited her at residence. (3) Oct. 15th - (3) former US Ambassadors and US CDA visited her at residence. - Counsellor of German Embassy visited her at residence. (4) Oct. 17th - Visited Philippine Ambassador at her residence. - Philippine Ambassador visited her residence. (5) Oct. 21st - Australian Ambassador visited her residence. (6) Oct. 24th - Chairman of one French company visited her residence. - Visited French Ambassador at residence. (7) Oct. 27th - A British and a Swede visited her residence. (8) Oct. 29th - CDA of Italian Embassy visited her residence. (9) Oct. 30th - Visited Japanese Ambassador's residence. (10)Oct. 31st - Visited French Ambassador's residence. ********************************************* KNU REPORT: RECENT EVENTS IN KAW THOO LEI November 6, 1997 From: Mu Traw District 1.) On 1/9/97, SLORC troops came to Aw Law Kee village and arrested two brothers, Maw Oo Lay (76) and Maw Yah (70), and took them to Papun town. The relatives of the two men were told to pay 30,000 Kyat for each man for their release. 2.) A district convention was held on 7/10/97 in Papun by 70 pastors and Church officials from Mu traw district. When the convention finished on 8/10/97, Staff Officer Soe Win had them put in prison for a night. The SLORC officials allowed some of the Church leaders to leave the prison, to go and call all the villagers from their areas to move to Papun. For each Church official, two people from section (4) of Papun had to provide a guarantee that the officials would return. On 16/10/97, Soe Win told the Church leaders that all of the families who live in the mountain area must move to Papun. If they did not come, then if SLORC troops saw them in the mountains, they would kill them. The power to do this has been given to Soe Win by his commanding officers. All of the Church leaders were allowed to leave on 17/10/97 after being threatened by Soe Win. 3.) On 16/10/97, LIB 36 came into Kwee T'Ma village and looted possessions and money from the houses of three villagers. (1) Saw Shwe Paw possessions worth 10,000 Kyat (2) Poh Duh Thaw possessions worth 50,000 Kyat (3) Maw Win possessions worth 20,000 Kyat and Money 15,000 Kyat. And then,, the SLORC soldiers stabbed Maw Win with a bayonet and cut his ear. 4.) On 30/10/97 LIR(704) came in Boh Plaw village area and arrested Saw Say Ler (30). It is not known what has happened to him. 5.) On 1/11/97 LIR 703 came and shot villagers reaping the rice in their fields at T'uh Na Kee, Hser Htee area. One villager was killed. Naw Paw Thee and Saw Kaw Htee Wah were injured. The SLORC soldiers looted all the possessions from the hut. On the same day, LIR 703 entered Kaw Day village and burnt down the rice barn. The soldiers also took all the property they found from the two small huts hidden near the village. ********************************** KNPP: REPORT [7]: HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS November 5, 1997 From: ooreh THE GOVERNMENT OF KARENNI MINISTRY OF PUBLIC RELATIONS AND INFORMATION HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATION COMMITTED BY SLORC IN KARENNI On October 22, 1997, SLORC soldiers' names are Zaw Lin, Htay Maung and Kub Kwa from LIB- 240 raped three women who lived in Nwa Laboe, No (1) District, Karenni. The three women's are Beh Meh, 50 years old and her father name is Ree Reh, Boe Meh 29 years old, father's name is Lee Reh and Toe Meh 35 years old, father's name is Seh Reh. They were raped when they returned to the village from their hill-side cultivation. ************************************************** THE ASIAN AGE (NEW DELHI): BURMESE TRADERS SNEAK INTO INDIA AS GATES REMAIN CLOSED November 6, 1997. By Bit Irom Moreh, Nov. 5: Tenthonoi has crossed the Indian border at gate 3 near the Indo-Burma border town of Moreh every day since the closer of border trade between the two countries. Many other traders have sneaked into India to sell smuggled goods at Moreh in connivance with law enforcing agencies of the government of India. With the help of an interpreter, Tenthonoi, a poor trader from Tamu, a small town about 4 km from Moreh, told The Asian Age that despite warnings issued by Burmese officials, including the Army, the police and immigration officers, not to cross the Indian border, over 100 Burmese businessmen from Tamu and adjoining areas sell items at Moreh every day. They come early in the morning and return late at night. Burmese cross the border near Magnag, Channiphai, Gagangjai, Gogoyang at gate three and four. At gate 3 and 4, they cross over despite the presence of BSF personnel. Tenthonoi adds that some Kukis at the border had robbed them of their belongings a few times. Since the closure of border trade, hundreds of Burmese traders have been facing hardship, he said. Border trade was closed from October 12 till 21 following a fire at the market complex of the Namphalong Bazar in Burma. Trade resumed on October 22. But it was closed again as the Burmese allowed only Meites and Meiti Pangals to do business at the Namphalong Market. Other communities, including Tamils and other Indians, were not allowed to enter Namphalong Market. Burmese traders had set up the trading centre at Namphalong. Although the Burmese State Law and Order Restoration Council had closed the gate and banned trade, Burmese traders continued their brisk business at Moreh. Mathoi, 34, a businesswoman, told The Asian Age that the Burmese military law enforcing officials had arrested over 300 traders, including 160 women, for crossing the border since trade was banned. The women were kept in the Achuk jail near Primary School, Tamu, while the non-traders were served deterrent punishment. They were also forced to clean the Tamu town, she said, adding that they had been given a month-long jail term. *************************************** BKK POST: BURMA AGREES TO HELP FIGHT DRUG-RUNNERS November 6, 1997 Thai and Burmese army officers opened talks Yesterday and agreed to set up a joint operations centre to fight narcotics production and trafficking along the common border. Thanom Watcharaphut, the Third Army Region commander, said the centre would be set up as soon as the two sides had worked out operational details. There are a number of drug factories along the opposite Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai and Mae Hong Son provinces capable of producing heroin and amphetamines. Many are run by members of the United Wa Army which is fighting for autonomy from Burma, and remnants of the Mong Tai Army of drug warlord Khun Sa who capitulated to Rangoon last year. Lt-Gen Thanom said drugs were a threat to the national security of both countries and he had asked Burma to cooperate with Thailand in eliminating the menace. **************************************** FBC: BURMA ACTIVITIES AT COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY November 5, 1997 From: "Nandar" ------------------------------------------------------------------ Burma related events at Columbia University, NYC Thursday November 6th, 1997 ------------------------------------------------------------------- 12pm Brown bag lunch / Talk on the Economic Conditions in Burma ------------------------------------------------------------------- 7pm "BURMA DIARY" (documentary) - For four years, filmmaker Jeane Hallacy followed a Burmese student living in the jungle at the Thai-Burma border. Through her personal diary of friendship with him and his family, his story is told, from his role in the 1988 uprising to his struggle to survive in the jungle, and his political vision for the future. (filmmaker will be present) ------------------------------------------------------------------- Location: School of International and Public Affairs, Columbia U. 420 West 118th street (side entrance) ------------------------------------------------------------------- Directions: take 1 or 9 train to 116th street, go across campus to Amsterdam Ave., take immediate left, go under bridge, on the right after bridge you should see a sign that says "International Affairs" Inside the building near elevators, look for signs on the wall. ********************************************** ALTSEAN ANNOUNCEMENT: RE APEC AT VANCOUVER November 4, 1997 From: altsean@ksc.th.com Dear Colleagues, Please contact me directly at if you will be attending the Apec parallel events in Vancouver from Nov. 17 - 24. It would be great if we could coordinate to ensure Burma was satisfactorily exposed. In solidarity Debbie Stothard A L T S E A N - B U R M A ALTERNATIVE ASEAN NETWORK ON BURMA *tel: [662] 275 1811/693 4515 *fax: [662] 693 4515 *e-mail: altsean@ksc.th.com ******************************************** ANNOUNCEMENT: KAREN TRANSLATOR IN LA NEEDED November 5, 1997 From: Ali Ahmed There is an Anthropology professor who wishes to have some of his tapes that he has from his visit to border areas of Karen villages that he would like translated and transcribed. if anyone is interested here is his info: Robert C. Harman, Ph.D. Anthropologist (562) 985-5189 or (562) 985-5171 email: rharman@csulb.edu He was a great supporter of our free Burma week here at long beach as well. someone help him please. thankx! Ali ************************************************