------------------------ BurmaNet ------------------------ "Appropriate Information Technologies, Practical Strategies" ---------------------------------------------------------- The BurmaNet News: November 12, 1997 Issue #866 HEADLINES: ========== NCGUB TRANSLATION: NLD STATEMENT NO. 12/97 EU COMMON FOREIGN AND SECURITY POLICY PRESS RELEASE BKK POST: EU REFUSES TO JOIN IF BURMA IS INCLUDED THE NATION: ASEAN TO PRESS EU ON BURMA AHEAD OF TALKS THE NATION: SUU KYI PAYS MEMORIAL VISIT AP: BURMA'S CURRENCY FALLS TO NEW RECORD LOW SOCIALIST INTERNATIONAL RESOLUTION ON BURMA THE NATION: BUMBLING HIS WAY THROUGH BURMA REUTERS: BURMA FREES CONVICTED THAI FISHERMEN XINHUA: MYANMAR INAUGURATES INT’L CONTAINER TERMINAL THE STATESMAN: INDIAN GOVT'S ATTITUDE UNSATISFACTORY THE NATION: EXPERT SEES SECURITY THREAT FOR THAILAND BKK POST: EDITORIAL REVEALED COLONIALIST LEANINGS BRC-J ANNOUNCEMENT: BURMA WEEKEND IN KYOTO -------------------------------------------------------------------------- NCGUB TRANSLATION: NLD STATEMENT NO. 12/97 November 5, 1997 From: BURMA OFFICE Unofficial translation NLD SEAL THE NATIONAL LEAGUE FOR DEMOCRACY NO. (97/B), West Shwegondine Road Bahan Township, Rangoon 1. On 5/11/97, it was arranged for youths from the Tamwe Township NLD Office to be assigned duties and responsibilities. The Tamwe Township NLD notified the local Law & Order Restoration Council (LORC) Office on 3/11/97 of the proposed arrangements. The authorities then used various unlawful means to block, obstruct and prevent the meeting from taking place. 2. Moreover, the Tamwe Township LORC issued a letter [No. 027/1-1/Ma Wa Ta (Ta Ma) on 4/11/97, stating:- “It has been noted that the NLD has been extending its activities and carrying out Youth Organisation in the townships.” “By so doing, the peace and tranquillity of the community and the prevalence of Law & Order could be harmed. Further, it could also hinder the social and economic development of the country. Therefore, permission can not be granted regarding the letter referring to the gathering of persons in Tamwe Township.” How can a groundless accusation based on opinion, such as this be made against a legitimate organisation going about its lawful business? This is but an absolutely untrue and groundless accusation. 3. The NLD has stood as a legitimate organisation in accordance with the laws of the registration of political parties and has carried out its work in line with democratic principles for democracy and human rights. The lawful work of a legitimate political party, carried out in a lawful way can in no way harm the peace and tranquillity of the community. It is also totally out of context to state that it hinders social and economic development. 4. The authorities concerned also barred the (NLD) General Secretary, who has been given the responsibility of carrying out Youth Organisation work, from leaving her compound. Further, Vice Chairman U Tin Oo, who came to the compound to make enquiries about the situation, was denied entrance to her compound. 5. Some (50) NLD Youth members and NLD Women members were arrested and taken away. They had entered the Tamwe Township NLD Office in accordance with all the regulations stipulated by and with the permission of the authorities concerned. This (a) although no meeting was held in the office, and (b) clearly there was no defiance of orders as the office was occupied with the permission of the authorities [one line blurred] 6. These actions against a legitimate organisation’s lawful activities in accordance with democratic principles carried out peacefully and calmly is but an unlawful act of obstruction. It is a very inappropriate action. It also greatly hampers national reconciliation. The NLD is the political party which won a landslide victory with the support of the mass of the people in the 1990 multi-party democratic elections. Therefore, we declare that we roundly condemn unlawful obstructions, hindrances and limitations of the right of the NLD to carry out its lawful activities. Central Executive Committee National League for Democracy Rangoon 5 November 1997 ********************************************* EU COMMON FOREIGN AND SECURITY POLICY PRESS RELEASE November 10, 1997 Sent by: RANGOONP@aol.com PESC/97/106 DOCUMENT DATE: NOVEMBER 10, 1997 Declaration by the European Union, Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia, concerning Burma / Myanmar The associated countries Bulgaria, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia, declare that they share the objectives of the common position defined by the Council of the European Union on 28 October 1996 on the basis of Article J.2 of the Treaty on European Union concerning Burma/Myanmar, as extended by the decision of the Council of the European Union on 20 October 1997. They will ensure that their national policies conform to that common position. The European Union takes note of this commitment and welcomes it. END OF DOCUMENT *************************************** BKK POST: EU REFUSES TO JOIN IF BURMA IS INCLUDED November 11, 1997 Nussara Sawatsawang Officials displeased with Prachuab: report The European Union will not accept the inclusion of Burma and Laos in next week's discussions on cooperation with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, a Bangkok based European Commission official said yesterday. The EU has made "no new position" on relations with Rangoon and will talk only with the seven Asean member states during the Asean-EU Joint Cooperation Committee which Thailand is hosting from November 17-19, said the official, who asked not to be named. Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam are covered by the 1980 cooperation agreement with the 15 member-strong EU. The remark followed reports that the EU is displeased with the recent decision by former foreign minister Prachuab Chaiyasarn to invite the two new Asean members - Burma and Laos - to attend the meeting as observers. In breaking the news to reporters during his visit to Rangoon on October 29, Mr Prachuab claimed that he had received prior approval from the EU to extend the invitations. The EU cut off high-level ties with Rangoon nine years ago in protest of Burma's poor record on human rights and democratisation, and the bloc threatened to boycott the forthcoming meeting if Burmese participants were allowed in. An Asean diplomat said the EU would have been embarrassed by what amounted to arm-twisting tactics by Mr Prachuab even though it has voiced no official objection to the statement, which was made to reporters in highly-publicised telephone interview from Rangoon. A Foreign Ministry official close to the issue said Thailand and the EU were still negotiating their differences over the issue of whether or not Burma and Laos should be allowed to attend the meeting. "If the EU is not yet ready [to attend the meeting], we may postpone it," the official said, adding that there would be difficulties in physical arrangements if no agreement is reached within the next few days. Indonesia and Malaysia are the main advocates of the Asean bid to obtain the inclusion of Burma and Laos in the Asean-EU agreement. They cite the principle of non-discrimination, pointing to the case of Vietnam which was allowed to take part in Asean-EU cooperation discussions in 1995, soon after it was admitted as Asean's seventh member state. Vietnam's inclusion in the framework was only legalised earlier this year, when it signed a protocol to the 1980 agreement between the two groupings. ******************************************************* THE NATION: ASEAN TO PRESS EU ON BURMA AHEAD OF TALKS November 11, 1997 [abridged] AP-Dow Jones MANILA- The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) will insist on Burma's inclusion at a meeting between the regional trade bloc and the European Union (EU) in Thailand next week, a Philippine official said yesterday. "All the members of Asean have to be seated at that meeting in the same way," Philippine Foreign Under-secretary Rodolfo Severino said after a two-day meeting of senior Asean officials in Manila. "If our guests don't like this arrangement, that is for them to decide," he said. He declined to say whether Asean would boycott the meeting if European countries insist on excluding Burma, but said cancellation of the meeting would have implications for "the entire relationship". He said senior Asean officials agreed on the position during the meeting in Manila and had asked Thailand to convey it to EU officials. Visiting Singapore in September, British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook said his country would exclude Burma from a summit of Asian and European nations in London next April because of its repression of human rights and "connivance with the drug trade". Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad reacted by saying Asean nations might boycott the meeting in London if the European Union bars Burma. *********************************************** THE NATION: SUU KYI PAYS MEMORIAL VISIT November 11, 1997 [abridged] AP RANGOON - Opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi left her residence on Sunday for the first time since authorities prevented her from going out to attend a political meeting last week. Suu Kyi, leader of the Nation League for Democracy (NLD), went to attend a memorial meeting for a member of her party who died under suspicious circumstances in prison seven years ago. Burma's military government confined Suu Kyi to her home last Wednesday morning and riot police barricaded an office of her Political party to prevent her from meeting members of its Youth wing. Because Suu Kyi had not left her compound since being kept in on Wednesday, rumours arose that she was being indefinitely detained. She attended the memorial service on Sunday at the home of the family of Maung Ko, a member of her Party who died seven years ago in the notorious Insein Prison. ******************************************************* AP: BURMA'S CURRENCY FALLS TO NEW RECORD LOW AGAINST THE DOLLAR November 11, 1997 RANGOON, Burma (AP) _ Burma's currency, the kyat, has fallen to new record lows against the U.S., dealers in Rangoon reported Tuesday. The dollar was fetching between 278 and 284 kyat from money changers using the unofficial rate. The government maintains an official rate of about 6 kyats to the dollar, but it is only used for state enterprises. Nearly all other business is conducted at the unofficial rate. Dealers in Rangoon cited the fall of neighboring Thailand's currency, the baht, as the cause of the kyat's decline. Under attack from speculators, Thailand floated its currency on July 2, and it has since lost about 40 percent of its value against the dollar. Thailand and Burma conduct a large degree of cross-border trade, and so currency dealers frequently hold baht in addition to the more widely-used U.S. dollar. Reports have come out of border areas in recent months of the kyat trading at about 300 to the U.S. dollar. The borders areas, with their volatile mix of ethnic groups and some insurgents, are not as tightly controlled by the military government. The kyat has been declining in large spurts since 1996, well before the currency crisis hit Southeast Asia. Burma's currency is considered worthless in international trading, and so is not subject to speculative attacks from institutional investors abroad. Analysts in Rangoon told The Associated Press in Bangkok, that while the Thai currency's decline is a factor in the fall of the kyat, other elements are also contributing to its loss of value. Included in the mix are the military government's plummeting foreign reserves and weak exports. Recent flooding has destroyed a significant portion of the rice crop, although no accurate numbers detailing the damage had yet been made available by the government. Largely undeveloped because of a period of socialist isolationism that lasted from 1962-88, Burma's economy is mainly based on agriculture, with rice being a significant export, as are beans and pulses and timber. Although the government has been courting foreign investors, manufacturing accounts for less than 7 percent of gross domestic product. Last April, the U.S. slapped economic sanctions on Burma's military regime for its suppression of the country's democracy movement and its alleged failure to curb exports of drugs, chiefly opium and heroin. Burma depends on its Asian neighbors for most foreign investment, but with economic troubles roiling across the continent, analysts say the regime may have to expect less help and investment from its neighbors than it had hoped for. Although the unofficial rate is the one most commonly used in Burma it is only offered by money changers who operate outside the law. Earlier this year, when the kyat fell to about 260 to the dollar for a week or so, the military government detained several money changers for questioning. They were later released and no charges were filed against them. No detentions of money changers have been reported since that time. ********************************************* SOCIALIST INTERNATIONAL RESOLUTION ON BURMA November 10, 1997 From: sayagyi@del2.vsnl.net.in DRAFT RESOLUTION ON BURMA Meeting of the Council of the Socialist International New Delhi, India. 10-11 November 1997 Recalling the resolutions on Burma of the Council of the Socialist International adopted in Tokyo in May 1994, in Cape Town in July 1995, in Rome in January 1997, and the resolution of the XX Congress of the Socialist International adopted at the United Nations in New York in September 1996, the Socialist International: Commends President Bill Clinton of the United Stated of America for imposing economic sanctions against the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) in Burma ; Commends the European Union for extending the visa restrictions imposed on members of SLORC and their families, and for removing privileges for SLORC because of its extensive use of forced labour; Commends the Labour Government of Tony Blair in the United Kingdom for its strong stand on human rights and for its commitment to finding ways to impose sanctions against SLORC; Commends the Government of Denmark for its continued strong support for the Burmese democracy movement and for hosting the exiled National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma in Copenhagen in July 1997; Commends the Government of Canada for also imposing sanctions against SLORC; Commends the foreign companies that have withdrawn from Burma because of the atrocities committed by the military; Commends the decision of the United Nations Committee for Human Rights in Geneva to continue investigating human rights abuses in Burma and for the secretary-general's efforts to try and bring about a tripartite dialogue to resolve Burma's problems; Commends the International Labour Organisation for opening an investigation into the use of forced labour by SLORC; Commends the Government of Norway for also removing trade privileges from SLORC because its extensive use of forced labour; Commends the attempts made by the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) to bring about political dialogue between SLORC and the National League for Democracy (NLD) led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi; Commends the Government of Japan for withholding aid and actively seeking to promote change in Burma; and Commends the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) for meeting with the executive of the NLD, and for allowing the party to hold its Congress in Rangoon in September 1997. While recognising the positive developments in Burma, the Socialist International, however: Regrets the decision made by the Association of South East Asia Nations (ASEAN) in July 1997 to admit SLORC as a full member without any conditions; Regrets that SLORC is not serious seeking a political dialogue with either the National League for Democracy led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, other ethnic political parties, or the ethnic national forces; Regrets that SLORC has not seriously used the opportunities for dialogue provided by the international community, notably the United Nations, the European Union, ASEAN, and Japan; Notes with grave concern the continuing deterioration of the political situation in Burma as witnessed by the continued use of military force in ethnic areas to bring about subjugation; Notes with great concern the continuing harassment of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and members of the NLD as witnessed by the recent arrests of close aides; Notes with great concern the growing economic crisis in Burma and SLORC's inability to deal with either the economic or political problems except by using force; Strongly condemns SLORC's continues use of violence, gang rape, forced labour, extortion, looting, arbitrary arrests, and summary executions, as a primary control mechanism especially in ethnic areas; Strongly condemns the ruling junta's use of mobs and civil front organisations to divide the oppositions, intimidate the public and control dissent; Strongly condemns the military regime's growing dependence and involvement in the illegal narcotics trade; Condemns the continued closure of universities and institutes of higher education as a means of crowd control instead of seriously addressing the issues of police brutality and justice demanded by students; Condemns the junta's continued use of intimidation and force rather than dialogue and political negotiation to resolve political problems; Condemns the recent arrests of trade union activists and close aides and relatives of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi on false charges of terrorism; Calls on the United Nations secretary-general to urgently address the question of Burma and to make a concerted effort to implement General Assembly resolutions, which have been ignored by the Burmese Regime; Calls on all member parties to establish party-to-party contacts with the NLD led Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, in order to determine how change can be brought to Burma; Calls on all member parties who are in governments or in a position to influence policy to seriously examine options for action to bring about change in Burma either unilaterally or multilaterally; Strongly urges TOTAL S.A. of France, UNOCAL of United States, Nippon Oil of Japan, and Premier of Britain, to withdraw or suspend their operations in Burma, especially in ethnic areas, are ended; Strongly urges SLORC to release all political prisoners, and to lift all laws restricting fundamental freedoms, including the freedom of speech, assembly, association, the press, and the right to draft the constitution; and Strongly urges SLORC to began a genuine political dialogue with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, all political parties and Burma's ethnic peoples. ********************************************* THE NATION: BUMBLING HIS WAY THROUGH BURMA November 11, 1997 Don Pathan Foreign ministers represent the policies of their respective countries and must be careful what they say. Unfortunately, Prachuab Chaiyasan does not seem to have come to terms with that part of the job, writes The Nation's Don Pathan. Confusing and non-provocative words are the familiar trait of out-going Foreign Minister Prachuab Chaiyasan, but lately the man has been creeping into a dangerous realm of uncertainty that may further tarnish his 11-month tenure at Saranrom Palace. During a recent press conference via telephone from Rangoon, Prachuab told reporters in Bangkok he would never ask to meet government opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, hinting that the lady who was awarded a Nobel Prize for her fight for human rights and democracy was not worth his precious Time. "Who is she and who am I?" said Prachuab, when asked if he met Suu Kyi during his two-day official visit to Rangoon. "I'm a foreign minister and she is a government opposition leader. She would have to make the request if she wants to see me," he said. "But the Philippine Secretary of State Domingo Siazon had a meeting with her during his official trip to Burma," pushed one reporter. Prachuab's response: "I only knew about it through the newspaper." The question of whether Suu Kyi is worth anybody's time is beside the point. What was disturbing is Thailand's pretentious attitude and its ill-defined policy toward Burma whether it is with Bangkok's dealing with the State Law and Order Restoration Council (Slorc), one of the world's most condemned ruling juntas, or the Thai government's attitude towards the National League of Democracy (NLD), the opposition group which won a landslide election victory in 1990 but was denied its right to rule by the military. But Prachuab praised the meeting between senior NLD officials and Slorc secretary-general Lt Gen Khin Nyunt, suggesting that the meeting was a breakthrough for national reconciliation in Burma. In the same breath, the foreign minister strongly dismissed the importance of a meeting with the NLD leader. Moreover, his statement could have easily offended the Philippine foreign minister, who had obviously thought it was not a waste of his time to meet the woman who serves as the hope for the Burmese people. If Prachuab looked back at the past year, he would have seen that both the Philippine and the Thai governments have been much more vocal about Slorc's behaviour than any, other members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nation (Asean). Contrary to what Prachuab said about Siazon's meeting with Suu Kyi, an Asean diplomat said that a detailed report from the meeting between Suu Kyi and the Philippine foreign minister was sent out to all Asean countries. No one knows for sure if Prachuab saw the report. He insisted that he only heard about it through newspapers and said reports on the Siazon Suu Kyi meeting should be taken with a pinch of salt. It is not clear, however, whether he believes that his contradictory and conceited attitude should also be held by other Asean members. Indeed, as much as Asean would like to boast about its solidarity and the spirit of brotherhood, each member country still likes to be seen as an independent, sovereign nation dictating its own foreign policy. At the same time, in order to develop a sense of unity, some degree of sovereignty has be sacrificed for the sake of the whole. One educated guess that came out of the diplomatic circle in Bangkok was that Prachuab had no choice but to deny that he had made a request to meet Suu Kyi for the sake of face-saving. An Asean diplomatic source claimed that Prachuab had indeed made a request to meet Suu Kyi, but the Slorc leadership asked him to call it off. The double-take on Slorc's part did not come as a surprise, said the diplomat, because the meeting would have bolstered the hopes of NLD sympathisers in Bangkok. This is something which Slorc cannot afford to risk because Rangoon is desperately trying to get a ringside seat at the upcoming Asia-European Union meeting in Bangkok. Prachuab boasted from Rangoon that he took a stand against the EU to ensure that Burma could attend the meeting as a "passive observer", but EU sources said no final decision has been made with regard to Rangoon attending the meeting. This was definitely a communications blunder, considering that Thailand is supposed to be the communications link between Burma and the EU. In regard to Asean's constructive engagement policy, perhaps Prachuab should be reminded that previous Thai governments, as well as other Asean members, have consistently suggested that Rangoon establish dialogue between Slorc and the opposition government, namely Suu Kyi and the NLD. The regional grouping's ill-defined policy also urges Slorc to negotiate with ethnic groups, whose fragile relationships with Rangoon are not based on mutual trust or respect. As for Prachuab, despite the fact that Thailand has been picked to mend the fence between Asean and the EU, torn by differing Burma policies, his rigid tone suggested that his tenure at Saranrom Palace has done little to improve his communication skills on the level of international diplomacy. ******************************************************* REUTERS: BURMA FREES CONVICTED THAI FISHERMEN November 11, 1997 BANGKOK, Nov 11 (Reuters) - Thai army commander in chief Chetta Tanajaro said on Tuesday Burma's ruling State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) had released 98 Thai fishermen convicted of violating Burmese laws. He said the fishermen, many of them sick, were airlifted out of Rangoon by a Thai military plane on Tuesday. "Bear in mind that you have been released through the auspices of his majesty the king (Bhumibol Adulyadej)," General Chetta told the freed Thais at a homecoming ceremony. The Thai army chief praised the SLORC for pardoning the fishermen in a gesture from Rangoon to mark the 70th birthday of King Bhumibol on December 5. Hundreds of Thai fishermen are convicted and jailed each year for intruding into Burmese waters. ******************************************** XINHUA: MYANMAR INAUGURATES INTERNATIONAL CONTAINER TERMINAL November 9, 1997 YANGON (Nov. 9) XINHUA - Myanmar inaugurated the first container terminal of its International Thilawa Terminals projects, situated 25 kilometers south of the capital of Yangon, today with its first phase put into operation. It is the first 100-percent foreign investment project in the history of the country's port development. The terminal project, with a quay length of 500 meters in the first phase, had been carried out by the C and P Holdings of Singapore since June 1995 and will be managed and operated by the Hutchison Port Holdings of Hong Kong. The terminal occupies a total area of 75 hectares. The second phase of the project is expected to be completed at the end of this year, said Myanmar Minister for Transport Thein Win at the inaugural ceremony. The Myanmar International Thilawa Terminals will provide berthing capacity for four oceangoing-size vessels to world-class standards and have an annual handling capacity of 1 million TEUs of containers upon their completion. The minister also said Myanmar plans to develop deep-sea ports in its Rakhine and Tanintharyi coastal regions in addition to the existing Yangon and Thilawa ports. ********************************************************** THE STATESMAN (NEW DELHI): INDIAN GOVT'S ATTITUDE UNSATISFACTORY: MYANMAR DELEGATION November 11, 1997 Deepshikha Ghosh NEW DELHI, Nov. 10. - The Indian Government's attitude towards the pro-democracy movement in Myanmar had been decidedly "unsatisfactory", according to members of the Myanmar delegation attending the two-day Socialist International meet here. The vice-president of the National Council for Union of Burma, Mr U Win Khet, said India being one of the largest democracies, and a neighbour, had extended only half-hearted support to the movement led by Aung San Suu Kyi to revive democracy in Myanmar. It was both a "moral and practical" obligation for India to support democracy in the troubled country, he maintained. To support his contention, the delegate said none of the resolutions passed in the United Nations, in favour of the democratic and ethnic movement in Myanmar, had been sponsored by the Indian Government. "We expect the Indian Government to have a clear-cut stand on the Burma issue and lend all kinds of support to the democratic and ethnic forces", Mr Khet said. "After all, we have been doing so for India since colonial rule", he added pointedly. According to the Member of Myanmarese Parliament representing the National League for Democracy, Dr Tint Swe, if the Indian Government initiated some of the resolutions, it would be extremely encouraging for Myanmar. "We want no arms or money", he remarked. Last week, the military regime arrested and detained 50 NLD members. This brought the total of political prisoners to more than a thousand, including 30 elected members of Parliament. Dr Swe disclosed that the intimidation was continuing. "We are not even allowed to hold official meetings", he pointed out. His colleague, Mr Khet, added that there was only one "military-sponsored" newspaper in the land. He was himself one active member of the Press who was forced to close "shop" under the military's reign of terror. The delegates disclosed that the year-long campaign attracting tourists to Myanmar had fared miserably. Most Asian countries had built hotels, which ended up with a paltry 10 per cent accommodation. Recently, Myanmar had suffered a major setback when Thailand pulled out of the joint airlines venture with the country, selling its shares to Malaysia. Dr Swe aired the likelihood of closure of the Indian airlines flights started recently, after this tourist season was over. He further pointed towards the virtual halt in Indo-Burma border trading when the market on the Burmese side adjoining Manipur was burnt down. Those coming from Tamu to Moreh in India were arrested and forced to sign an undertaking that if they continued trading in Moreh, they would be jailed for seven years. "About 200 people, mostly women, were arrested and detained for one day. People thriving on border trade now have nothing to live on", the MP said. The only way out of the prevailing crisis was through "sustainable and meaningful dialogue" between the democratic forces, ethnic groups and the military, towards the common aim of reconciliation, Mr Khet pointed out. On the possibility of a rapprochement between Sun Kyi and the military, Mr Khet said "the military is not sincere enough. They are extremely anxious to cling on to power and keep NLD as their main target". "Such an approach to the election winning party is hopeless.... it defeats the purpose of a reconciliation", he-felt. The question of Sun Kyi parleying with the National Convention, entrusted with the task of framing a new Constitution, also did not arise, according to the delegate. Mr Khet said, "the National Convention is a shame. It will produce a Constitution which will only consolidate military dictatorship". This was the task for the election winning party, he added. ************************************** THE NATION: EXPERT SEES SECURITY THREAT FOR THAILAND November 11, 1997 Puangthong Rungswasdisab - The Nation BURMA has become, and will continue to he in the next decade, the major security concern for Thailand's foreign policy-makers, Ukrit Patamanant of Chulalongkorn University's Institute of Asian Studies (IAS) said. The threat will allow the military to play a significant role in Thailand's foreign policy, he warned. Since the end of the Cambodian conflict after United Nations-sponsored elections in 1992, Cambodia is no longer considered a crucial issue for Thailand. Instead, the Association of Southeast Asian Nation's (Asean) admittance of Burma into the grouping in July has created a national security threat for Thailand which shares a common border with the country, Ukrit told a seminar yesterday entitled "The New Asean" and organised by the IAS. Ukrit pointed to the possibility that intense economic competition in the current global economy will force individual countries to protect their own interests. That could drive Asean members to resort to unilateral measures, ignoring regional co-operation. He warned that economic prosperity could spark a regional arms race. "While Burma's joining of Asean allows it to enjoy the growing economic development, its ruling military junta tends to use the Country's wealth to strengthen its military power. This then will accelerate the arms race in the region." "Besides, Burma is the only country in the region to have received enormous economic and military aid from China- the expansive influence of which has worried countries in the region," Ukrit said. He also pointed out the complexity of relations with Burma because of the involvement of Western powers, chiefly the United States and the European Union (EU), as well as multinational corporations and human rights groups. Following Burma's admittance into Asean, Thailand has faced frequent international pressure and criticism from Western nations who link trade preferences with human rights violations in Burma. Recently, then foreign minister Prachuab Chaiyasarn failed to convince the EU to allow Burma to join the Asean EU meeting scheduled for next week. Ukrit warned that the Burma issue has strengthened the role of the Thai military in the country's foreign policy. Many military leaders - such as Gen Chavalit Yongchaiyudh, Gen Suchinda Kraprayoon, Gen Wimol Wongwanich, Gen Chettha Thanajaro, Air Chief Marshal Khan Phimanthip and Admiral Wichet Karunyawanich - have been involved at one time or another in the Burma problem. Another prominent scholar Somchai Pakapatwiwat argued that there are factors both helping and hindering integration in the new Asean. The negative factors may arise from the trade and economic competition between original Asean members for business from the new members and the influx of illegal movement, particularly from Thailand's neighbours. ******************************************************* BKK POST: EDITORIAL REVEALED COLONIALIST LEANINGS November 11, 1997 Kyaw Tint - Second Secretary - Myanmar Embassy With regard to the Bangkok Post editorial "Burma attempts to misdirect blame" of Nov 8, I would like to clarify my government's stance on some points appearing therein in order to give the readership a balanced view. These days the media seems to be caught up with the notion that the Myanmar (Burmese) government's move towards democratisation is rather reluctant - as reflected in the editorial's "one hesitant step forward followed by quick steps backward". This is indeed a hasty and heavily prejudiced conclusion. The editor is heavily prejudiced as he sees and assesses what has been done by the Myanmar government in a negative way. Maybe he thinks that none other than Daw Aung San Suu Kyi can do good for our country. If some objectivity is kindly instilled in evaluating the current situation involving Myanmar internal affairs, no one can deny that peace and order are, gaining ground, which definitely sets the process of democratisation taking shape, albeit cautiously. We should not ignore the fact that Myanmar is a union of nationalities. Non-disintegration is supreme in political steering and no other considerations can be allowed to weaken it. With regard to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the government does not impose any restrictions on her movements. But any activities which may lead to instigating public unrest will not be allowed. It is understandable that the maintenance of law and order and stability is the utmost requirement at this juncture of economic integration into the mainstream. We do not think an idealistic democratic society can be established in a stroke of time. As in other societies, Myanmar is pursuing a goal of becoming a prosperous nation where the interests of the people will be well guarded. As regards the drug menace, Bangkok Post should not echo the hysterical accusations of hostile groups which attack the government blindly in every aspect. Our country's efforts in eradicating this evil are no less than any other country. Our people have suffered a lot since the colonial time and our desire to get rid of this drug menace is no fake. Reality can be seen by sincerity. It is really useless to sing a song to a buffalo. In the last lines of your editorial, it looks like you are attempting to drive a wedge between our relations with our neighbours. Who are you, Mr Editor? It reminds me of the divide and rule tactics exercised by colonialists in the past. Relations with our neighbours are based essentially on mutual understanding and all of us striving for friendship and cooperation in order to establish a peaceful and prosperous region. We are confident there will be no division in Asean. ************************************************ BRC-J ANNOUNCEMENT: BURMA WEEKEND IN KYOTO November 7, 1997 From: brelief@gol.com Burma Study/Action Weekend November 15-16, 1997 Takaradera, Yamazaki, Kyoto At the eighth annual Study/Action Weekend, sponsored by Burmese Relief Center—Japan, Burma issues will be presented and discussed. This forum has become famous as a reliable source of information and a springboard for action on human rights. Several new videos will be shown, and many up-to-date reports will be available. There will also be recent photos, as well as presentations, by BRC-J volunteers who have recently returned from Thailand and the border. Many books and reports will be on sale. There will also be a bazaar with hundreds of items, many made by refugees themselves. All proceeds, of course, will be used to help the Burmese. Schedule Activities will begin early Saturday afternoon and continue until Sunday afternoon, with accommodation for sleeping. Vegetarian meals and Burmese refreshments will be provided. Discussion will be in English, Japanese, and Burmese. Come when you can; stay as long as you can. Historic, scenic Tenno-zan merits notice as well, so plan time for a hike! Participation fee: 10,000 yen 6000 yen for those who cannot stay overnight (Payable at the site) For reservations, please contact: Burmese Relief Center—Japan 266-27 Ozuku-cho, Kashihara, Nara 634, Japan Tel: (0744) 22-8236 — Fax: (0744) 24-6254 e-mail:brelief@gol.com Takaradera telephone number: (075) 956-0047 (for directions to the temple; NOT for reservations!) http://www2.gol.com/users/brelief/Index.htm ****************************************