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BurmaNet News: November 6, 1994




************************** BurmaNet ************************** 
"Appropriate Information Technologies, Practical Strategies"
************************************************************** 
BurmaNet News: Sunday, November 6, 1994
Issue #54

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Contents:

BKK POST: "WHY THE DIFFERENCE"
NATION: BURMA STUDENTS WANT POLITICAL PRISONERS FREED
BKK POST: THAI BOATS TO FISH IN BURMA LEGALLY SOON
NATION: PEPSI BOTTLER TO BUILD SECOND PLANT IN BURMA

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BKK POST: "WHY THE DIFFERENCE"
November 6, 1994
[This letter-to-the-editor is of a genre familiar to readers of
the Bangkok Post.  The writers use pen names and are ostensibly
"average" expatriate residents of Thailand writing about local
issues.  The two who write about the treatment of refugees are
"Florence Parker (Mrs.)" and "Angus MacGillivary."  In the
following letter, Angus MacGillivary makes unflattering
comparisons of the Thai government's treatment of Burmese
refugees and Sin Song, the leader of an attempted coup in
Cambodia in July.  --Editor]

I have been struck by the case of Sin Song who has come to this
country as an illegal alien fleeing Cambodia.  Can someone please
explain the difference between this case and the young refugees
who have come here fleeing the illegal military dictatorship in
Burma?

It would seem that Sin Song flees from an illegal attempt to
overthrow a democratically elected government while the Burmese
refugees are only "guilty" of calling for democratic reform of an
oppresive group of criminals.

Thai logic, apparently, is that when someone who is clearly a
criminal arrives in Thailand (from Cambodia), that person is
afforded refuge and resettlement; however when an advocate of
democracy arrives (from Burma), that person is persecuted,
harassed, jailed or forcibly resettled across the border. 

I just don't get it.  Sin Song is given an open trial in a
District Court.  Burmese are given snap decisions in the back
rooms of police stations, or on street courners for that matter,
which usually depends on how much bribe money they can come up
with.  While we are constantly reminded that offering assitance
to "illegals" (i.e. Burmese refugees) is a criminal offence,
"plainclothes officials" are allowed to "promply produce the
fine" for Sin Song--immediately after he was declared an illegal. 
Will those officials be arrested for assisting this illegal
alien?

The greatest hypocrisy is the statement by Interior Minister Gen
Chavalit Yongchaiyudh, who stated that "as a member fo the world
community [Thailand] must comply with international law and
practices".  This is <precisely> what his office has refused to
do for the Burmese refugees, always hiding behind the excuse that
Thailand is not a signatory to the United Nations protocal on
refugees.  It will be a great day for the nation when Chavalit
resigns or is sacked.

How sad for all when a clear criminal like Sin SOng is afforded
better treatment than those arriving here after fleeing from
criminal Slorc.  Could something else be involved here?  Gems,
perhaps? Logs? Gas contracts?  Can anyone explain?

     Angus MacGillivary
     Bangkok

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NATION: BURMA STUDENTS WANT POLITICAL PRISONERS FREED
November 6, 1994

by Somjit Rungjamratrassamee

The All Burma Students Democratic Front has called on the Burmese
junta to show its sincerity by releasing oppositon leader Aung
San Suu Kyi and other political prisoners of conscience.

It has called on the administration to also hold talks with
various ethnic groups in her presence.

In a press statement released on Thursday, on the eve of the
sixth anniversary of the ABSDF, the student organization claimed
that meetings between the Nobel peace prize winner Suu Kyi and
the State Law and Order Restoration Council (Slorc) was a "just a
show" in order to reduce the pressure exerted on Slorc by the
United Nations.  

"If the Burmese leaders were sincere they should not talk to the
different groups separately but should hold a meeting which would
include all the ethnic groups at the same time.

"The meeting should be conducted in the presence of Suu Kyi," it
said.

"The talks between the leading dissident Suu Kyi and the ruling
junta came about in order to reduce tension while the UN General
Assembly conducts its 49th session," the statement read.

The armed ABSDF was formed to counter the military junta which
usurped power in 1988 and refused to recognize the democratic
elections in 1990.

In the elections, Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy party
won.

Together with other Burmese opposition groups, the ABSDF has
staged an annual protest to the UN against the junta's military
rule and its abuse of human rights.

The organization said that it was prepared to use force against
the regime at any time.

The function to mark their sixth birthday circle took place at
its headquarters, opposite Baan Mae Sam Lap in the Mae Sariang
District of Mae Hon Son province.

It was attended by the ABSDF president Naing Aung and more than
100 Burmese students.

**Agence France-Presse adds: The oppostion National Coalitoin
Government of the Union of BUrma (NCGUB) expressed concern on
Thursday over the widely praised talks between leading dissident
Aung San Suu Kyi and the ruling military junta.

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BKK POST: THAI BOATS TO FISH IN BURMA LEGALLY SOON
November 5, 1994

Phuket [Thailand]

The first fleet of Thai fishing trawlers will sail into Burmese
waters soon under a joint venture between Thai and Burmese
countries.

The Phuket Camber of Commerce president, Choke Benja Company
Kanchit Tampanuwat, said yesterday his company had entered into a
joint venture recently with Honsawadi Fishery Company, a Thai-
owend company registered in Burma.

The initial contract spans six months with the condition that
each fo the 15 trawlers will be charged a 600,000 baht
(USD$24,000) 

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NATION: PEPSI BOTTLER TO BUILD SECOND PLANT IN BURMA
November 2, 1994

by Nongsuda Tirawatanawit
Rangoon--

Pepsi-Cola Products Myanmar Ltd, the Burmese licensed bottler of
Pepsi-Cola International, plans to build a second factory  in
Mandalay next year.

The new factory, cosint US$10 million, will operate at a
production capacity of 21,000 cases a day.  By the end of this
year, the present factory in Rangoon will double production
capacity fo 42,000 cases a day.

"The market more than doubles every year."  With our capacity, we
take about 80 per cent of the soft drinks market.  The remaining
share is taken by several local branks," said Oo Oo Tun, the
company's executive director.

Pepsi-Cola Products Myanmar is a joint venture, with the local
investor--Myanmar Golden Star Co Ltd--holding 40 per cent equity
and the US-based Pepsi-Cola International taking the remainder.

At this stage the company has five warehouses nationwide and ten
trucks to distrubte the product.  The range includes cola drink,
orange flavoured, and lemonade, all bottled in 10 ounce bottles
for retailing at 10 kyat each.  (The offical Foreign Exchange
Certicicates is 100 Kyat per Bt25).

Pepsi-Cola has dominated the market since the joint venture
company was established in 1990 and began production in 1991. 
The largest competitor--Coca Cola still has no local production
plant, but some trading firms import canned Coca-Cola from
Thailand.

However, Coca-Cola cans mostly occupy the space in hotel minibars
since the local Pepsi facility has not yet reached the size where
producing cans of the drink is profitable.

The company imports bottles from Malaysia and Indonesia.  They
have tested the use of locally made bottles manufactures by the
state-owned factory, but it was found that the green coloured
glass distorted the appearance of the contents, repelling
potential consumers.

"Unlike the Thai soft drink market, Burmese consumers still buy
our products to drink in their homes, rather than in restaurants
or food outlets.  So it's quite difficult to guage the exact
trend of the market," Tun said.

Nevertheless, one aspect of the Burmese soft drink market similar
to that in Thailand is that sales always decline in the rainy
season.

To encourage consumption in homes, the company plans to be
distributing in large 1.25 or 2 litre plastic bottles early next
year.  It is also planned to introduce lemon flavoured drink
soon.


************************************************************** 
NEWS SOURCES REGULARLY COVERED/ABBREVIATIONS USED BY BURMANET:

 AP: ASSOCIATED PRESS
 AFP: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
 AW: ASIAWEEK
 AWSJ: ASIAN WALL STREET JOURNAL
 Bt.: THAI BAHT; 25 Bt.=US$1 (APPROX), 
 BBC: BRITISH BROADCASTING CORPORATION
 BI: BURMA ISSUES
 BIG: BURMA INFORMATION GROUP
 BKK POST: BANGKOK POST (DAILY NEWSPAPER, BANGKOK)
 BRC-CM: BURMESE RELIEF CENTER-CHIANG MAI
 BRC-J: BURMESE RELIEF CENTER-JAPAN
 CPPSM: C'TEE FOR PUBLICITY OF THE PEOPLE'S STRUGGLE IN MONLAND 
 FEER: FAR EASTERN ECONOMIC REVIEW
 JIR: JANE'S INTELLIGENCE REVIEW
 KHRG: KAREN HUMAN RIGHTS GROUP
 Kt. BURMESE KYAT; 110-120 KYAT=US$1 BLACK MARKET
                   6 KYAT=US$1 OFFICIAL
 MOA: MIRROR OF ARAKAN
 NATION: THE NATION (DAILY NEWSPAPER, BANGKOK)
 NLM: NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR (DAILY STATE-OWNED NEWSPAPER, RANGOON)
 S.C.B.:SOC.CULTURE.BURMA NEWSGROUP 
 S.C.T.:SOC.CULTURE.THAI NEWSGROUP
 SEASIA-L: S.E.ASIA BITNET MAILING LIST
 USG: UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT
 XNA: XINHUA NEWS AGENCY 
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