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BurmaNet News: November 17, 1994



************************** BurmaNet ************************** 
"Appropriate Information Technologies, Practical Strategies"
************************************************************** 
BurmaNet News: Thursday, November 17, 1994
Issue #66

************************************************************** 
Contents:

1 NATION: NGO CLAIMS 'STRONG EVIDENCE' BURMESE USED GERM WARFARE
2 IRRAWADDY: AUNG SAN OO'S VISIT AND SLORC'S PHOTO OPPORTUNITY
3 BKK POST: UN RIGHTS ENVOY TO PAY DISPLACED BURMESE A VISIT
4 NATION: UNDP OFFICIAL TO HOLD TALKS WITH BURMA LEADERS
5 IRRAWADDY: KHIN NYUNT--BURMA'S SECOND NE WIN?
6 BKK POST: BURMA REJECTS THAILAND'S PLEA ON TEMPORARY BRIDGE
7 BKK POST: SHIFT IN BURMESE POLICY NEEDED FOR TAK TO BENEFIT
  FROM BRIDGE
8 BKK POST: MAE SOT-MOULMEIN TIES SET OFF WITH A WARM FLYING
  START
9 REG.BURMA: INFORMATION ON NGOs IN THAILAND

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************************************************************** 
NATION: NGO CLAIMS 'STRONG EVIDENCE' BURMESE USED GERM WARFARE
17 November 1994

LONDON - An international human rights group said on Tuesday
it has "very strong circumstantial evidence" the Burma's
military government has used germ warfare in a campaign
against rebel tribesmen.

Christian Solidarity International, which mainly helps
persecuted Christians, said over 300 members of the Karen
ethnic minority died in severe epidemics, which may have been
caused by germs deliberately dropped over their isolated
villages by government aircraft.

Karen villagers told a four-member team from the organization
that military planes dropped dozens of parachutes with
balloons and "white boxes" a night.

Shortly afterwards, a disease resembling cholera or acute
dysentery broke out, Dr Po Thaw Da, the senior Karen medical
officer, was quoted as telling the group during a 10 day
visit.

"Villagers gave consistent, detailed accounts of direct
associations between the dropping of these devices and the
onset of the epidemics, " according to an eight-page report by
Christian Solidarity.

The Karen are the last major ethnic minority group still
waging guerrilla war against Burma's military government,
operating from bases along the Thai-Burma border.

But the report said that all but one of the other ethnic
minority groups recently signed to casefire agreements with
the government are unhappy and might withdraw. The exception
is the Kachin.

Baroness Cox, deputy speaker of Britain's House of Lords and a
member of Christian Solidarity's board, said the Burmese
government is conducting 'a charm offensive" and promoting
peace while allowing its troops to carry out "atrocities of a
very serious kind" including murder, rape and slavery.
Dr Martin Panter of Christian Solidarity Australia, a tropical
disease expert who has been working with Karen tribesmen for
several years, produced one of the "white boxes" at a news
conference.

Panter said scientists who examined the box described it as a
harmless pressure-measuring device used in meteorological
work.

The boxes, believed to have been manufactured in Philadelphia,
are normally released from huge hydrogen balloons at great
heights, he said.

The boxes could also be dropped by parachute, Panter quoted
the examiners as saying. At a predetermined altitude, like
1,000 feet (about 300 metres), the battery underneath the box
could set off small detonators which could burst balloons,
showering any germs inside on local villagers, he said.

The first balloon-burst and epidemic were reported in Papun in
northern Burma in April 1993. The second was reported in
August in villages about 100 kilometres southwest of Manerplaw
which the team visited, Pantere said.

Baroness Cox noted that immediately after the boxes were
dropped, government troops stopped going into the areas and
barred traders from entering, an indication they knew what had
been dropped.

Panter said the Burmese government reportedly sent personnel
to Germany last year of training in germ warfare.
He said he did not think Burma would have the know-how to
produce harmful bacteria without training.

"There is very strong circumstantial evidence and there are
questions that need to be asked," Baroness Cox said.
Panter said a key question the Burmese government should
answer is: "If they were meteorological devices why drop them
all at night from planes, and why drop them all in one
particular area?" (TN)  

************************************************************** 
IRRAWADDY: AUNG SAN OO'S VISIT AND SLORC'S PHOTO OPPORTUNITY
October 31, 1993

Aung San Suu Kyi's brother, Aung San Oo and his wife, Lte Lte New
Thein visited Burma in July.  Aung San Oo's visist was
highlighted by <Myatkhinthit> or New Sward magazine's September
issue.  This magazine is funded by Slorc--the writers included
editors who are military intelligence officials.

Aung San Oo's visit to his native land, included upper Burma,
famous pagodas and contributing books to Dagon University--more
importantly his visit to a mausoleum on Martyr's Day on 19 July
was published in the magazine with photos.

While he was travelling in Burma, his sister Aung San Suu Kyi was
being held for her crime of promoting freedom and democracy in
Burma.

It is not known yet whether Aung San Oo and his wife went to see
Khin Nyunt or other military leaders to ask permission to see his
sister, Suu Kyi.
(inside sources & New Sward magazine)

************************************************************** 
BKK POST: UN RIGHTS ENVOY TO PAY DISPLACED BURMESE A VISIT
November 17, 1994

The United Nations' Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in
Burma, Yozo Yokota, is scheduled to visit displaced Burmese
people in the border district of Mae Sot during a four-day
visit to Thailand beginning today According to a report by the
Thai Foreign Ministry's Voice of Free Asia radio, Mr Yokota is
flying into Bangkok from Rangoon after looking at the human
rights situation in Burma from November 7-16.

The UN rapporteur's trips to Burma and Thai land are believed
to be part of preparations for a firth-coming discussion
discudion of the Burma situation at the UN General Assembly in
new York. While in Thailand, he is expected to meet senior
Foreign Ministry officials, the report said.

The UN rapporteur met Thailand's permanent Representative to
the UN mission in Geneva, Tej Bunnag, shortly before he
embarked on his Burma trip. My Yokota remarked on what he
called apparent improvements in Burma over the past year and
said this could have resulted from Asean's policy of
construction engagement with Rangoon, according to the report.

He also expressed his belief that Burma's guest attendance at
the ASEAN meeting in Bangkok in July helped encourage the
leadership to improve political, economic and  human rights
situations in the Country in the country, the report added.
The ASEAN meeting also saw a modulation on the part of the
European Union which came out in favour of what it called
"critical dialogue" with the military leadership in Rangoon.
US deputy Assistant Secretary of State for East Asean and
pacific Affairs Thomas Hubbard early this month paid a two -
day visit to Rangoon - the first by a senior US official since
relations cooled seven years ago. Mr Hubbard met a number of
Burmese officials, including Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt, who is first
secretary of the ruling State Law and Order Restoration
Council (Slorc). 

Britain subsequently sent an assistant under-secretary of
state, David Dain, on a three-day visit, the first senior
official in four years, according to Reuters. Burmese Foreign
Minister Ohn Gyaw last month held two meetings in New York
with the UN Under-Secretary for political Affairs Marrack
Goulding but he did not disclose details of the meetings. (BP)

************************************************************** 
NATION: UNDP OFFICIAL TO HOLD TALKS WITH BURMA LEADERS
November 17, 1994

THE United Nations will send a representative from the UN
Development Programme (UNDP) to Burma next week to hold talks
with the ruling military junta on the country's human rights
issues, a UN official said on Tuesday. Refeeuddin Ahmed,
associate administrator for the UNDP, will visit Burma from
next Monday to Wednesday to discuss a variety of human rights
topics, including the release of opposition leader Aung San
Suu Kyi, A spokesperson for the UN secretary-general said.
It would be the first visit to Burma by a high-ranking UN
official to discuss such matters, and is likely to accelerate
a move to seek an early release of the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize
winner, who has been under house arrest for more than five
years. The junta leaders recently held meetings with Suu Kyi,
in both September and October. 

Ahmed is scheduled to met Lt Gen Khin Nyunt, secretary of the
ruling State Law and Order Restoration Council (Slorc), who
held the two meetings with Suu Kyi and Foreign Minister U Ohn
Gyaw. It was not certain whether Ahmed would be able to meet
Suu Kyi during the visit. The UN General Assembly adopted a
resolution last year urging UN Secretary General Boutros
Boutros-Ghali to work for the release of Suu Kyi and for the
improvement of human rights in Burma.

Following the resolution, Boutros -Ghali met Ohn Gyaw last
October, when the minister visited the UN headquarters in New
York. The UN spokesperson called the visit by Ahmed the second
stage of the dialogue, after the New York talks. (TN)

************************************************************** 
IRRAWADDY: KHIN NYUNT--BURMA'S SECOND NE WIN?
October 31, 1994

by Aung Zaw

"Speculation in Rangoon is that Khin Nyunt will become Burma's
Number One.  The recent US delegation went to see Khin Nyunt, not
Senior General Than Shwe or Gen Maung Aye whose positions are
higher then Khin Nyunt's.  Will Khin Nyunt be in absolute power? 
Of course people wonder.  Here is a glimpse of Khin Nyunt."

Do you have any problems?  Go and see Bogyoke Khin Nyunt,
everything will be OK," said a foreigner who has been investing
in Burma since 1990.

"I think he is Burma's Number One and second only to Ne Win,"
said the businessman.  A diplomat based in Rangoon seesm to agree
with the businessman. "Many people come to see him.  Whoever
(foreign delegations) comes to Burma wants to meet Khin Nyunt,"
the diplomat said.

Of course, Khin Nyunt is considered to be Burma's most powerful
man.  Recently, a well-known opposition journal, New Era,
reported that Khin Nyunt is in absolute power.  A foreigner, who
requested not to be named, said "I think he is Burma's future
leader."

To Burmese this is total nonsense.  They disagree with the
diplomat and the businessman.

Htun Aung, a former government servant who used to work in the
inner circle of Slorc said, "They (foreigners) don't understand
what Burmse are feeling and thinking."  He agrees, however that
Khin Nyunt is the most powerful member of the State Law and Order
Restoration Council.  "But how long will he last?" asks Htun
Aung.  Htun Aung came to Thailand and has been working since
1993.  "I hate all their lies," he added.

Past Khin Nyunt.

Khin Nyunt, from Syriam, Rangoon, graduated from the Officer
Training School, Batch 25.  In the 1960s he joined the army.

Although some people claimed that Khin Nyunt has no combat
experience some sources close to the army said Khin Nyunt fought
insurgent groups in Mon state int he 1970s.  A former military
officer recalled that when the then-Major Khin Nyunt and his
platoon fought with ethnic rebels, there was only one survivor--
Khin Nyunt.  Later Khin Nyunt was picked up by Gen Tint Swe who
was a minister during the BSPP era and close to strongman Gen Ne
Win.

Before 1988 Khin Nyunt was a little known person who made very
rare appearances with his godfather, Gen Ne Win, then chairman of
the Burmese Socialist Programme Party.

No one paid any attention to him.  Even in 1988 Khin Nyunt was
just a Colonel while Saw Maung, former chairman of Slorc, Than
Shwe, present chairman, and other officers, Htun Kyi, Maung Aye,
Kyaw Ba were high ranking Maj-General and Brig-Generals.  But the
obvious and undeniable truth is that Khin Nyunt is a person who
won the trust of godfather Ne Win.

<continued in next issue>

************************************************************** 
BKK POST: BURMA REJECTS THAILAND'S PLEA ON TEMPORARY BRIDGE
November 17, 1994

BURMESE authorities yesterday turned down Thailand's request
for Burma to help provide material to build a temporary bridge
across the Moei River to link Mae Sot with Myawaddy while the
Thai-Burmese Friendship Bridge is under construction. They
also asked Thailand to pay compensation if buildings On the
Myawaddy side of the river are to be demolished for the
construction of the bridge.

The Burmese refusal to cooperate with Thailand came during a
four-hour meeting of the Local Thai-Burmese Border Committee
co-chaired by Col Suvit Maenmuan of Thailand and Lt-Col Tan
Soe of Burma at Task Force 34 headquarters in Mae Sot. It was
the first meeting on the construction of the bridge.

Bonsong Supamasdikul, construction director of the Thai side,
proposed establishing a construction zone in Myawaddy, meaning
that some buildings must be demolished. He said the Thai side
also wanted to build a temporary bridge for delivery of heavy
equipment to the Burmese side of the border and in doing so
wanted Burma to provide material for the construction of the
temporary bridge.

U Khin Maung Oo, construction director of the Burmese side,
said if buildings are to be demolished the Thai side must
compensate for the loss because this is not stated in an
agreement on the construction of the Friendship Bridge.
Moreover, he said Burma could not provide the Thai side with
material to build the temporary bridge. The Thai side asked
the Myawaddy authorities to forward Thailand's request to a
higher authority for approval, (BP)

************************************************************** 
BKK POST: SHIFT IN BURMESE POLICY NEEDED FOR TAK TO BENEFIT FROM
BRIDGE
November 17, 1994

Eighteen months from now, when the Thailand-Burma Friendship
Bridge is completed, Tak province will see many changes in
tourism and trade, says Junnapong SAranak, director of the
Tourism Authority of Thialnd's 4th region northern office in
Tak.

But while Mr Junnapong is optimistic about the province's
prospect, he said that success will also depend on tourism
policy on the other side of Moei River in Burma.
"It's a matter of accessibility. How far will the Burmese
governemnt allow tourists to get in? In addition, on the
Burmese side, infrastructure needs to be developed."   
The two country need to have more talks before the bridge is
completed on legal conditions, maintenance and
conditionsgoverning used of the bridge, he said.
Mae Sot and TAk province can lure move visistors if officials
work steadity more convenience, said MrJunnapong. "I do not
want travellers just to come to visit Mae Sot in order to see
the new bridge. If that's all there is, they'll never visit it
any more."

In 1993 Tak received 388,145 tourists, an increase of about 5%
over the previous year. A further 5% increase is expected
after the bridge opens.

Assess to Burma via the Mae Sot chechpoint looks promising.
The Mae Sot district offer is organising a survey team of
travel agents and government officials to travel overland to
Moulmein, 200 kilometers away on the Andaman coast. The
BUrmese governemnt itself is promoting 1996 as visit Myanmar
Year.

In responce to the growing tourism business ib Tak,
particularly in Mae Sot,hotel projects are about to mushroom,
amog them a development by Dusit Hotels and Resorts.
Nevertheless, some investors remain hesitant.
There is also worry among traders and merchants at the Thai
travellers will flocks to visit myawaddy, depressing business
on Thai side.

He told Horizons that Tak now has 1,024 hotel rooms, with at
least 300 more coming onstream next year. Currently, it is not
difficult to find a hotel room expect during a long holiday.
DK Books, a successful bookstore operator, plans a 50-room
hotel in Mae Sot. Mae Sot Adisorn Construction is developing a
four-star, 180-room project at Tambon Sai Luad, said of the
bridge.

Even Deputy Foreign Minister Surin Pitsuwan, who is overseeing
the bridge project, admits that legal issues need to be
discussed further. He has noted that the Thailand-Laos
Friendship Bridge has got off to a slow start because of
continuing travel restrictions; many visitors are reduced to
simply taking pictures of the bridge.

Land prices, meanwhile, are soaring near the Moei River. One
rai has jumped from a few hundred thousand baht to eight to 10
million baht. (BP)                                         


************************************************************** 
BKK POST: MAE SOT-MOULMEIN TIES SET OFF WITH A WARM FLYING START
November 17, 1994

A NEW air route linking Mae Sot and Moulmein is expected to
further promote tourism and trade between Thailand and Burma.
The air route came into existence after nearly a year of
negotiation between high-level officials of both countries.
The inaugural flight took place late last month, led by Deputy
Interior Minister Udon Tantisunthorn who originated the Mae
Sot-Moulmein Trade and Tour (MMTT) project. The passengers
travelled by chartered 18-seat Twin Otter plane from Thai
Flying Service Co Ltd, which operated two trips for a total of
34 government officials, businesspeople and journalists.
Burmese officials at Maw La Myine Airport extended a warm
welcome to the Thai team. Thai officials accopanying Mr Udon
included Mae Sot district officer Kasem Wattanatham and Thai
Flying Service manger Thiradej Maithai. They were greeted by
Maj-Gen Gassien, commander of Burma's southeastern command.
Maj-Gen Gassien said Hotel and Tourism Minister Lt Gen Kyaw Ba
had asked Burmese officials in Moulmein to welcome the Thai
team and provide facility for those who travel with this
premier flight.

Maj-Gen Gassien acknowledged that Moulmein still lacked many
facilities, but it is hoped that cooperation between the two
countries will have overcome problems, leading to economic and
social development of the bordering towns in the two
countries.

He also urged Thai businessmen to invest or join Burmese
partners in Moulmein in tourism, trade and industry.
Moulmein, known by the Burmese as Maw La Myine, is the capital
city of Mon state and the  third largest city after Rangoon
and Mandalay. It was a famous destination for Europeans before
World War II.

Maw La Myine is located on the shores of a large  lake formed
by three rivers - the Salween, Yine and Athayan - which meet
near the city and then flow into the Martaban Gulf. It has
been major port.

The weather at the time of the Thai team's visit was much
warmer than in Mae Sot, which was just beginning to feel the
effects of the onset of winter.

Panithi Thangpati, deputy chairman of the Tak Chamber of
Commerce, said he found the Burmese city beautiful and
charming. Attractions include Buddhist temples, Muslim mosques
and Christian churches.

Many old brick building testify to the city's former
prosperity.

Offshore the waters team with large lobsters and other fish
that are the city's principal exports to Singapore and
Thailand.

Most of Moulmein's residents are Burmese of Mon descent,
Muslim, Chinese and Indian. Many goods from Singapore and
Thailand are sold at a huge marketplace twice the size of
Bangkok's Chatuchak market, said Mr Panithi, who is a regular
visitor to the city.

Moulmein is about 80 kilometres from the Martaban coast, and
it takes about two hours to travel from the Maw La Myine Hotel
to the coastal area. The coastal towns of State and Amherst
make good day trips.Each of the towns has more then 10
kilometres of beach, and there are no polluting factories.
Local residents still fish in traditional ways with nets and
hooks.

Mr Udon said he expected the MMTT service to fly to Moulmein
once a month, but weekly flights are likely within a year.He
also said that when the Mae Sot - Myawaddy Friendship Bridge
is finished, communication between the two countries will
become even easier.

Now that Moulmein can be reached by land, water and air, the
city could become one of Asia's most interesting tourist spots
if the Burmese government can attract investment in more
facilities, said Mr Udon. (BP)  

************************************************************** 
REG.BURMA: INFORMATION ON NGOs IN THAILAND
November 16, 1994


Dear Friends:

Does anyone have addresses of NGOs and organizations within
Thailand currently working on Burmese women and girls issues? I
would appreciate if you send some information regarding this (if
preferred, private e-mails to be sent.)

Thank you for your kind attentions.

Best Regards,

U Ne Oo
uneoo@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

************************************************************** 

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
 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
 IRRAWADDY: NEWSLETTER PUBLISHED BY BURMA INFORMATION GROUP
 JIR: JANE'S INTELLIGENCE REVIEW
 KHRG: KAREN HUMAN RIGHTS GROUP
 Kt. BURMESE KYAT; 150 KYAT=US$1 BLACK MARKET
                   100 KYAT=US$1 SEMI-OFFICIAL
                   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 
**************************************************************