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BurmaNet News: November 24, 1994



Happy Thanksgiving to subscribers in the United States and apologies for 
the two day delay in posting the news.  All stories will be posted and 
the backlog should be cleared up by the next issue.

************************** BurmaNet ************************** 
"Appropriate Information Technologies, Practical Strategies"
************************************************************** 
BurmaNet News: Thursday,  November 24, 1994
Issue #69

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

1 BKK POST: BURMESE ARMY ACCUSED OF RIGHTS ABUSES
2 BKK POST: UN-BURMA TALKS TO EFFECT POSITIVE CHANGES: THAKSIN
3 SCB: UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON
4 U.WASHINGTON DAILY:STUDENTS WANT THE UW TO DIVEST FROM BUSINESSES 
  DEALING IN BURMA
5 U WASHINGTON DAILY: US POLICY IN BURMA BOLSTERS RULING ELITE
6 SCB: COMMUNITY GROUPS IN AUSTRALIA
7 SCB: EDDIE BAUER DEMONSTRATION
8 IPS: BURMA: DIPLOMATIC THAW TOWARD RANGOON WORRIES EXILES



************************************************************** 
BKK POST: BURMESE ARMY ACCUSED OF RIGHTS ABUSES
Nov 23, 1994

A NEW United Nations human rights report accuses Burmese
authorities of torture, rape, forced labour, destruction of
property, looting and summary executions despite years of
international protests. The report to the General Assembly,
released yesterday by the special rapporteur, Yozo Yokota of
Japan, shows scant improvement over the past year, although
the government has been willing to negotiate with UN officials
over refugees and other issues.

Burma has been shunned by the world community for its crushing
of a democracy uprising in 1988 and its subsequent refusal to
recognise an election victory by a democracy party led by Aung
San Suu Kyi, a Nobel peace prize winner who has been under
house arrest for five years. The 1994 report again focuses on
abuses by the armed forces, predominantly against minority
groups in areas where insurgencies have or had been taking
place.

These include summary executions, severe torture and random
shootings at groups of villagers without provocation. "Such
situations have frequently been reported in the process of
attempts by the army to arrest and detain civillians for the
purposes of forced portering and other labour," the report
said.

"In other situations, the army is reported to have killed
civillians who have disobeyed orders to relocate their homes,
to supply goods or provide labour for little or no
compensation," it said, adding that sometimes villagers were
executed in reprisal killings for soldiers shot by
insurgencts.

According to Yokota's report, rape occurs on a wide scale and
"so-called gang rapes by entire groups of Myanmar military
personnel are not uncommon." He said women serving as porters
or forced labourers were especially vulnerable. Rape was also
used as a method of forcing women from ethnic minorities to
marry Burmese soldiers.

His report said that over the past six years more than one
million people have been forcibly relocated without
compensation, to new towns, villages or camps because of
insurgent uprisings. If they refuse, they are usually forcibly
evicted and their property looted. About 75,000 refugees from
Burma have fled to camps in Thailand and as many as 100,000
are reported to have left their villages to hide from the army
inside Burma. About 200,000 Muslim refugees from the northern
Rakhine state are still in Bangladesh, despite attempts to
repatriate them.
 (BP )

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

BKK POST: UN-BURMA TALKS TO EFFECT POSITIVE CHANGES: THAKSIN
November 23, 1994

A MEETING between United Nations representative Rafeeuddin
Ahmed and the State Law and Order Restoration Council (Slorc) on Monday will bring
about positive changes to Burma, Foreign Minister Thaksin Shinawatra said yesterday.
Speaking prior to a Cabinet meeting, Mr Thaksin said the UN-Slorc meeting was an
indication of the junta's willingness to gradually open up Burma and democratise.
"At least the United States will see that the Slorc is trying
to open up the country and democratise, step by step," said Mr Thaksin. He said the
process will bring about economic development for the Burmese people, but it will take
time.

As for the fate of dissident leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who is
in her fifth year under house arrest, Mr Thaksin said the Government supported the
principles of human rights but could not interfere in the international affairs of its neighbour.
"The Government would like to see her released because we support the principles of
human rights, but we can't interfere in their international affairs and force them (the
military junta) to release her," said Mr Thaksin. The meeting with Mr Ahmed and Slorc leaders is part
of an initiative by UN Secretary General Boutros Boutros-Ghali to bring about positive changes
in Burma, which has been under tight military rule since 1988. 

Exiled Burmese student John Aung said he appreciated the interest of the UN in his country, but said
he could not see what the meeting could bring. "I can't see how the meeting will help persuade the
Slorc to respect the human rights of the Burmese people and release Aung San Suu Kyi and other
political prisoners," he said.

"For the past 30 years, the Burmese military junta has never given any power to the
people, what they say cannot be trusted."  He also said the meeting between Mr Ahmed and the Slorc
leaders will not produce any results unless Mrs Suu Kyi and other political prisoners are
released. He said exiled Burmese called upon powerful countries to help secure their
freedom. Burmese students  would  also pledge to continue fighting  the Slorc.
In related developments, Thailand and Burma will hold a second
Joint Commission meeting - with the fisheries problem high on the agenda. Mr
Thaksin will chair the meeting, scheduled for December 1-2. Ministry spokesman
Suvidhya Simasakul confirmed Burmese Foreign Minister Ohn Gyaw will be present.
This will mark the first meeting between the two ministers
since Mr Thaksin's appointment to the post earlier this month.
A reliable source said the two-day meeting, to be preceded by
a senior officials' meeting on November 28-29, will review progress made from the last
Joint Commission meeting in Rangoon in September 1993. "The main issue is expected to be
fisheries because some 200-3-- Thai fishermen are being detained at Insein Jail in
Rangoon," the Source said. (BP)

************************************************************** 
NATION: UN REPORTS
An envoy representing United Nations Secretary-General Boutros
Boutros-Ghali met Burmese Foreign Minister Ohn Gyaw and other officials of the
military government for talks in Rangoon, Burma's state media reported. Rafeeuddin
Ahmed, associate administrator of the UN Development Programme, had "open and
cordial discussions on matters of mutual interest" with Ohn Gyaw, Burmese television
said in a broadcast monitored in Bangkok late on Monday.
Later on Monday, Ahmed, a UN undersecretary-general, met
Burma's deputy attorney general, Khin Maung Aye, and chief justice, Aung Kyaw, the
television said. Burmese media provided no further details of the meetings. (TN  )

           
**************************************************************           SCB:
UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON

Date: Tue, 22 NOV 1994 11:53:23 -0800 
Newgroups: soc.culture.burma
Subject: University of Washington 


Greetings

A group of students and faculty at the University of Washington submitted 
a letter to the Board of Regents Treasurer and Purchasing Manager on Nov. 1st asking them to look
into potential investments and contracts the University has with companies in Burma.  The Treasurer's
office has been extremely cooperative, and are currently researching whether potential investments
exist.  Three of us (students) have a meeting set for December 6th with the treasurer and the
purchasing manager.  We will  push for shareholder resolution support if investments do exist, and
also for selective purchasing policies to be adopted towards companies like 
PepsiCo.

Beth Kempton and I also presented to the Student Senate last week, in 
hopes of motivating a senator to write a resolution calling for the above 
mentioned goals.  We are still waiting for their reply, but I feel 
confident we will have their support in the coming month.

We have had some coverage in the school press, I will try and post those 
today.  Feel free to contact me at the following email address
Tim Landon (tlandon@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx)

We are especially interested in finding other UW students who might be 
interested in forming an action group in January.

************************************************************** 
U.WASHINGTON DAILY :STUDENTS WANT THE UW TO DIVEST FROM BUSINESSES
DEALING IN BURMA
By Nance Cunningham
18 November 

[Posted: Tue, 22 NOV 1994 12:23:09 -0800 
Newgroups: soc.culture.burma]

Levi Strauss and Co. got out.  Liz Claiborne Inc. got out.  Now, many 
wonder whether the UW will follow their lead by cutting ties with 
corporations doing business in Burma.

UW students Timothy Landon and Beth Kempton question whether the UW 
should have any ties to a country that closed its universities and 
colleges, which are the sources of political protest.  According to Thai 
media reports, the institutions were reopened only after more than 2000 
teachers were given a month long course on student management and 
control. 

Landon and Kempton are working towards convincing the UW to divest from 
Burma because they believe that investment supports the country's 
military government.  

In 1992, Levi Strauss & Co. cut its ties with Burma for humanitarian reasons.
Sabrina Johnson, manager of corporate communications, wrote in a release: 
"By doing business with (Burmese) contractors, we were providing a direct 
investment or benefit to a government that is one of the leading 
violators of human rights in the world. Under current circumstances, it 
is not possible to do business in Burma without supporting the military 
government and its pervasive violations of human rights."

Currently, multinationals in Burma inclued Texaco, Unocal, Arco, Pepsico, 
Eddie Bauer, The Limited, and Pier 1 Imports.  V'Ella Warren, Board of 
Regents Treasurer, is investigating whether the UW's portfolio includes 
stock in any of these firms.

"Once the information is on the table, we can find out what moral stand 
the UW can take," Kempton said.  "Everyone we have talked to has been 
very positive so far."

The UW does have a purchasing contract with PepsiCo that students 
supporting divestiture would like to see terminated.

The State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC), the military 
government, gets the maximum amount of hard currency out of the joint 
ventures it licenses by prohibiting firms from taking profits out of 
Burma.  Instead, corporations doing business in Burma must buy local 
goods, which they would in turn export.

Although Burma's military budget figures are kept private, human rights 
groups estimate that half of the SLORC expenditures go to the military.  
According to  World Bank figures, Burma imports $102 million in arms from 
the US annually.  Most arms must be paid for in hard currency. 

Kempton and Landon have seen some of the results of military spending 
while working on the Thai-Burmese border.  Landon volunteered to teach 
English to children in a camp in Thailand, and Kempton was a Peace Corps 
volunteer in Thailand.  

"Although it was two or three kilometers inside the Thai border, it was a 
war zone," Landon said.  "We went to sleep at night to the sound of 
shelling.  We could see SLORC's flares lighting up the next valley.  Thai 
planes would patrol the border and sometimes SLORC forces would come 
across."

Kempton said: " I could see a steady stream of logging trucks loaded with 
teak coming down the road from Burma.  It was sold to the Thais to pay 
for Burma's civil war."


While they were at their camps, Landon and Kempton were constantly aware 
of corporations doing business in Burma, but it was difficult to do 
anything about it from there. 

Once they returned to the UW and were no longer helping the SLORC's 
victims in the SE Asian camps, they looked for other ways to influence 
the situation.  

"All you can do here to oppose SLORC is to write to politicians and try 
and influence businesses," Kempton said.

"One of the biggest was Pepsi," she said.  "When we came back we saw 
Pepsi everywhere on campus.  You'll notice I'm drinking Coke - I don't 
drink Pepsi!"

Pwint Htun, a UW pre engineering major who was born in Burma, was 
involved in 19888 in the democratic movement in Rangoon, Burma's capital.
"I saw alot of the killings because my family lived in the middle of the 
city," Htun said.  She hopes the UW will divest from businesses with ties 
to her country, a move that would weaken the government and benefit 
opposition groups.  

Htun is helping Landon and Kempton with their efforts to bring foreign 
investment in Burma to the attention of the UW community.

Kempton and Landon go before the ASUW Student Senate today to make a 
presentation in support of their campaign.

"We are hoping to inspire a senator to draft a resolution concerning 
university policy on corporations doing business in Burma," Landon said. 










by Nance Cunningham
18 November, 1994


Imagine coming upon the scene of a fight.  Say one man is prone on the 
ground, while another man sits on his back.  Would you go through the 
loser's pockets and strip the rings from his fingers?  Would it influence 
your decision if others already had their hands in his pockets?

Now, what if the winner of the fight was selling off the loser's credit 
cards and cufflinks?   Would you go for a hot deal?  Would it make any 
difference if other passers-by were bidding for them?

Call the man face-down in the dust "Burma", and the man pinning him down 
"SLORC" (State Law and Order Restoration Council), its military 
government.  SLORC seized power in 1988 by killing thousands of 
demonstrators calling for democracy.  Since then, SLORC has been selling 
off Burma's natural resources, and most of the world is buying.  Until 
recently the US has attempted to keep out of the dirty business by 
downgrading its diplomatic ties and blocking international aid payments 
to Burma (officially remaned "Myanmar" by SLORC).  At the APEC conference 
in Jakarta, however, the US changed its policy of keeping out, in part 
because few other countries were joining in the effort to isolate Burma. 

Just a few weeks ago, the official US line was that SLORC's moves toward 
reconciliation would improve US-Myanmarese relations, and a lack of 
progress would lead to further restrictions on political and economic 
ties.  The ostensible progress that enabled the US to abandon its 
principled stand and join the auction is that SLORC diplomats held talks 
with opposition leader and Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.  

But considering these talks 'progress' ignored SLORC's hobby of 
scheduling talks with Suu Kyi shortly before major international events, 
when SLORC expects criticism.  Usually, the talks are simply canceled 
when they hold no further propaganda purpose.  The past few times, SLORC 
went ahead and held the talks; but, since no results were announced, 
Burma experts suspect the talks were unproductive.  Most important, if 
SLORC sincerely intended to reform, it would release Suu Kyi and stop 
ignoring the results of the 1990 free elections.  She is well into her 
sixth year under house arrest, without trial or legal representation, 
absurdly charged with "endangering the state."  As if being held without 
trial for an unspecified amount of time wasn't bad enough, her detention 
is illegal under Myanmarese law, which allows only five years of 
detention without trial.

Not only are the Aung San Siu Kyi talks a weak excuse for changing US 
policy toward Burma, but the other commonly heard argument - that 
increased economic activity will benefit the Burmese people- does not 
work either.  If economic sanctions against Burma were tightened, it 
would hurt the repressive elite much more that the Burmese people.

Only around 6 percent of the Burmese labor force is engaged in 
manufacturing, which is the type of work many multinational corporations 
are bringing to Burma.   Pepsico is interested in a bottling plant, Eddie 
Bauer has sewing operations, for example.

A Unocal executive vice president said: "I think the (Burmese) people 
have gained through employment...and Western influence."  Levi Strauss & 
Co was there, and disagrees.  When Levi's decided to stop doing business 
in Burma, the company announced, "By doing business with (Burmese) 
contractors, we were providing a direct investment or benefit to a 
government that is one of the leading violators of human rights in the 
world.  Under current circumstances, it is not possible to do business in 
Myanmar without directly supporting the military government and its 
pervasive violations of human rights."

Unocal has plans to invest in a proposed pipeline across the southern 
Burmese panhandle.  The pipeline would move natural gas to Thailand from 
offshore drilling sites in the Indian Ocean through mainland Asia's last 
virgin teak forest.  What will the Burmese people gain from this 
project?  Human rights groups hear reports from refugees who escaped 
slave labor on a railroad-building project, apparently intended to 
facilitate future construction of the pipeline.  SLORC also requires 
family members to provide unpaid labor under conditions so bad workers 
die from exhaustion and beatings.

If drilling operations go well, and the pipeline is built, insurgents in 
the area have pledged to sabotage it.  SLORC's army has a history of 
using local villagers as human minesweepers when moving through dangerous 
territory, so this could be disastrous for the people of the area.

SLORC has a stake  in the gas project and, if the junta persists in 
its habits, a large chunk of the money will buy arms to further oppress 
the opposition.

SLORC has a lot to gain from increased international trade and 
investment, and the Burmeses people will lose.  The US should step up 
economic pressure on SLORC, and stop encouraging dictators for the sake 
of economic gain for a few US businesses.

Meanwhile, you can let Pepsico, Eddie Bauer, the Limited, Arco, Texaco, 
Unocal, Pier 1 Imports and your government know you are aware they are 
supporting brutal dictators in Burma - and ask them to stop.

 
 
************************************************************** 
SCB: COMMUNITY GROUPS IN AUSTRALIA
B.Young@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 
soc.culture.burma 
Nov 23, 1994
 

We recently adopted a baby and he has a 'mixed' racial
background. Alasdair (our son) has Celtic, Burmese, Native American
and maybe some Spanish heritage. We feel that he should be made 
aware of the richness of his heritage and have obtained some
books and music that may help in this. 

He is Australian, born in Australia and is being raised by Australians.
The Celtic stuff is no problem, the Native American is not a big
problem (though advice in this area would be of help) but the Burmese
heritage is much more of a problem. We have several books on Burma but 
they are basically geography and light weight people and places type of 
books.

We are trying to find materials on Myths and legends, traditional 
stories etc. Now this is all well and good for a start, but he should 
actually meet and talk with Burmese people. So, does anyone
know of a Burmese community group in Brisbane, or Queensland or even
Australia. He is still only 9 months old but as he is already starting
to have slight 'Burmese' features and he may 'identify' with that 
group as he gets older. (I have already had a (white) South African
tradesman ask if my wife was "Asian"). 

He is a beautiful boy and we want his adoption and rich heritage to be
something he is proud of, not a rude shock when he is older.

If you can't help with a community group, some advice on books,
language, music etc would be appreciated.

Thanks
Bruce Young 


 



        
**************************************************************           
IPS: BURMA: DIPLOMATIC THAW TOWARD RANGOON WORRIES EXILES

An Inter Press Service Feature

By Leah Makabenta

BANGKOK, Nov 18 (IPS) - A perceptible shift in the international
community's attitude toward Burma has followed two meetings between
senior members of the country's military junta and detained
opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

After almost five years of house arrest, Nobel laureate Suu
Kyi has met twice with top officials of Rangoon's State Law and
Order Restoration Council (SLORC) in the past two months.

Now, Japan has announced it is considering resuming official
development aid to Burma, citing recent ''positive changes'' there,
in particular the opening of a dialogue between SLORC and Suu Kyi.

Both the United States and Britain, leading advocates of the
hardline approach against SLORC, have sent senior officials to
Rangoon in the first high-level discussions since relations were
frozen when the military seized power in 1988.

''Some countries seem to have realised that it is good to give
talks with Burma a chance and that the situation is better,'' said
a Thai foreign ministry official, who was quick to claim credit for
the Association of South-east Asian Nations (ASEAN) 'constructive
engagement' policy.

A Western European diplomat summed up the policy thus: ''I guess
we have learned that complete isolation of a country is not the
medicine because you may create a worse reaction. We're not saying
absolute dialogue, but a little pressure here, a push there.''

The enthusiasm over the junta's seeming step toward
democratisation has gone so high that at least one Western diplomat
has predicted that Suu Kyi, who has been under house arrest since
July 1989, could be released in two months' time.

But Bangkok-based exiled leaders and dissidents are worried
that there has been much ado about nothing, pointing out that
nothing is known about what was discussed in the two meetings. More
important, no substantial changes have taken place in Burma.

''These countries should make clear to the junta that unless
there is real improvement in democratisation, restraints on
political and economic ties will continue,'' Senn Aung, foreign
minister of the exiled National Coalition Government of the Union
of Burma (NCGUB), told IPS.

The exiles fear that in their eagerness to get in on the ground
floor of business opportunities in Burma, Japan and Western nations
now engaging in dialogue with SLORC are falling into a trap just
when international sanctions are beginning to work.

Most analysts agree that the recent with Suu Kyi were in
response to international pressure on the generals to deal with the
democracy movement.

''If the international community wants real change in Burma,
they should exert more pressure, not less. The recent meetings with
Suu Kyi did not  happen because of constructive engagement but
because of international pressure,'' says Aung Htoo, first
secretary of the All Burma Students Democratic Front (ABSDF).

ABSDF is an umbrella organisation of Burmese student exiles in
Thailand. According to Aung Htoo, SLORC is vulnerable to
international pressure now because it is facing its own internal
difficulties.

''The economic situation in Burma is worse now than it was in
1988,'' he says. ''Anything could happen. These are economic
problems that cannot be solved unless the political question is
resolved first. The main thing is the political question.''

Still, the exiles believe Washington has not changed its
hardline policy that ''has been very effective for us''. They say
the visit last week of U.S. deputy assistant secretary of state for
East Asia and Pacific Affairs Thomas Hubbard was to send a message
to the Burmese junta.

The exiles believe the same is true of British policy. What has
them worried, though is Japan's change of heart.

Tokyo cut off official development assistance to Rangoon in 1990
after SLORC spurned the election results that showed the Suu Kyi's
National League for Democracy (NLD) winning a landslide victory.
Officially, Japan's condition for resuming official assistance is
the release of Suu Kyi and other political prisoners.

Says Aung Htoo: ''The most important thing for SLORC is
legitimacy. If they sense that all they need is to stage a talk
with Suu Kyi, they don't have to pay attention to anybody
anymore.''

Burmese exile leaders feel that the meetings with Suu Kyi should
be viewed as only the start of a peaceful dialogue that should
include not just the opposition leader but all political forces in
the country, including ethnic minorities, and in the presence of
the United Nations and international media.

''What we see as the only way for the SLORC to settle these
political problems is to talk not just to Suu Kyi who may have
the mandate of the people but has not had a chance to communicate
with her comrades. Without this, we worry very much for her,''
says Senn Aung.

Exiled Burmese leaders have demanded as a precondition for
talks that SLORC release all jailed NLD members, including Suu Kyi,
stop forced labour and forced relocation and end the proceedings of
a national constitutional convention that they say is drawing up a
constitution to perpetuate military role in Burma.

Senn Aung stresses that U.N. resolutions setting benchmarks for
easing restrictions on ties with Burma should be respected. The
U.N. General Assembly has passed three different resolutions
against SLORC's human rights violations and demanded the
unconditional release of Suu Kyi.

What Burmese exiles regard as a step in the right direction is
the forthcoming visit of U.N. Development Programme (UNDP) official
Rafeeuddin Ahmed to their homeland.

Ahmed, UNDP associate administrator, is to make a three-day
visit to Rangoon from next Monday to discuss human rights and
related issues with junta leaders, say reports reaching here.

''We appreciate very much the U.N. move to send a special
envoy to Burma,'' says Aung Htoo. ''Only U.N. mediation, monitoring
and participation in Burma's affairs can bring real political
change.'' (END/IPS/LM/CB/94)


Origin: Manila/BURMA/
  
************************************************************** 
 SCB: EMAIL YOUR PEPSI PROTEST
brischmidt@xxxxxxx
soc.culture.burma
 6:00 AM  Nov 21, 1994

   Pepsico Inc. has faced a boycott for several years because of its
investment in Burma and financial support for the SLORC dictatorship. This
boycott is in keeping with Aung San Suu Kyi's call for a trade boycott
shortly before her arrest and with the stance of the pro-democracy NLD
party which won the 1990 elections and was denied power by SLORC.
   Boycotters must let Pepsi know they are boycotting or the company will
not know the extent of opposition to its policies. Boycotters in the US
are encouraged to call Pepsi's customer service line 1 (800) 433-COLA
between 9 am and 7 pm EST, tell Pepsi they're boycotting and request a
written reply (they may or may not give one). Boycotters anywhere can
write Pepsi at 700 Anderson Hill Rd., Purchase NY 10577 USA  attention: 
Wayne Calloway, CEO.
   The Pepsi-Burma Boycott Committee is now establishing an email option.
Just email your boycott announcement to PBBC at brischmidt@xxxxxxx and we
will compile messages and mail hard copies to Pepsi. Be sure to include
your snail mail address and request a written reply from Pepsi in the
message body as no customer service email has been established. The 800
number is the best option (direct contact is always better) but please
consider this one as well.
   For more information about PBBC, contact us at the above address or
watch this newsgroup, soc.culture.burma.
   PBBC encourages you to copy and distribute this announcement.

Sincerely,
Pepsi-Burma Boycott Committee


**************************************************************           
SCB: AIR TRAVEL TO BURMA
mandalay
soc.culture.burma 6:55 PM  Nov 22, 1994
(at access1.digex.net)(From News system)

Michael Willemyns (michaelw@xxxxxxxxxxxx) wrote:
: Does anyone have up-to-date information on the flights available
: into Myanmar  -  either from Singapore or Calcutta. 
: Any details of days and prices would be much appreciated
: Thanks
: Michael
: michaelw@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Yes, I'm flying to Burma via Japan at the beginning of January.  
Round trip to Tokyo from Washington DC is about $1500, $2800 round through 
to Rangoon.  If anyone knows of lower fares from DC, please let me know 
and I shall surely obtain such a ticket.

                                    James R. (Randy) Phillips




************************************************************** 
SCB: EDDIE BAUER DEMONSTRATION
tlandonsoc.culture.burma 7:41 PM  Nov 21, 1994
(at u.washington.edu)(From News system)

Content-type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII


Members of the Seattle Burma Interest Group will demonstrate in front of 
the Eddie Bauer flagship store (5th and University, downtown) on 
Saturday, November 26th at 1pm.  

Come out and help us remind the busy Christmas shoppers who Eddie Bauer 
is doing business with!

E-mail me with any questions
tlandon@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx


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

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