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BurmaNet News: January 19, 1995



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************************** BurmaNet **************************
"Appropriate Information Technologies, Practical Strategies"
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BurmaNet News: January 19, 1995

Issue #97

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Contents:                                                    
                                                              
*************************INSIDE BURMA*************************
1 BURMANET: BBC TV PIECE ON SLAVE LABOR AND "VISIT MYANMAR 
  YEAR 96"
2 R.T.A: JUST BACK FROM BURMA / MYANMAR

**************************MON STATE***************************
3 BKK POST: BURMESE SLAVES ALLOWED TO STAY AT REFUGEES CAMP

**************************SHAN STATE**************************
4 BKK POST: UPGRADING OF BURMESE ROAD URGED
5 NATION: LETTER TO THE EDITOR--UNITY CALL

***************************THAILAND***************************
6 NATION/BKK POST: BURMA STUDENTS PERSUADED TO RETURN TO 'SAFE 
                 AREA'IN CAMP

*****************************MISC*****************************
7 SCB: LOOKING FOR SANGEETA CHAUDHARY 
8 SCT: BURMA-TRADE OPENS DOORS 
9 BURMANET: INVITATION TO A REBUTTAL



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*************************INSIDE BURMA*************************
BURMANET: BBC TV PIECE ON SLAVE LABOR AND "VISIT MYANMAR YEAR 96"
January 19, 1995

BBB Television evening news aired a several minute long piece on
the use of slave labor in Burma to prepare the country for "Visit
Myanmar Year 1996."  The tone of the piece can only be described
as scathing.  The use of slave labor to build the airport at
Bassein, the Ye-Tavoy Railroad and the moat at the fort at
Mandalay were highlighted and juxtaposed with images of tourist
attractions.  Tomorrow evening there will be a piece on Aung San
Suu Kyi.

*************************INSIDE BURMA*************************
R.T.A: JUST BACK FROM BURMA / MYANMAR

Posted by jessen@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx                         
rec.travel.asia newsgroup
Jan  5, 1995 


[Stuff about India vs Thailand vs Burma taken out...]

> You comment that it wasn't very spectacular.  My reason for
wanting to go
> [to Myanmar] was a book I flipped through that portrayed it as
very "viewable".

It isn't "spectacular", unless you are going only to see Buddhist
monuments, in which case, it can be spectacular if you care about
such things in the right way. There really isn't much _else_
there that warrants putting up with the government. And I guess
that's my main point - that you can find many similar things in
the neighboring countries without having to support an insane
dictator who is a known mass-murderer.

Myanmar has many great sights, but so too do India, Nepal, and
Thailand - all of which are less tense places to visit.


> You also commented that there was no reason to go there unless
>one had already been to Thailand and Indaa.  I've never been to
> either place. But here is my situation: India seems like a
> crowded dirty place ot me, and I  fear that Thailand is all
> touristy and "non-spectaculat." 

India is crowded and dirty. But there are non-crowded, non-dirty
places in India though they must be sought. You won't find the
same friendliness to foreigners in India because the Burmese have
not yet seen too many of us. If you are one of the many who can't
deal with the touts and general people pressure in India, then
Burma might be a better place for you. However, there is still
much of the Indian "street texture" in Burma. The main difference
is the way you are treated. In India, people are more likely to
approach you because they want something. In Burma, people are
more likely to approach you because they are curious. On the
other hand, in India you are not being used by the government
(one of the world's largest democracies). To the Burmese
government, you are a piece of meat with money.

Thailand has become very touristed. But it is also very
spectacular. Some of the Thai temples are in far better shape
than the Burmese. The Thai food is out of this world. The Thai
people are less aggressive than the Burmese, though this can be
only a vague difference.

It's all a question of access. If you want to see some of the
major parts of Asian culture, you can do that to various degrees
in Thailand, India, and Burma. Each will offer some variation.
But when you factor in access-friendly, tourist-friendly,
peaceful desires, you must think carefully before going to Burma.
If you have a reason to go to Burma and you're sure of it, then
you'll probably have a very good time there. My reason for going
was that I had learned the language and wanted to tr place wher e
a Westerner speaking the language was going to be an
experience for all involved. It was, and more.


> If I do this trip, will I feel like I missed out on something
by > "chickening out" of Myanmar?  Can Thailand (or Thailand plus
norhtern > Malaysia) really offer me the same level of
interesting experience? 

It depends on how you travel. I saw more than a few tourists in
Burma who would have been just as happy in Thailand or Nepal, for
they were more "lookers" than "participants". To them, there was
little difference. Some didn't even know anything about the
brutal military situation. Experiences such as theirs would be
far outweighed by those of someone who, say, hitch-hikes over
land through Uttar Pradesh.

I would say that the strength of travel in Burma lies in the
country's relative _cultural_ remoteness. The bad spots have to
do with how you and the Burmese are treated by the military
government.

I learned never regret a choice to _go_ to one place as opposed
to another. All countries of East Asia have so much to offer
Westerners. I have only been dissapointed by my own frame of mind
at times but never by the place I visited.


Good luck - hope that helps -
- Jesse



**************************MON STATE***************************
BKK POST: BURMESE SLAVES ALLOWED TO STAY AT REFUGEES CAMP
17 January 1995

More than 200 ethnic Mons fled across the border into
Sangkhlaburi district last week, and have been allowed to
joint temporarily some 3,000 others at Pa Yaw Mon refugee camp 50
kilometres to the south.

According to a spokesman for the Mon National Refugees Relief
Committee, the 200 Mons are from Ye township.
They escaped from forced labour gangs building a railway line,
guarded by Burmese soldiers.

The spokesman said 100 other ethnic Mon civilians, also from Ye
township, are on their way to the Thai border.
They have travelled through jungle areas in small groups to avoid
Burmese forces.

It is expected that they will arrive at the Thai border this
week. They may be settled at Pa Yaw camp, the spokesman said.
About 12,000 ethnic Mon refugees have been living at four
camps near the Thai border: 5,000 at Halockani camp, 3,000 at Pa
Yaw camp, 1,500 at Bee Ree camp - all three are in the
Kanchanaburi border area. (BP)

**************************SHAN STATE**************************
BKK POST: UPGRADING OF BURMESE ROAD URGED
18 January 1995

UPGRADING the 250-kilometre Tachilek-Kengtung road in Burma will
help push for quicker implementation of the Economic
Quadrangle Project involving Thailand, China, Burma and Laos,
according to a high-level official of the Budget Bureau.
Sumon Surathin, an evaluation official of the bureau, made the
statement after a meeting on Monday with Chiang Rai Governor
Kamron Booncherd and government officials and members of the
private sector.

They met to discuss Chiang Rai's development plan and the
Economic Quadrangle Project to make Chiang Rai the centre of
growth in the Upper Mekong River Basin.

He went to Chiang Rai to examine the condition of the road and
whether to grant a loan to Burma to upgrade it.

Mr Sumon said many groups of people in the country want to see
the laterite road from Tachilek, opposite Chiang Rai's Mae Sai
District, to Kengtung upgraded to asphalt as soon as possible so
that it can better facilitate the transport of goods from
Thailand into Burma via Mae Sai.

In the near future, the Mae Sai-Tachilek check-point will be a
permanent border crossing, he said.

Mr Sumon said Thailand initially offered to grant a 300
million baht loan from the Krung Thai Bank to Burma for the road
improvement project but Burma had asked for a bigger loan with
low or no interest.

Thailand is considering the request and is expected to make a
decision soon, he said.

Sa-ngob Supha, a representative of construction companies, said
China had offered to provide a low interest loan to Burma. He
said the private sector wanted the Government to push for
implementation of the road development project because it
would greatly benefit Thailand. (BP)

**************************SHAN STATE**************************
NATION: LETTER TO THE EDITOR--UNITY CALL
18 January 1995

Most people know that the Shan Resistance led by khun Sa is today
the strongest of the opposition movements in what the Slorc calls
Myanmar, and that it would clearly be in the interests of the
opposition as a whole to unite with the Shans. Rumours of
impending unification have occasionally surfaced, but so far real
unity has failed to materialize. It is worth considering the
reasons why.

That frail looking little lady, Aung San Suu Kyi, who has more
courage than most men, has taught her followers and admirers
about freedom from fear.Unfortunately, her teachings seen to have
been simply recited rather than applied. For, in spite of the
calls of many opposition leaders for unity, they are
clearly too afraid of reprisals from the United States
government to unify with the Shans.

Thus, like it or not, the thing that the opposition fears most is
not failure to fulfil their people's wishes but offending the all
powerful Uncle Sam. In short, the reason why the
opposition is not winning is because it is minding other
people's business instead of its own.

Surely it is time that the opposition went ahead with their own
business, which, once accomplished, would also bring good tidings
for other people's business(es) as well, such as the end of Shan
drugs and the success of the Economic Quaddrangle? Because when
the opposition wins, everybody except, of course, the Slorc, is
going to be the winner also. If we believe in this, why should we
be afraid of what other people think at present? (TN)  

***************************THAILAND***************************
NATION/BKK POST: BURMA STUDENTS PERSUADED TO RETURN TO 'SAFE 
                 AREA'IN CAMP
18, January 1995

Thai authorities have been attempting to persuade about 150
Burmese students to return to a refugees camp in Ratchaburi
province. They left in protest at violent clashes which took
place there resulting in three students suffering head injuries.

The students had planned to march towards Bangkok but were
blocked and confined by local police officers at Wat Sawang Arom,
about three kilometres from their Maneeloi camp.

By 6 pm, 60 students agreed to return to the camp, while the
others were transported to the Pak Thor district administration
office.

Ratchaburi's Deputy Governor Prasong Vithoonkijjia tried to
persuade the remaining students to return to their "safe area"
and warned them that the authorities would consider those who
resisted "illegal immigrants" and bring immigration laws into
effect against them.

According to official sources, the students submitted three
demands to Prasong, who told the students in return that the
Interior Ministry could not make any decision on their
requests. The decision would need the Cabinet's approval, one of
the sources quoted Prasong as telling the group.
The students demanded that the Maneeloi camp be closed, that they
be allowed to stay in Bangkok, and that they not be repa- triated
to Burma against their will.

One official, who requested anonymity, said that although the
students first two demands are unlikely to be accepted by Thai
authorities, Thailand has no plan to send the students back to
Burma - otherwise it would not have established the camp.
The camp residents decided to march out of the camp to protest
Monday night's clashes between camp security guards and a
groups of students who had been watching TV in a camp hall, Thai
officials and exiled students in Bangkok said in separate
interviews yesterday.

The students had lit a bonfire inside the hall, but refused to
comply with the guards' request to extinguish it in consider-
ation of the building.

It was said that the students used abusive language and impo-
lite gestures towards the volunteer guards, but camp authori-
ties were reportedly the first to use physical force by slap-
ping the face of one student. Two clashes ensued during which
members of both sides were injured. The whole incident took place
in the presence of the Maneeloi camp chief, the
officials said.

According to the students, the three wounded camp residents were
Thet Oo Naing, 25, Myo Aye, 25, and Min Khin Kyaw, 22. They were
given medical treatment in Pak Thor Hospital before being sent
back to camp.

Thai officials said a few camp guards and a driver were also
injured in the incidents.

Relations between the 200 Maneeloi residents and camp
authorities have recently been at a low ebb, disputes,
conflicts and clashes are frequent.

An incident last year in which a Burmese student was accused of
raping Thai schoolchildren also put the Maneeloi residents at
odds with local villagers. At that time several students were
hurt and camp authorities have since forbidden students to leave
the camp at night. (TN&BP)  

***************************MISC***************************
SCB: LOOKING FOR SANGEETA CHAUDHARY 
Jan 17, 1995 

Hi,

        If anyone who knows the whereabouts of Sangeeta (Geetu)
Chaudhary please send me mail at manveen@xxxxxxxxxxxx

        I was told that Sangeeta is in the US and is married to
Dr Pradeep Lamba.  Sangeeta is d/o Maj Gen Samay Ram from the
Grenadirs...

        Any information about here whereabouts would be
appreciated... 
Thanks in advance,
Manveen Kalyanpur

 Manveen Kalyanpur      manveen@xxxxxxxxx
 (408) 526-7301         Hardware Design Verification and Test 
Cisco Systems - 130 W Tasman Dr, San Jose, CA 95134 - U.S.A.

***************************MISC***************************
SCT: BURMA-TRADE OPENS DOORS 
Jan  5, 1995 

Posted by global.trade@xxxxxxxx


Summary: Burma needs investments and fresh ideas

        BURMA - ASEAN - THAILAND - GLOBAL ECONOMY + DISSENT 
Considering the worldwide changes in global economy , and the
information revolution going on - it is clear that many
governments still ill-behave with their citizens and deny them
their basic rights.

Burma is one of them!!
It is clear. Possibly to the people who oppose the
present regime - in Burma or abroad.

But please note that most of the governments - business in
general has no knowledge about Burma. Most people including
Europe and US donot even know the correct location of Burma.

It is clear that Chinese have strategic interests in Burma and
they are entering / investing in the country by all available
legal or illegal means. Thailand and other Asean nations are also
trying to bring Burma into their circle to break the isolation.

Seemingly , Burma's present government - however unpopular - is
interested in gradual opening of the economy.

It is clear that China opened its economy in 80s and there was a
lot of dissent and opposition by many groups. Today China is not
democratic but it is much better than 12 years back.
thn3 yeas we have no more boat people and Vietnam seems to be on
the road to better economic times. These economic policies will
eventually lead to an all open country is not sure but it is more
feasible now.

Burma's govt is repressive and undemocratic but if it shows signs
of opening up the economy - i think it is a good and positive
sign.

I would like to know why one thinks that by rejecting the SLORCs
initiatives to open economy will lead to their abondoning power.
DO you think by simply rejecting these projects , Burma's people
will be freer??

Burmese people can not afford to lose the opportunities to
improve their lives by not participating in the changing global
economy. Do you want them to keep in isolation for 5 more
decades??

Who cares the names of the people in governments. It is
eventually the people who do get hurt by poverty and under
development.

What is the guarantee that some new people take over the
government in Rangoon - that they will be more democratic??
If some foreign investors or businesses are interested to do
business with Burma they should be tolerated to do so unless you
wish to keep Burmese people isolated from the rest of the world??

What are the incentives and hopes left in the country anyway??
Will somebody tell us what exactly the people who oppose the
present government will do if they come in power??  Wont they
open up the country to foreign investment and trade or will they
continue to isolate their public from "foreign" influence.

My analysis is that the unique way today to lead a country out of
isolation is to let it open its economy to foreign trade and
investment. 

This has opened up closed economies like S.Korea & China and now
we can see the same trend in Vietnam.

Can someone explain the logic of protesting over the initiatives
of foreign investors or traders to enter Burma and break its
isolation?? 

Prav Kaps

Center for Global Trade

NB: These are my personal views and not necessarily those of my
employer. 

*****************************MISC*****************************
BURMANET: INVITATION TO A REBUTTAL
January 18, 1995

The posting above is polemic rather than a news article but may
serve as a good starting point to further discussion.  Please
consider this as an invitation to write a response or rebuttal to
the article above for posting in BurmaNet.


**************************************************************
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.3 DUS$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 EAST ECONOMIC REVIEW
 IRRAWADDY: NEWSLETTER PUBLISHED BY BURMA INFORMATION GROUP
 JIR: JANE'S INTELLIGENCE REVIEW
 KHRG: KAREN HUMAN RIGHTS GROUP
 Kt. BURMESE KYAT; 150 KYAT3DUS$1 BLACK MARKET
                   100 KYAT3DUS$1 SEMI-OFFICIAL
                   6 KYAT3DUS$1 OFFICIAL
 MOA: MIRROR OF ARAKAN
 NATION: THE NATION (DAILY NEWSPAPER, BANGKOK)
 NLM: NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR (DAILY STATE-RUN NEWSPAPER, RANGOON)
 R.T.A.:REC.TRAVEL.ASIA NEWSGROUP
 S.C.B.:SOC.CULTURE.BURMA NEWSGROUP
 S.C.T.:SOC.CULTURE.THAI NEWSGROUP
 SEASIA-L: S.E.ASIA BITNET MAILING LIST
 SLORC: STATE LAW AND ORDER RESTORATION COUNCIL
 USG: UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT
 XNA: XINHUA NEWS AGENCY
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