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BurmaNet News: April 7, 1995 [#141]
- Subject: BurmaNet News: April 7, 1995 [#141]
- From: burmanet@xxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sat, 08 Apr 1995 02:51:00
'
**************************BurmaNet***************************
"Appropriate Information Technologies, Practical Strategies"
*************************************************************
The BurmaNet News: 7 April 1995
Issue #141
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Contents:
********************INSIDE BURMA********************
THE NATION: TEAM OF 80 SWISS BUSINESS TYCOONS IN BURMA FOR
TALKS
THE NATION: BURMA, EMPIRE OIL IN OIL, GAS VENTURE
***********************SHAN STATE***********************
THE NATION:MONG TAI ARMY MADE DECISION IN 1993 TO JOIN PLANNED
BURMA UNION
****************************THAILAND**************************
BKK POST: SUPACHAI: CHIANG MAI SHOULD HAVE ITS OWN STOCK
EXCHANGE
BKK POST: NGO BACKS THAI OFFER TO BE BURMA PEACE
MEDIATOR
BKK POST: MILITARY SET TO PROTEST AGAINST BURMA SHOOTING
**************************************************************
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Attention to BurmaNet
c/o National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma
(NCGUB)
Information Office
815 15th Street NW, Suite 609
Washington D.C. 20005
Tel: (202) 393-7342, Fax: (202) 393-7343
In Bangkok:
Attention to BurmaNet
c/o Burma Issues
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Bangkok 10504 Thailand
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[The NCGUB is the government-in-exile, made up of the people
who won the election in 1990. Burma Issues is a Bangkok-based
non-governmental organization that documents human rights
conditions in Burma and maintains an archive of Burma-related
documents. Views expressed in The BurmaNet News do not
necessarily reflect those of either NCGUB or Burma Issues]
TEAM OF 80 SWISS BUSINESS TYCOONS IN BURMA FOR TALKS
April 6 1995
A GROUP of about 80 businessmen from Switzerland's private
business club, World Economic Forum, arrived in Rangoon on
Yesterday to discuss investment opportunities in Burma, State-
run Radio Rangoon reported in a broadcast monitored here.
The delegation called on leading Burmese minister, Air-Chief
Marshal Tin Tan, and National Planning and Economic
Development Minister, Brig Gen David Abel, shortly after
arriving i the Burmese capital by special chartered flight, it
said.
During the talks, the minister explained current economic
development and investment opportunities for foreign firms in
Burma, the radio said.
The World Economic Forum delegation is touring countries in
the so called Quadrangle which apart from Burma also included
Laos and Southern China. They were in Bangkok over the week-
end.
According to an earlier Radio Rangoon report, another group of
32 businessmen from the Netherlands are also in Burma on a
similar trade mission.(TN)
BURMA, EMPIRE OIL IN OIL, GAS VENTURE
6 april 1995
Burma has signed an agreement for the joint exploration and
production of oil and gas in the southwestern state of Arakan,
the New Light of Myanmar reported yesterday.
The agreement, between Empire Oil Co (Pacific) and the Burmese
energy ministry's Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise, was the
second contract signed for oil exploration in Arakan state.
(TN)
SUPACHAI: CHIANG MAI SHOULD HAVE ITS OWN STOCK EXCHANGE
6 April 1995
Deputy Prime Minister Supachai Panitchpakdi says Chiang Mai
should have its own stock exchange to serve the economic quad-
rangle.
He said the exchange and a Regional Resources Exchange Centre
should be set up to help Chiang Mai become a northern regional
economic hub.
"it sounds like a dream, but it is a possible one," he said.
Mr Supachai said he would proposed to an ADB meeting to be
held in Rangoon late this month that the Mekong regional edu-
cation centre be built in Chiang Mai and a northeastern
region.
The centre will provide business administration courses and
would train officers.
Chiang Mai has been seen as a small centre for the fast grow-
ing electronics industry.
There have been a number of foreign investors who have
expressed interest in registering their business in Thailand
especially in the northern region, but they faced obstacles
under limitations of Thai law, said Mr Supachai.
"There will be a lot of joint-venture companies in the region.
Foreign investors both from Europe and Japan are looking
closely to invest in the North as it is rich in natural
resources, and a land link to Laos, Burma and china where a
lot of energy resources are available," he said.
The Deputy Prime Minister yesterday gave a speech to more than
200 guests at a seminar on Chiang Mai's 700th Anniversary -
Vision into Action.
He said Thailand, especially the northern and northeastern
regions, will get great benefits when two dams being built in
Laos are completed and about 800 megawatts of power is sold to
Thailand through the regions.
"The two regions will be able to develop industry by using the
electricity. More investors will come as we can supply them
the essential factors," he said.
Bur Chiang Mai still needs to develop in many aspects,
especially waste measures, he said. bur he said a power plant
fuelled by lignite and garbage will be a modern step towards
coping with waste.
He urged Chiang Mai residents to pay attention to city planing
and development including infrastructure improvements which
are being carried out.
Chiang Mai must learn a lesson from Bangkok about land use
plans. People must launch social sanctions against rule
breakers. (BP)
NGO BACKS THAI OFFER TO BE BURMA PEACE MEDIATOR
6 April 1995
A non-governmental organization - Action committee for
Democracy in Burma (ACDB) - yesterday demanded that the Thai
Government serve as mediator to stop continued fighting
between Rangoon forces and ethnic minorities.
Four representatives from the ACDB, led by Chalidda
Tacharoensak, submitted an open letter to Suthon Chuensomchit,
an adviser to foreign Minister krasae Chanawong, at the
ministry.
"The ACDB would like the foreign Minister to review Thailand's
foreign policies and interpret the meaning of the so-called
'constructive engagement' policy. The policy should not only
emphasise the economic aspect, but also human rights and
democracy," Ms Chalidda said.
She said the Foreign Ministry should demand that the Burmese
Government, known as the State Law and Order Restoration
Council (Slorc), take responsibility for recent incidents
along the Thai-Burmese border which led to the deaths of Thai
nationals and damage to property.
Ms Chalidda requested that the Slorc investigate the
incidents, bring to justice those Burmese soldiers involved
and compensate families of the victims.
The ACDB also asked both the Thai Government and private
sector to withdraw their investments in Burma, especially as
they do not benefit the Burmese people.
The Slorc has undertaken an offensive against ethnic
minorities along the Thai- Burmese border.
Ms Chalidda said the ACDB would like to propose a policy based
on democracy and peace rather than constructive engagement.
"The Burmese Government should talk with all the minorities
because if the problems remain unsettled, it would have an
impact on Thailand," she said. (BP &TN)
MILITARY SET TO PROTEST AGAINST BURMA SHOOTING
6 April 1995
Defence Minister Vijit Sookmark has order the Supreme Command
to lodge a protest with the Burmese Army over an incident on
Sunday when its troops shot dead a Thai as be was crossing the
Mae Sai River in Chiang Rai.
Gen Vijit said the Thai military believed Burmese soldiers had
over-reacted in killing Thawee Khamtankaew, 38, of Chiang Saen
district as he tried to cross the river into Thailand after
having visited Tachilek market illegally.
Thawee, who reportedly suffered mental problems, was carrying
a toy gun which Burmese troops took away from him. He then
apparently ran away and tried to cross the river. Burmese
troops shot him in the back as he was bout to reach the Thai
side of the river bank.
"I told the Supreme command to inform the Thai-Burmese Border
Committee to notify its counterpart that they could not have
used violence against mr Thawee and that Thai soldiers would
not have reacted the same under similar sircumstance," said
the Defence Minister.
The Defence Ministry reported to the Cabinet on Tuesday that
Thawee suffered from mental problems but did not say what
action it should take against the Burmese troops for killing a
Thai citizen.
Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai has ordered Thai authorities at
all levels to lodge protest with Rangoon over the incident.
Gen Vijit said it should be the responsibility of Rangoon to
investigate the fatal shooting and the action they should take
against its soldiers.
Defence Permanent Secretary Prasert Sararit confirmed that
Thailand would lodge a protest with Burma, saying that the
life of a Thai, no matter who he was, is valuable.
Gen Prasert said the incident could not be sen as a
misunderstanding between Thailand and Burma because the two
countries have enjoyed good relations at a high level.
He suspected the shooting might be the work of low-level
ordinary Burmese soldiers and had nothing to do with the
policy of Burma.
Meanwhile Deputy Foreign Minister Surin Pitsuwan said the
Foreign Ministry was in the process of collecting information
to base its complaint to the Burmese Government on.
"Prime Minister Chuan wants to see a clear explanation from
both Thai and Burmese authorities," said Mr Surin.
He disclosed that a meeting of the Thai-Burmese Border
committee will be held soon at Third Army headquarters in
Phitsanulok and the incident may be raised for discussion to
prevent future tragedies.
"We also want the Burmese side to learn of our sorrow over the
incident and how important it is to Thailand", the deputy
minister said.
He said Thailand and Burma should find measures to revent a
recurrence of such a thing.
Mr Chuan said yesterday that the Defence ministry report did
not clearly say what kind of gun the Burmese had confiscated
from Thawee but he considered the Burmese troops had over-
reacted and it was necessary to get the facts from the Thai
and Burmese sides.
The prime Minister said he has ordered the Interior Ministry
to warn Thai people along that area to beware of the uncertain
situation in Burma and the ongoing fighting between Rangoon
troops and Burmese minority rebels.
In defence of Army Commander-in-Chief Wimol Wongwanich who
said Burmese soldiers had to shoot Thawee in the name of
national security, Army Spokesman Palangkul Klaharn said the
Press did not publish the full interview of Gen Wimol so the
report was incomplete which could possibly damage the
reputation of the army chief.
Gen Wimol was reported to have said the Burmese soldiers had
to shoot the man to protect their national security and that
Thai authorities might inevitably have to do the same with
Burmese illegally crossing the border into Thailand.
Col Palangkul emphasised that report could create the wrong
impression that the army chief did not care about the life of
a Thai citizen but instead approved the action of Burmese
soldiers. (BP)
MONG TAI ARMY MADE DECISION IN 1993 TO JOIN PLANNED BURMA
UNION
6 April 1995
The decision of Golden Triangle warlord Khun Sa's Mong Tai
Army (MTA), Burma's largest resistance movement in Shan State,
to join th e future union of Burma was made late last year in
a resolution passed by members of the Shan National Congress.
The congress, which was established in December 1993, and
whose 70 members represented various townships in Burma's
northeastern Sha n State, conferred in late November to
deliberate on the future of Shan State. Congress members
agreed in that plenary meeting that Shan State would opt to
join Burma rather than seek the historical legal rights
to secede from the Southeast Asian nation. The decision was a
clear departure from the MTA's previous stance to fight for
the complete independence of the Shan State, where th e
majority of the people are ethnic Shan, and ethnic brethren of
the Thai people, who enjoyed freedom and autonomy until
Burma's ind ependence from Britain in 1948. Kheunsai Jaiene, a
leading MTA member and a close aide of Khun Sa, told The
Nation in an interview yesterday that the Shan congress issued
a resolution dated Dec 1, to express its decision to see the
Shan State join the union of Burma. Kheunsai said the decision
has not yet been officially passed on to the Burmese junta,
known as the State Law and Order Restoration Council (Slorc),
which has pledged to crush Khun Sa and his MTA. Slorc, which
has opened peace talks with over a dozen armed ethnic groups
active along the Burmese border, has repeatedly rejected d
ialogue with the MTA, dubbing the group a drug trafficker. In
a statement released on Tuesday, Sao Gunjade, chairman of the
Shan National Congress and Khun Sa's right hand man, said the
issue
of Shan State joining the union of Burma has to be settled _at
a negotiating table, not on bloody battle fields._ Thai border
authorities said yesterday that they were surprised to hear
the MTA's proposal to join Burma, as the decision _Is the mo
st important shift from the previous MTA stance._ They said
they have yet to see a response from Slorc to the MTA's olive
branch, which came at a crucial time as Rangoon had publicly
announced its intention to launch a massive military offensive
against it. With the two remaining active ethnic guerrilla
groups, the Karen National Union and the New Mon State Party,
preparing to enter or c onclude peace talks with Slorc, Burma
analysts predicted the MTA would be Slorc's next target.
Gunjede has warned that the MTA, which has _troops operating
in two-thirds of the whole area of Shan State,_ will retaliate
with urb an guerrilla assaults if its headquarters at Homong,
about 30 km from the Thai border, comes under attack. He said
the only concern he has in the safety of the civilians
population and their properties. The MTA forces, which operate
as mob ile guerrilla units and could easily disperse into the
jungle. The MTA gave Slorc a slap in the face last month when
commando unit launched a successful raid into the Slorc
controlled border town
of Tachilek, killing several Burmese troops. Kheunsai has
killed speculation that the MTA and Slorc have already opened
a peace dialogue to end the war in the strife-prone state . He
said those who approached Burmese authorities were individual
citizens who had no connection with the MTA, nor any
authorizatio n from the group to negotiate with Slorc. The
MTA, said Kheunsai, wants to include political agendas in its
peace talks with Slorc and will pursue a two-pronged approach
in i ts peace deal, including attack and negotiation, until a
peaceful settlement is achieved. However, he cautioned that
conflict is never the best means to resolve any dispute.
_Military activities and political work have to go along side
[by side]. If we can talk, then we don't have to fight,_ he
said. Gunjade defended the MTA's involvement in the narcotics
trade, saying the major transporters of the drug are groups
_allied_ with th e Burmese authorities. He cited the Ka Kwe
Ye, which was established by Rangoon in the 1970s as a local
self-defence force, and armed ethnic groups which h ave struck
cease-fire agreements with Rangoon, as examples. He played
down the role of the MTA in the trade, claiming they only tax
the groups who transport drugs through their territory and a
re given safe passage by the Burmese authorities. _So it is
preposterous to put all the blame on the resistance. If we are
to be blamed, it should only be for the last factor, not th e
rest,_ said Gunjade. He added the MTA was _ready to cooperate
with any organization, including the Burmese government, for
the cause of drug eradication. _ (TN)
RANGOON SIGNS OIL AND GAS ACCORD WITH AUST COMPANY
6 April 1995
Burma has signed an agreement for joint exploration and
production of oil and gas in the southwestern state of Arakan,
the New Light
of Myanmar reported yesterday. The agreement, between Empire
Oil Co (pacific) and the Burmese Energy Ministry's Myanmar Oil
and Gas Enterprise, was the second cont ract signed for oil
exploration in Arakan state. Energy Minister Khin Maung Thein
said the area, where the South Pacific Oil Company had already
begun exploratory drilling, had long
been known for its surface well production. Burma opened up
its onshore oil reserves to foreign companies in 1989, when
leading oil companies such as Shell and Amoco made test
drillings after signing production-sharing contracts. Most
left, however, when they failed to find any commercially
feasible sites during an initial three-year period. Similar
contracts with foreign companies for offshore exploration and
production have uncovered large supplies of natural gas. A pip
eline from the offshore wells is to be built soon to carry
natural gas to Thailand. (TN)
**************************************************************
NEWS SOURCES REGULARLY COVERED/ABBREVIATIONS USED BY BURMANET:
ABSDF: ALL BURMA STUDENT'S DEMOCRATIC FRONT
AMNESTY: AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
AP: ASSOCIATED PRESS
AFP: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
AW: ASIAWEEK
Bt.: THAI BAHT; 25 Bt. EQUALS US$1 (APPROX),
BBC: BRITISH BROADCASTING CORPORATION
BF: BURMA FORUM
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
GOA: GOVERNMENT OF AUSTRALIA
IRRAWADDY: NEWSLETTER PUBLISHED BY BURMA INFORMATION GROUP
KHRG: KAREN HUMAN RIGHTS GROUP
KNU: KAREN NATIONAL UNION
Kt. BURMESE KYAT; UP TO 150 KYAT-US$1 BLACK MARKET
106 KYAT US$1-SEMI-OFFICIAL
6 KYAT-US$1 OFFICIAL
MOA: MIRROR OF ARAKAN
MNA: MYANMAR NEWS AGENCY (SLORC)
THE NATION: A DAILY NEWSPAPER IN BANGKOK
NCGUB: NATIONAL COALITION GOVERNMENT OF THE UNION OF BURMA
NLM: NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR (DAILY STATE-RUN NEWSPAPER,RANGOON)
NMSP: NEW MON STATE PARTY
RTA:REC.TRAVEL.ASIA NEWSGROUP
RTG: ROYAL THAI GOVERNMENT
SCB:SOC.CULTURE.BURMA NEWSGROUP
SCT:SOC.CULTURE.THAI NEWSGROUP
SEASIA-L: S.E.ASIA BITNET MAILING LIST
SLORC: STATE LAW AND ORDER RESTORATION COUNCIL
TAWSJ: THE ASIAN WALL STREET JOURNAL
UPI: UNITED PRESS INTERNATIONAL
USG: UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT
XNA: XINHUA NEWS AGENCY
**************************************************************