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BurmaNet News October 10, 1995
------------------------ BurmaNet ------------------------
"Appropriate Information Technologies, Practical Strategies"
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The BurmaNet News: October 10, 1995
Issue# 247
Noted in Passing: The World Health Organization estimates 400,000 people
almost one per cent of the total population could be infected with the
virus in Burma, on a per capita basis far surpassing Thailand and India,
the two Asian countries considered worst hit by the disease. - on HIV
infection rates in Burma (see: THE NATION: 'WORLD IMPLODING ON SHAN
STATE')
HEADLINES:
==========
BNET: MCCONNELL AMENDMENT FAILURE - CORRECTION
S.H.A.N.: LAW HSING-HAN WANTS US HELP TO ERADICATE OPIUM
THE NATION: 'WORLD IMPLODING ON SHAN STATE'
THE NATION: BURMA SEEKING ROLE ON MEKONG RIVER PANEL
THE NATION: BURMESE ACTIVITIES RAISE HOPES OF BORDER
THE NATION: AQUINO AT BURMA RIGHTS MEET
BKK POST: GUNJADE DENIES REPORTS OF HIS DEFECTION
BKK POST: CROSSINGS TO OPEN AFTER BORDER STUDY
DAILY YOMIURI: LETTERS TO THE EDITOR - TRAVEL TO MYANMAR? YES
US ACTIVISM: PRESS RELEASE
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BURMANET SUBJECT-MATTER RESOURCE LIST
BurmaNet regularly receives enquiries on a number of
different topics related to Burma. The scope of the subjects
involved is simplytoo broad for any one person to cover.
BurmaNet is therefore organizing a number of volunteer
coordinators to field questions on various subjects. If you
have questions on any of the following subjects, please
direct email to the following coordinators, who will either
answer your question or try to put you in contact with
someone who can:
Arakan/Rohingya/Burma- Michael W. Charney
Bangladesh Border GoMaha@xxxxxxx
Campus activism: tlandon@xxxxxxx
Boycott campaigns: [Pepsi]
wcsbeau@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Buddhism: Buddhist Relief Mission,
brelief@xxxxxxx
Chin history/culture: plilian@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Fonts: tom@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
History of Burma: zni@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Kachin history/culture: 74750.1267@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Karen history/culture: 102113.2571@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Karen Historical Society
Mon history/culture: [volunteer needed]
Naga history/culture: Wungram Shishak,
z954001@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Burma-India border [volunteer needed]
Pali literature: "Palmleaf"
c/o burmanet@xxxxxxxxxxx
Shan history/culture: [volunteer needed]
Shareholder activism: simon_billenness@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Tourism campaigns: bagp@xxxxxxxxxx "Attn. S.Sutcliffe"
World Wide Web: FreeBurma@xxxxxxxxx
Volunteering: christin@xxxxxxxxxx
[Feel free to suggest more areas of coverage]
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BNET: MCCONNELL AMENDMENT FAILURE - CORRECTION
October 10, 1995 BurmaNet Editor
In the October 5 edition of the BurmaNet News, I posted an article from The
Nation entitled TWO BIG BLOWS FOR BURMESE DEMOCRATS. I
would like to apologize for omitting the newspaper in which this article
appeared. Also, the reason given for the failure of the amendment was
incorrect, as indicated by Phil Robertson's comment below:
NATION: TWO BIG BLOWS FOR BURMESE DEMOCRATS
stated the following: [abridged]
>Burmese democrats were dealt another blow last week when
>influential US Senator Mitch McConnell withdrew his controversial
>Senate amendment that would have imposed US sanctions on Burma
>and end trade benefits for countries which do business with the
>Slorc.
>The powerful American business lobby in Capitol Hill prevailed at
>the end of the day, to the extent that McConnell's own Republican
>Party forced him to withdraw the amendment.
The attribution of the failure of the McConnell amendment to a "victory" by
business interests is not correct. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth.
What happened had more to do with tactics than content. Senator McConnell
included the amendment in the Foreign Operations bill in an en bloc amendment
at the end of debate rather than adding it separately and allowing it to come up for
discussion in the full Senate. The other Republican Senators objected to the fact that
Senator McConnell had handled the amendment that way because usually only
items which had been discussed and settled are put in en bloc amendments.
The other Republican Senators -- like Senator John McCain of Arizona who has
been to Burma, was greeted by SLORC with inhospitability and strongly
opposes the de facto SLORC regime -- who objected to McConnell's handling of
the bill are not necessarily opponents of sanctions against Burma. It is
worthwhile remembering this and redoubling our organizing efforts to
encourage Senators to co-sponsor S. 1092, the McConnell bill in its
independent form. Senator McConnell has pledged he will try again and if
the SLORC continues to take the hard-line position, as evidenced in Ohn
Gyaw's pathetic speech at the UN recently, they will be just making it easier for us.
- Phil Robertson Jr.
************************************
S.H.A.N.: LAW HSING-HAN WANTS US HELP TO ERADICATE OPIUM
Muangmai, 7. October 1995
Law Hsing-Han, the 'recrowned king of opium', wants the American assistance in
wiping out opium production in his home area, Kokang, a principality in Northern
Shan State, according to a reliable S.H.A.N. source.
Law, 60, was known as the King of Opium in the late 60's and early 70's during
his days as the leader of the Kokang militia under the Burmese military
government. He broke up allegiance in 1973 with Rangoon to join the Shan
resistance and backed by the Shan State Army and the Shanland United Army, he
signed what is later known as the 1973 Opium Proposal i.e. a democratic Shan
self-government in exchange for the zero production of opium. However, before
the proposal could be considered by the American government, he was kidnapped
by the Thai police who later extradited him back to Burma. There he was
sentenced to life imprisonment but released in 1980 under amnesty declared by U
Ne Win, then President of Burma.
Now one of the richest men in Burma, he is building a five star hotel in
Rangoon. According to the S.H.A.N. source, he has been seeking a direct
negotiated settlement for the eradication of poppy fields in Kokang.
In reply to S.H.A.N.'s inquiry, the Shan State Restoration Council replied it
welcomed the Kokang effort and offered its cooperation. Asked whether the same
policy applied to the Wa, with whom they have been fighting, the officials gave
their answer in the affirmative. " We are from the same country . Anything that
benefits our people will be welcomed", they said.
However, it remains to be seen how the SLORC will react to such 'unruly
activities' by Kokang and Wa tribes of Shan State. Also unknown is what the
American response will be.
Meanwhile, reports indicate that some attempts are being made by certain
anti-narcotics quarters in order to revive Law Hsing-Han as the new King of
Opium, now that Khun Sa is gradually taking the backrow.
**************************
THE NATION: 'WORLD IMPLODING ON SHAN STATE'
October 6, 1995
The Burmese border state is being convulsed by change and possibly destroyed
by a dangerous explosion of free trade, drugs and prostitution, ANDREW NETTE reports.
Best known until recently for its location among the opium fields of the Golden Triangle,
Burma's remote Shan State is becoming one of the epicentres of the HIV/Aids epidemic
sweeping across the country.
The World Health Organization estimates 400,000 people almost one per cent
of the total population could be infected with the virus in Burma, on a per capita
basis far surpassing Thailand and India, the two Asian countries considered worst
hit by the disease.
Experts say that in addition to high rates of injecting drug use and poor access to
health services, Shan State is especially vulnerable to the spread of Aids due to its
position at the centre of the growing economic rivalry between Thailand and China.
This has led to an explosion of cross border trade and movement, both legal and illegal,
which experts say is accelerating the spread of Aids. Road building, linking Shan State
to other parts of Burma and to Yunnan and Thailand, has also increased.
"After years of relative isolation the world is imploding on them," commented Dr
Doug Porter, a lecture at the school of Pacific and Asian Studies at the Australian
National University, in reference to the transformation taking place in the Shan State.
In particular, Beijing is keen to make Burma into a land bridge between China and the Indian Ocean. Visitors to northwest Burma report that Chinese road crews are already hard at work repairing the Old Burma Road under a bilateral cooperation scheme with
the Burmese government. The 1,154 kilometre road connects Lashio in Shan State to Kunming.
With the opening up has come foreign media, bringing about a shift in cultural mores. "The Shan State today has a roaring sixties feel to it," said Christian Kroll, who is involved in drug and HIV prevention efforts on the Burma/Yunnan border for the Econ
omic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific.
"Many communities are surviving at the level basic subsistence, yet at the same time they are receiving TV from Hong Kong and Thailand," said Kroll. "It just makes them more vulnerable as they can't help but compare their own lives to what they are watchi
ng."
Although the exact HIV/Aids situation is difficult to judge due to limited surveillance, there are already reports of people starting to die from the disease in rural Shan villages.
Testing in Tachilek in south eastern Shan State reveals that HIV prevalence rates have increased dramatically among injecting drug users, pregnant women attending ante-natal services and male patients with sexually transmitted diseases.
As well as epitomising the contemporary face of the HIV/Aids epidemic in Asia, however, Porter believes the Shan State illustrates the failure of traditional responses to the disease.
"The fact that population movement is commonly associated with the spread of Aids is leading to initiatives to try and stabilize people in one place," he says. "Whether these involve better policing of borders or schemes to generate small businesses to ge
t people to stay at home, they seldom work."
As he puts it, this is because anti-Aids campaigns "tend to characterize these people only as victims, thus giving them no agency." "Why do you Shan women cross into Thailand as sex workers? Poverty is obviously a key reason. But they are not just escapin
g from things, but to things, to new places and identities.
"There are a huge number of reasons why people cross borders, and along side
these our responses to the disease are puny and don't take into account the diversity
of people's experience," he said.
Porter's views are the result of research carried out on behalf of the UN in the
Shan State over 1993. Undertaken with a Burmese research team, the main
objective was to identify the patterns of trade, transport and population
movement which would be relevant to attempts to prevent the spread of HIV in the area.
Entitled Wheeling and dealing: HIV/Aids and Development on the Shan State Borders, the study concentrated on the section of the Old Burma Road from Mandalay to Muse on the border with Yunnan, about the same distance as that between Bangkok and Chiang Mai
.
Released early this year, the study documents how the growth in cross-border trade and the privatization of the trucking industry in Burma have led to an increase in the number of vehicles on the road, in turn prompting a proliferation of truck stops at w
hich commercial sex services are often provided.
"The conventional approach is to provide Aids education to truck drivers and the women working at these stops," said Porter. "Our research showed that most of these people were already very aware of what Aids is, and that the money would be more usefully
spent on strategies to facilitate faster movement so that drivers would not have to stop so often, like improving customs facilities at the border."
A key problem faced by anti-Aids efforts in the Shan State is the nature of much of the cross border movement, which Porter describes as 'a twilight world".
"Traders, truckers, and women who take part in the cross border sex industry prefer to remain anonymous and avoid contact with the formal health system, because with visibility comes surveillance and the possibility of being identified as a "risk group" b
y the government.
The study also deals with the value of local knowledge. "Travellers have amazing networks of information and are responsive to changes in a way that the formal health system cannot be."
One example is the impressive intelligence and research capacity of truckers themselves and the people who control the majority of trade between Yunnan and Burma, the commercial Chinese families in Mandalay. "We don't need special researchers, we need to
facilitate a way of working with these people," said Porter.
Although he stressed that Burmese health officials are genuinely concerned about the Aids problem, Porter said the country's present political climate makes implementing new ideas difficult.
The study caused an uproar among senior government officials in Rangoon, who quickly moved to halt the project. "Officially the government doesn't like to admit to such things as the Chinese control over cross border trade. We found out too much."
These sensitivities are heightened by the border's militarized nature and what he called, the fact that the study addressed illegal activity such as prostitution and drug use, and conceptions of ethnicity on the part of the central authorities to those dw
elling in the border areas.
"The lowland Burmans who run Rangoon government fear the Shan State. They see it as an uncertain world of crooks, prostitutes and drug runners, and this gives them a prejudiced view of what is going on." (TN)
===== item =====
BKK POST: GUNJADE DENIES REPORTS OF HIS DEFECTION
October 7,1995
Shan State National Congress (SSNC) President Zao Gunjade has denied reports that he has defected from Khun Sa's Mong Tai Army to another group, according to a border source.
The source quoted Mr Gunjade, a veteran military officer in the MTA, as saying that reports of his defection to the Shan State National Army (SSNA) led by Maj Gunyod were totally baseless.
His recent visit to negotiate with 1,000 soldiers now in the SSNA was aimed at persuading them to return to the Shan State, Mr Gunjade said. Other border sources also maintained that there is no reason for the SSNC president to defect to the SSNA as he is
highly respected by the Mong Tai Army from which he enjoys strong support.
Hence, it is unlikely that Mr Gunjade would have joined forces with the Gunyod-led SSNA. In a related development, the sources said the MTA was negotiating with local Thai authorities in Mae Hong Son in an attempt to get the latter to mediate in talks wit
h the Burmese government to reach a ceasefire agreement.
However, Rangoon has flatly refused to allow the Thai authorities to become involved in Burma's internal affairs, said the sources. The MTA has sent 1,000 soldiers to reinforce its forces at various bases, fearing they could be attacked by Burmese forces
or the United Wa State Army (UWSA).
It was reported that the MTA was preparing to evacuate its Shan and Chinese Haw populations to Thailand to seek temporary refuge during the fighting. This has prompted the provincial authorities in Mae Hong Son to lay down measures to cope with the cross
border fighting and flow of refugees. (BP)
===== item =====
THE NATION: BURMA SEEKING ROLE ON MEKONG RIVER PANEL
October 7, 1995
Report by, Kulachada Chaipipat
Burma has expressed interest in joining the Mekong River Commission (MRC) and has unofficially informed Thailand of its intention to participate in the body's joint working group meeting in Ho Chi Minh City next month, according to an informed source.
The source said the message was channelled through the Thai Foreign Ministry earlier this week, indicating that Rangoon will as soon as possible issue an official letter to underline its willingness to join the Mekong Secretariat, the MRC executive arm.
The message came less than a week after China, which like Burma is an upper Mekong River state that has yet to join the newly-formed MRC, informed the commission it too is willing to join in efforts to achieve joint sustainable development of the river.
The combined show of interest came in response to an August invitation letter issued by MRC joint council chairman Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Ing Kiet.
The question of China's participation dominated last month's meeting of the Joint Committee in Bangkok, but according to the source, the same criteria for china's participation will be applied to Burma.
Senior officials from Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia the lower Mekong states agreed during the Bangkok meeting to invite China to participate in the JC exploratory session in Ho Chi Minh City early next month.
The exploratory session being held after next month's JC meeting is seen as a first step towards the accession of China and Burma to MRC membership. The next step will be to establish a dialogue among the MRC and China and Burma on agreed areas of coopera
tion.
Foreign Ministry legal experts said new membership requires adherence to rules applied without reservation under an agreement on sustainable development of water resources, which gave birth to the MRC body in April.
The agreement allows Burma and China to join at their convenience and on the approval of all four member states, but fails to detail the methodology of joining. According to experts, that would recall a from of protocol for example, a memorandum of unders
tanding.
Among MRC obligation is the need to share data on current flow and development activities among all riparian states. China was given the text of the MRC framework agreement in April to study. (TN)
===== item =====
THE NATION: BURMESE ACTIVITIES RAISE HOPES OF BORDER REOPENINGS
October 7, 1995
The Burmese junta has upgraded the northeastern town of Tachilek to provincial status, prompting speculation on the Thai side that local Burmese authorities will soon reopen the frontier for border crossings.
Rangoon is also accelerating reconstruction of Tha Duea Bridge, which links Tachilek with Kentung, the largest town in southeastern Shan State, according to official Thai sources.
The bridge was destroyed early this year by opium warlord Khun Sa's Mong Tai Army (MTA), which sabotaged several facilities, including an airfield in Tachilek.
At the same time, the Burmese are attempting to complete renovations at government offices in Kentung, seat of one of the former Shan principalities, to prepare for "Visit Myanmar Year" in 1996.
The sources said all the ongoing activity, taking place under directives from Rangoon, give hope that the border at Tachilek will soon be reopened.
Tachilek authorities are preparing for the inauguration of a commemorative statue to be presided over by Burmese Army Commander-in-Chief Gen Maung Aye. Thai officials are hopeful Maung Aye, a powerful junta member, will oversee the reopening of Tachilek's
link with Thailand's Mae Sai district at the same time.
The sources said several top Burmese traders from Tachilek have unofficially crossed the Sai River by boat to Mae Sai to place large orders for goods. The transactions lend further hope that Mae Sai merchants will soon be able to resume trading with Burma
.
The sources said Rangoon sealed off the frontier because of MTA successes in raiding Tachilek and attacking Burmese military installations and other facilities in Shan State, demoralizing both local troops and citizens.
Local people who regularly commute between Tachilek and Kentung have been instructed not to leak information about ongoing Burmese activities in the area on pain of severe punishment.
* Deputy Commerce Minister Pairote Suwanchawee will lead a mission to Burma on Oct 9-11 to meet five Rangoon ministers. "The main objective is to negotiate the reopening of border trade points in Mae Sod, Mae Sai and Ranong," Pairote said.
The Thai delegation will suggest reopening the border in Thong Phaphoom district in Kanchanaburi province. Pairote will meet ministers Gen Tun Kyi (trade), Gen David Abel (planning and economics), U Win Naing (deputy finance), U Hlian Win (deputy mining)
and Gen Chit Swe (forestry).
Thailand will propose a draft border trade agreement to Burma, Pairote urge U Win Naing to open more markets so that revenues can enhance border trade.
He will ask U Hlian Win to support the jewellery trade between the two nations in exchange for gem-cutting technology. Tun Kyi, who will be invited to visit Thailand, will be asked to back economic cooperation among countries along Mae Khong River. The mi
ssion follows that of Defence Minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh last month. (TN)
===== item =====
THE NATION: AQUINO AT BURMA RIGHTS MEET
October 7, 1995
By Agence France-Presse
Former Philippine president Corazon Aquino is to address a conference here next week on human rights in Burma, organizers said yesterday.
The October 9-11 conference, sponsored by the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) and the Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (TUCP) will also include exiled Burmese opposition leaders, TUCP spokesmen told AFP.
"The conference will can on the international community to give its full support to the efforts of the Burmese democrats and trade unionists, within Burma and abroad to restore democracy to the country," the ICFTU said in a statement.
The Belgium-based ICFTU alleged that despite ending the house arrest of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, she could still not leave the country and that the ruling military junta, the State Law and Order Restoration Council, "continues its violation of
democratic, trade union and other human rights."
It said the meeting was organized in Manila as "a conference of this type is banned in Burma, and the organizers would be severely repressed." Among the Burmese dissidents attending the meeting is Sein Win, a self-declared prime minister in exile, and tra
de union leader Maung Maung, the labour group said. (TN)
===== item =====
BKK POST: CROSSINGS TO OPEN AFTER BORDER STUDY
October 8, 1995
The reopening of passes along the Thai-Burmese border is to be considered on a case-by-case basis, Deputy Premier and Defence Minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh said yesterday.
Gen Chavalit made the remark following the recent opening of a border checkpoint in Tak's Mae Sot District. Other passes will be opened later after the two countries have thoroughly studied the border dispute and other related details, said the minister.
But all passes would not be reopened simultaneously, said Gen Chavalit. They would be considered on a case-by-case basis. Gen Chavalit dismissed a suggestion that his official visit to Burma contributed to the reopening of the border in Mae Sot, saying it
was a joint decision made by the two countries.
Gen Chavalit made an official two-day visit to Burma last month to hold talks with his counterpart on the border dispute between the two countries. Burma ordered the closure of the border in Myawaddy on March 4 after alleging that Thailand have provided a
ssistance to a Burmese minority group, the Karen National Union, and allowed Thai merchants to encroach on the Moei river.
Because of the encroachment issue, Rangoon requested on June 7 that Thailand suspend construction on the Friendship Bridge before talks could be held.
The Burmese junta, meanwhile, has put off indefinitely ceasefire talks with the Karen National Union because its peace delegation is engaged in other activities.
Three representatives of the State Law and Order Restoration Council met their rebel counterparts at the Thai-Burmese border last month to convey the message, a KNU source said.
The junta's representatives were led by Professor Htun Aung Chain of Rangoon University. The KNU is willing to hold negotiations with Slorc to end the war in Burma, the source said.
But it wants the talks held in a third country, the participants to include representatives of the junta, of the Democratic Alliance of Burma (an umbrella organisation of rebel groups), and of the National Democratic Front, together with observers from th
e third country. (BP)
*****************************
DAILY YOMIURI: LETTERS TO THE EDITOR - TRAVEL TO MYANMAR? YES
October 8, 1995
Regarding the political ramifications of travel to Myanmar, I
would like to offer an alternative viewpoint from that posed by
David Luce, who recently lambasted The Daily Yomiuri for
encouraging travel to that troubled land (Oct. 3 P 8).
Through highly questionable reasoning, Luce would have us
believe that those who visit Myanmar would by default also
support tyranny and the abuse of human rights.
Such a link is preposterous. At its logical extreme, this
becomes the foundation of the "economic sanctions" policies
that have helped keep dictators in power years longer than they
would have survived otherwise, not to mention further
impoverishing the people unfortunate enough to live in these
dismal places.
I choose my travel destinations without such pseudo-moral
constraints. Luce would have no doubt objected, but I
journeyed to East German years back when there was such a
place. Yet I prefer to think that my sojourn brought about
positive results. Yes, one might argue that an oppressive
government made a little spare change because of any visit.
But at what cost to itself? I befriended many people along the
way, and through letters over the course of subsequent years I
helped keep a window open to the outside world.
I find it ironic that those countries that are the victims of
thinking from the likes of Luce are precisely those that still toil
under tyranny. Others with governments no less enviable long
ago tossed out their oppressors. Coincidence? Hardly. In
direct opposition to Luce, we should specifically target places
such as Myanmar for visits quiet, personal efforts to draw its
citizens from behind the cloak of government misinformation
and propaganda. Only then will they know how much we
cheer them on in their struggle to become free.
David A. Flack
Tottori
***********************
US ACTIVISM: PRESS RELEASE
By David Horne, Indiana University
BLOOMINGTON, Indiana- A recent film lecture has sparked interest in the
Burma conflict. The lecture was held on Monday, October 2 at 8 p.m. on
the Indiana University campus. The dynamic speakers, Khin Ohnmar of
Refugees International and Kevin Heppner of Canadian Friends of Burma and
Director of the Karen Human Rights Group, motivated the students,
faculty/staff and community of Indiana University Bloomington. Ms.
Ohnmar first discussed the history of Burma's injustice and then gave her
own testimony. As a Burmese refugee student herself she was able to
provide a visualization of what took place in 1988. Her portion of the
lecture kept the American students attention on what the movement is all
about. Ms. Ohnmar simply said "The peoples of Burma need you." Her face
did not show despair, when many students acknowledged her desire. Her
charge was for the American people at large to put pressure on those
corporations that support SLORC(State Law and Order Restoration Council),
not to involve themselves in business with this brutal dictatorship. She
specifically encouraged the boycott of PepsiCo, Unocal(Union 76), and
Texaco. These American companies refuse to halt business with SLORC.
The next speaker used photo's from his journey in Burma. Mr. Heppner had
been in the minority areas and taken some disturbing pictures. As he
methodically turned each slide and made his comments about each photo,
some students turned their heads or covered their eyes in horror. Most
American students have seen disturbing pictures of war crimes before;
however, most of them were taken back in the 40's in Nazi Germany. Mr.
Heppner's photo's had a devastating effect because of their time. He
pointed out that these atrocities were still taking place today. He
summed up his portion of the lecture by quoting an old Burmese farmer,
the man said "I think democracy is being able to have a cow and not
having to give it to the government." After the lecture had concluded
there was a short question and answer time. The Americans present had
been motivated to action. They wanted to know where to start and how
they could be most effective.
The Indiana University community is blessed to have two Burmese refugee
students studying and leading this movement forward in Bloomington.
Their names are Tun Myint and Moe Zaw Aung. Under their direction there
will now be a protest at the Pepsi plant in Bloomington on October 27.
Amnesty International was also well represented at the lecture and they
were interested in doing more than just a protest. With the leadership
of the Burmese students and the orginazational strength of Amnesty
International the Bloomington Community will be attempting to bring
selective purchasing to the attention of the City Council. Selective
purchasing is how an individual, community, state, or even government can
protest an unjust situation. In this case the city will be asked to stop
local trade with companies that operate with SLORC. With enthusiam such
as this democracy will prevail in Burma.
*****************************