re UN, Armed Forces Day, ND, Voa

[cd@xxxxxxxxxx]

z, post if you think fit, metta dawn star
re UN, Armed Forces Day, NDF, VOA

To avoid cluttering mail, and sending many messges people are billed for 
each file, please find the following message with various items here  re 
Burma, and Bhutan. Remember, Human Rights are  Universal. Thank you,  
Dawn Star

re :  NDF'S STATEMENT ON THE URGENT NEED FOR A POLITICAL SOLUTION
lurie@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote: March 31, 1996


Its quite clear that Slorc is going for a full military solution,  that 
the convention last year was a forerunner for a military solution, and 
that Slorc wants nothing less than a military solution.  Last year Slorc 
aimed to isolate, marginalize, discredit and sideline the NLD opposition. 
 The fanfare over the arrest of Khan Sa has only resulted in an ever more 
flourishing drug traffic at bargain prices. Everyone working on the 
diplomatic and political and humanitarian front would be naive not to see 
the writing on the wall as it as it is now more clear than daylight, and 
events these past weeks bear up that fact  that  for Slorc only a 
military solution is acceptable. So the message is clear, that everyone 
interested in a Free and Democatic Burma must  work twice as hard - and 
if they wish to avoid irreversable  military setbacks by the freedom 
fighters,  to press for all-out US and European support on the political 
front. The Chinese have cracked down futher on dissent, and while  the 
Geneva Human Rights Commission will issue further condemnations all too 
sweetly ignored by Slorc feeling more isolated and defensive, Slorc 
remains undeterred in its ambition for money, riches and power. And the 
more they push themselves into a corner, the harder it is for them to 
come to the negotiating table -espeically with the developed world 
fighting recession and job losses at home. And why should they? What do 
they have to gain by negotiating with the opposition and their friends 
from countries begging for investment in Asia? The Asian hardliners know 
brute force, and have learned to live with it and win. What have they got 
to lose now that they haven?t lost already? 

All comments are invited and welcomed.
Dawn Star, Paris

Headline:  VOA : BURMA ARMED FORCES DAY
Keywords: Burma, Aung San Suu Kyi, Slorc, Armed Forces Day; Voa
Date: March 26 1996 
Source: VOA, by Dan Robinson

BURMA ARMED FORCES DAY
by DAN ROBINSON

BANGKOK - WEDNESDAY IS ARMED FORCES DAY IN BURMA -- AN EVENT 
COMMEMORATING THE ROLE OF THE MILITARY ESTABLISHMENT IN BURMA'S 
INDEPENDENCE STRUGGLE.  V-O-A'S DAN ROBINSON REPORTS FROM OUR 
SOUTHEAST ASIA BUREAU BURMA'S MILITARY GOVERNMENT IN RECENT WEEKS
HAS ESCALATED CRITICISM OF WHAT IT CALLS FOREIGN INTERFERENCE IN 
BURMA'S AFFAIRS, WHILE A DEMOCRACY FIGURE -- AUNG SAN SUU KYI -- 
SAYS THE MILITARY PRESSURE HAS  NOT  WEAKENED HER DETERMINATION 
TO SPEAK OUT. 

IT IS  NOT  UNUSUAL -- IN THE WEEKS LEADING UP TO THE 
ANNUAL ARMY CELEBRATIONS -- TO HEAR SENIOR MILITARY FIGURES LASH 
OUT AT WHAT THEY CALL FOREIGN IMPERIALIST FORCES TRYING TO CREATE
INSTABILITY IN BURMA.

THE LATEST SUCH COMMENTS CAME FROM LIEUTENANT GENERAL KHIN NYUNT,
HEAD OF BURMA'S INTELLIGENCE SERVICES AND CONSIDERED THE MOST 
POWERFUL MEMBER OF THE RULING STATE LAW AND ORDER RESTORATION 
COUNCIL (SLORC).

A RECENT SPEECH BY THE JUNTA OFFICIAL CONTAINED WHAT OBSERVERS IN
RANGOON SAY WAS THE LATEST IN A SERIES OF INDIRECT REFERENCES TO 
AUNG SAN SUU KYI -- THE 1991 NOBEL PEACE PRIZE LAUREATE RELEASED 
FROM HOUSE ARREST LAST YEAR.

KHIN NYUNT SAID CERTAIN FOLLOWERS OF FOREIGN POWERS WERE TRYING 
TO SEW DIVISION BETWEEN THE RACES IN BURMA.  EARLIER THIS MONTH, 
THAN SHWE, CHAIRMAN OF THE MILITARY JUNTA MADE SIMILAR REMARKS.

RANGOON-BASED FOREIGN DIPLOMATS AND OTHER OBSERVERS SAY SOME OF 
THE STRONGEST ATTACKS ON AUNG SAN SUU KYI AND HER SUPPORTERS IN 
THE NATIONAL LEAGUE FOR DEMOCRACY (NLD) HAVE APPEARED IN THE 
BURMESE LANGUAGE PRESS.


FOR HER PART, AUNG SAN SUU KYI HAS BEEN ABLE TO GET HER VIEWS ON 
DEMOCRACY ACROSS TO THE PEOPLE OF BURMA -- DESPITE THE MILITARY'S
CAMPAIGN TO ISOLATE HER.  IN REMARKS PUBLISHED BY FOREIGN 
NEWSPAPERS, AS WELL AS INTERVIEWS WITH INTERNATIONAL RADIO 
STATIONS, SHE CONTINUES TO CRITICIZE THE MILITARY-RUN 
CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION.


AMONG HER MOST RECENT COMMENTS -- MADE IN A RANGOON INTERVIEW 
WITH AN INDIAN NEWSPAPER "THE HINDU" -- SHE DENIED THAT THE N-L-D
HAS BEEN MARGINALIZED.  SHE SAID A CONSTITUTION THAT EMERGES FROM
THE MILITARY'S CONVENTION WILL HAVE  NEITHER  THE RESPECT  NOR  
SUPPORT OF BURMA'S PEOPLE.


THE CONVENTION IS ATTENDED BY MOSTLY HAND-PICKED 
DELEGATES AND HAS ALREADY APPROVED A LONG-TERM POLITICAL ROLE FOR
THE ARMY.  ANALYSTS SAY THE JUNTA IS USING A MASS ORGANIZATION --
CALLED THE UNITED SOLIDARITY DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION (U-S-D-A) --
TO ENSURE ITS FUTURE HOLD ON POWER.

AFTER THE N-L-D WITHDREW FROM THE NATIONAL CONVENTION LAST 
NOVEMBER, THE MILITARY ESTABLISHMENT INTENSIFIED EFFORTS TO 
DISCREDIT AUNG SAN SUU KYI, WHO IS THE DAUGHTER OF BURMA'S 
INDEPENDENCE HERO -- GENERAL AUNG SAN.

SHE IS PORTRAYED BY OFFICIAL MEDIA AS A DANGEROUS FOREIGNER 
BECAUSE OF HER MARRIAGE TO BRITISH ACADEMIC -- MICHAEL ARIS.  THE
MILITARY LEADERSHIP HAS DENIED VISAS TO FOREIGN VISITORS 
INTENDING TO MEET THE DEMOCRACY FIGURE.  KEY FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS 
-- INCLUDING THE UNITED STATES, BRITAIN AND AUSTRALIA -- HAVE 
BEEN SINGLED OUT FOR CRITICISM.

ARMED FORCES DAY COMMEMORATES THE STRUGGLE AGAINST THE JAPANESE 
OCCUPATION DURING WORLD WAR TWO AND THE FOUNDING OF A UNIFIED 
BURMESE ARMY ON MARCH 27TH, 1945.  BURMA FOUGHT WITH JAPAN FOR 
MOST OF THE WAR, BUT LATER SWITCHED ALLEGIANCE TO ALLIED FORCES. 
HOWEVER, EACH YEAR BURMA'S GENERALS ALSO POINT TO 1988 -- THE 
YEAR TROOPS VIOLENTLY CRUSHED PRO-DEMOCRACY DEMONSTRATIONS -- AS 
AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT THEY CALL THE DANGERS OF ANARCHY.
SINCE 1990, THE JUNTA HAS IGNORED THE RESULT OF AN ELECTION WON 
OVERWHELMINGLY BY THE N-L-D.  THE JUNTA SAYS BURMA IS HEADED FOR 
DEMOCRACY.  HOWEVER, POLITICAL OBSERVERS AND HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS 
SAY THE MILITARY HAS  NO  INTENTION OF LETTING GO THE REINS OF 
POWER.ON THE EVE OF ARMED FORCES DAY, A BURMESE STUDENT 
DISSIDENT GROUP (A-B-S-D-F) ACCUSED THE JUNTA OF TRYING TO DELUDE
THE BURMESE PEOPLE INTO BELIEVING THAT MILITARY DOMINATION IS 
WHAT THE COUNTRY NEEDS.  A STATEMENT FAXED TO NEWS AGENCIES URGED
THE JUNTA TO RELEASE POLITICAL PRISONERS, END THE NATIONAL 
CONVENTION, AND OPEN A DIALOGUE WITH AUNG SAN SUU KYI.

Headline: UN OFFICIAL NOT OPTIMISTIC ABOUT BURMA HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION
Keywords: UN, Human Rights, 
Date: March 27 1996
Source :   by Dan Robinson (VOA SOUTHEAST ASIA CORRESPONDENT) 

UN OFFICIAL OPTIMISTIC ABOUT BURMA HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION
BY DAN ROBINSON


BANGKOK
 - BURMA'S MILITARY GOVERNMENT HAS REAFFIRMED ITS INTENTION 

TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OVER THE COUNTRY'S FUTURE POLITICAL SYSTEM.  

AS THE 
HEAD OF THE RULING JUNTA IN RANGOON WAS SPEAKING,  UN SPECIAL

RAPPORTUER ON BURMA, YOZO YOKOTA,  TOLD REPORTERS IN NEIGHBORING THAILAND 
HE IS 
NOT OPTIMISTIC ABOUT THE SITUATION IN BURMA.


THE CHAIRMAN OF BURMA'S MILITARY GOVERNMENT -- THAN SHWE 

-- SAID THE ARMY INTENDS TO HAVE A DOMINANT ROLE IN WHAT HE 

CALLED A FUTURE NATIONAL POLITICAL LEADERSHIP.



THIS IS NOT NEW.  BURMA'S GENERALS HAVE GUARANTEED THEMSELVES 

LONG-TERM CONTROL THROUGH A CONSTITUTION BEING DRAFTED BY A 

CONVENTION OF MOSTLY HAND-PICKED CANDIDATES.  A ROLE FOR 

DEMOCRACY FIGURE -- AUNG SAN SUU KYI -- HAS BEEN RULED OUT.



THE GENERAL'S SPEECH CONTAINED MORE OF THE CRITICISM THE JUNTA 

HAS RECENTLY AIMED AT FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS.  HE ACCUSED WHAT HE 

CALLED -- FOREIGN DESTRUCTIONISTS -- OF TRYING TO DRIVE A WEDGE 

BETWEEN THE ARMY AND THE PEOPLE.



IN REMARKS OBSERVERS SAY WERE AIMED AT AUNG SAN SUU KYI, GENERAL 

THAN SHWE SAID THERE WERE ALSO PEOPLE INSIDE BURMA TRYING -- IN 

HIS WORDS -- TO DISTURB AND HINDER NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION.



AS ABOUT THREE-THOUSAND BURMESE TROOPS PARADED BEFORE THE JUNTA'S

SENIOR GENERALS, AUNG SAN SUU KYI WAS AT HER HOME A FEW 

KILOMETERS AWAY, HOLDING WHAT NEWS AGENCIES SAY WAS A LOW-KEY 

GATHERING TO MARK ARMED FORCES DAY.



AUNG SAN SUU KYI IS THE DAUGHTER OF THE FOUNDER OF 

BURMA'S ARMY AND ITS INDEPENDENCE HERO, GENERAL AUNG SAN.  BUT 

SINCE RELEASING HER FROM HOUSE ARREST LAST YEAR, THE MILITARY 

JUNTA HAS IGNORED HER CALLS FOR POLITICAL DIALOGUE AND INCREASED 

HARASSMENT OF HER NATIONAL LEAGUE FOR DEMOCRACY


IN BANGKOK, THE U-N SPECIAL RAPPORTUER ON BURMA SAID HE IS 

DISAPPOINTED BURMA'S MILITARY HAS NOT DONE MORE TO RECONCILE WITH

AUNG SAN SUU KYI.



JAPANESE PROFESSOR, YOZO YOKOTA, SAYS HE BELIEVES BOTH AUNG SAN 

SUU KYI AND THE MILITARY SHARE AN OBJECTIVE OF DEMOCRACY AND 

FUTURE CIVILIAN GOVERNMENT.  BUT HE SAID A LARGE GAP REMAINS, 

MAKING DIALOGUE ALL THE MORE IMPORTANT.



YOKOTA ACT 


THE GOVERNMENT HAS NOT REJECTED THE OPTION, BUT SIMPLY 

         SAID THIS IS NOT THE TIME.  SO THE GAP IS BIG.  BUT 

         STILL, FROM MY POINT OF VIEW, I SHOULD (HOPE) TO SEE 

         THAT KIND OF DIALOGUE TAKE PLACE.  THEREFORE SOME KIND 

         OF CONSTRUCTIVE AGREEMENT WILL BE REACHED FOR THE METHOD

         AND MEANS TO ACHIEVE THE GOAL THEY BOTH SEEM TO AGREE ON

         IN WORDS.


MR. YOKOTA SAYS HE IS NOT OPTIMISTIC.  HE SAYS ATTEMPTS TO 
EMBARRASS RANGOON ABOUT HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES WILL NOT WORK, BUT 
SAYS HE MADE CLEAR TO BURMESE AUTHORITIES DURING HIS VISITS TO 
RANGOON HE DID NOT ACCEPT THEIR RESPONSES ON SUCH ISSUES.

WHETHER TORTURE IN PRISONS, FORCED LABOR IN THE FIELD, 
         WHETHER SUPPRESSION OF POLITICAL FREEDOMS DO EXIST IN MY
         ANMAR OR NOT.  AND THERE THE GOVERNMENT CLEARLY DENIES 
         SUCH ATROCITIES ARE TAKING PLACE IN MYANMAR, (TO) WHICH 
         I STRONGLY OBJECT.

MR. YOKOTA WAS ATTENDING A SEMINAR DISCUSSING THE QUESTION OF 
HUMAN RIGHTS IN EAST ASIA.


Teknath Rizal's 49th birthday observed
Kathmandu Post
KATHMANDU, March 27 - Marking the 49th birthday of Tek Nath Rizal, the 
Father of the Bhutanese 
Human Rights Movement, a mass demonstration was held in Siliguri 
today.<P>
The rally began from Darjeeling mode and converged into a mass meeting. 
Over thousand rallyists, 
demanded the immediate and unconditional release of Rizal and all other 
political prisoners languishing 
in the Bhutanese jails. <P>
Rizal has completed 2323 days in prison today. He is currently in 
detention at Chemgang central prison 
in the outskirts of the Bhutanese capital, Thimphu. The meeting was 
chaired by IB Rai, renowned 
literature from Darjeeling and among the prominent speakers were Mrs 
Reenu Leena Subba, NC 
Khaling of Indian Support Groups and Jogen Gazmere, Spokesperson of the 
AMCC. An appeal was 
sent to the King of Bhutan demanding the leader's release. The petition 
bore signatures of more than a 
hundred Indian Support Group members.<P>
Meanwhile, 191 Bhutanese refugee appeal marchers who began the appeal 
march to Bhutan from the 
Indo-Nepal border yesterday reached Siliguri this evening.<P>
They started the march from the Gandhi Memorial School in Bagdogra, where 
they halted last night, and 
were escorted by Indian police all the way.<P>
Before the march took off this morning, well-wishers offered the 
ceremonial <I>Abir Tika</I> to the 
marchers.


Bhutanese to launch armed movement
Kathmandu  Post 
JHAPA, March 30 - After waging a peaceful protest movement in vain, there
are now signs that Bhutanese dissidents could just be beginning to lose
their patience.
BCDM, the umbrella body that brings together Bhutan's main political
parties under a single roof, has stated that the ongoing Appeal Movement
has made no impression whatsoever on the autocratic regime of Bhutan.
The BCDM today met here at Birtamode to chalk out its strategy for an 
armed
movement against the Bhutanese government. Political activists, human
rights groups and refugees from all eight refugee camps in Jhapa and 
Morang
took part in today's meet.
Meanwhile, in another significant development today, the Appeal Movement
launched by the AMCC has decided to review its policy. Most important in
its agenda is to seek greater support for the Bhutanese cause from the
international community. Sources say efforts are on to lobby the United
States and get the US government to issue a statement as the one released
by the European Parliament recently.