BurmaNet News June 21, 1996

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"Appropriate Information Technologies, Practical Strategies"
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The BurmaNet News: June 21, 1996 
Issue # 448

HEADLINES:
==========
THE NATION: SLORC 'SERIOUS' ABOUT TALKS WITH SUU KYI
BKK POST: BURMA APPROACHES CP GROUP FOR SHRIMP PLANT
BKK POST: REPORT CLAIMS JUNTA READY TO ARREST SUU KYI 
BKK POST: THAI-BURMA PANEL MEETS TO DISCUSS BORDER TENSION
NATION: US-BURMA POLICY NEEDS RETHINKING
BKK POST: KAREN CONFLICT PROMPTS BORDER ALERT
DBSO: STATEMENT-REPRESSION IN BURMA
MNRC: MONTHLY REPORT FROM MON NATIONAL RELIEF COMMITTEE
V.O.A.:  BURMA- SUU KYI
DOW JONES: UNOCAL CEO DENIES USE OF FORCED LABOUR
INDEPENDENT REPORT: FREE BURMA CAMPAIGN - SOUTH AFRICA
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

THE NATION: SLORC 'SERIOUS' ABOUT TALKS WITH SUU KYI
June 20, 1996

RANGOON - Burma's military government said yesterday it was doing
all it could to move toward dialogue with prodemocracy opposition
leader Aung San Suu Kyi
      
"Realising dialogue is needed for genuine reconciliation, cordial
relations are being established for peace," a newspaper
commentary said.

But another commentary in Burmese language newspapers said the
ruling State Law and Order Restoration Council (Slorc) wanted the
opposition to show some flexibility if talks were to take place.

"We know the Slorc is doing this from their side. We think the
other side should have a flexible, constructive spirit which is
needed for dialogue, instead of dogmatic destructive spirits,"
the commentary said.

Since her release last July from six years of house arrest, Suu
Kyi has been calling on the Slorc to hold talks with her National
League for Democracy (NLD) party and ethnic groups to find a
peaceful way to bring democracy to the troubled nation.

Slorc has never accepted her requests, instead repeatedly lashing
out at the Nobel Peace Prize winner and the NLD in written and
verbal attacks for being "lackeys" and "goons" of imperialists
who want to rule Burma.

Other state-run media said in commentaries that Rangoon
foreigners should not meddle in Burmese affairs.

"Those outside the country, who are sabotaging peace, are on
notice to keep their hands off Myanmar [Burma]," The New Light of
Myanmar newspaper said.

"We desire democracy. Who doesn't?" it said. "But it shall not be
transplanted democracy that is made to measure according to
foreign designs, with the kind of flaws and weaknesses that can
lead to a breakup of the Union."

"A couple of agents of those who would like to see [the
government] kowtow to them just recently finished a tour of the
region during which they did some arm twisting to get our friends
to toe the line. To no avail," it said.

The commentary was apparently referring to a recent Asian tour of
two US envoys sent to try to draw a coordinated response to
recent increased tension between Burma's military government and
the opposition.

In Tokyo, a leading Japanese daily Mainichi Shimbun reported
yesterday that Suu Kyi may be close to arrest by the government.

The newspaper quoted unidentified sources in Tokyo as saying that
an arrest was possible and could take place by the end of this week.

Diplomats and analysts in Burma dismissed the report, saying the
rumours had been swirling around Rangoon for several weeks with
nothing to suggest an her arrest any time soon.

Also yesterday, Amnesty International said the Burmese junta have
detained eight more opposition supporters, including a close aide
to Suu Kyi.

Fresh detentions boosted the number of opposition activists still
believed held to as many as 151, with 154 confirmed released, the
statement said, adding that the London-based human rights watch -
dog feared for the detainees' safety.

The latest detainee was a bodyguard to pro-democracy leader Suu
Kyi, San Hlaing, who has not been heard from since the evening of
June 13, the statement said.

Authorities had not yet acknowledged San Hlaing's detention,
according to a source close to the opposition National League for
Democracy (NLD), reached by telephone from Bangkok.

He was among some 15 members of the inner circle surrounding Suu
Kyi who had been sleeping in her family compound in order to
avoid a perceived threat of arrest in their own homes at night,
the source said.

In Washington, US Secretary of State Warren Christopher will
discuss Burma's renewed crackdown on dissent with his Southeast
Asian counterparts in July, the State Department said on Tuesday.

But spokesman Nicholas Burns said Washington was still
considering whether to send an envoy to the military-ruled
country to convey American concern or simply to continue talks
with Burma's neighbours in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. 

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

BKK POST: BURMA APPROACHES CP GROUP FOR SHRIMP PLANT
June 20, 1996

CP Group has been asked to set up a shrimp processing plant in
Burma.
Burma's Southeast Command, commander General Ket Sein met CP Group
executives during a visit to its animal feed manufacturing
factory in Phitsanulok.

He said the best place would be Moulmein, a long coastline
province which has rich shrimp resources in farms and the natural
environment.

A senior CP executive Anek Boonnam said the company may survey
Burma if its head office approves the potential investment.

CP is now waiting for Burmese authorities to approve its
integrated poultry business in Rangoon, initially worth about 175
million baht.

Approval has been delayed due to a ministerial reshuffle and
unclear information from CP on where the plant would be located.
     
But Mr Anek said his company had already leased a plot of land in
urban Rangoon. At first, chicken meat from the plant would be
sold locally but later exported if production costs are cheaper.

CP has invested in poultry in Vietnam and Cambodia. More market
information would be needed from Laos.

Mr Anek said if investment is successful, CP may expand to invest
in basic infrastructure, transport and communication.

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

BKK POST: REPORT CLAIMS JUNTA READY TO ARREST SUU KYI 
June 20, 1996

WELL-WISHERS celebrated pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi's
51st birthday yesterday as an unconfirmed report said she was
facing arrest by the military government.

The Japanese newspaper Mainichi Shimbun, citing unidentified
sources in Tokyo, reported that Burma's ruling State Law and
Order Restoration Council (SLORC) already had prepared an arrest
warrant for Mrs Suu Kyi. 
     
Sources close to Mrs Suu Kyi, leader of the National League for
Democracy (NLD), said they knew nothing about the report.
     
And the Burmese government denied the report in a communication
with Japanese officials, the Japanese Foreign Ministry said.

The Japanese report, unconfirmed by any other source, said the
arrest could take place this week. The sources were quoted as
saying the junta would use a recently passed law banning
virtually any criticism to arrest Mrs Suu Kyi.

Japanese government spokesman Seiroku Kajiyama yesterday said
Japan has asked the Burmese government to maintain restraint in
dealing with the pro-democracy movement and hinted Tokyo may take
strong action if Mrs Suu Kyi is arrested.

"If [Mrs Suu Kyi] were to actually be arrested, then the
understanding attitude we have taken so far toward the human
rights issue in Burma, I feel would have to change," he said. 

Mr Kajiyama refused to say whether Japan would freeze financial
aid if Mrs Suu Kyi were arrested and said Tokyo was gathering
information regarding the report.

Japan, the largest aid donor to Burma, resumed grant aid to Rangoon last 
October following Mrs Suu Kyi's release from house arrest.

The state-controlled press, meanwhile, yesterday continued
attacks. On Mrs Suu Kyi and the pro-democracy movement, which
have taken a particularly shrill tone since last month, when the
party challenged the regime by holding a national congress
against its wishes.

The government detained 262 people in an effort to block the meeting.

Amnesty international yesterday reported that at least 35 of the
pro-democracy politicians were still in jail.

The London-based organisation said the 35 included eight people
who were recently arrested, while the other 27 were believed to
be held in Rangoon's Insein Prison, which is notorious for torture.

"As the crackdown against political opposition in Myanmar [Burma]
continues, Amnesty International has learned of the arrests of
eight more people, apparently for their peaceful opposition
activities," said the statement, received in Bangkok.

"The organisation fears for their safety in detention as
illtreatment is commonplace in Myanmar."

The eight new arrests included one of the bodyguards of Mrs Suu
Kyi, San Hlaing, 27, who has not been heard from since the
evening of June 13.

Three others, including a Mandalay Division NLD party leader,
were apparently arrested for possessing political letters and
material from outlawed organisations.

A source close to the NLD said authorities had so far failed to
acknowledge Mr San Hlaing's detention.

"They still haven't told us anything. So we are really worried
about him," the source said. "Anything can happen."

Amnesty International said his detention boosted the total number
of opposition activists believed to be held to as many as 151, with 154 
confirmed released since the junta's crackdown began a month ago.

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

BKK POST: THAI-BURMA PANEL MEETS TO DISCUSS BORDER TENSION
June 20, 1996

THAILAND and Burma must work together to amicably settle the
border demarcation row, a constant irritant in their relations,
to ease military tension along their common borders, the Third
Army Region commander said yesterday.

The Naresuan Force is now standing face-to-face with 2,000
Burmese soldiers along an area covering 32 square kilometres in
Chiang Mai's Mae Ai District opposite Ban Huay Ha in Burma.

Both sides have deployed troops to safeguard national interests.

At a meeting yesterday of the Thai-Burmese Joint Border Committee
in this northern province Third Army Region commander Thanom
Watcharaphut proposed that the foreign ministries of both
countries meet soon to tackle the borderline dispute.

He also suggested that both sides reduce or completely withdraw
forces from the disputed area.
     
He co-chaired the meeting with Burma's Southeastern Force
commander Maj-Gen Khet Sein.

Lt-Gen Thanom urged Burma to take back thousands of refugees
seeking shelter in Thailand for more than a decade, and illegal
Burmese immigrants who have sneaked into Thailand over the years
through the porous border.

Maj-Gen Khet Sein asked for evidence to prove that these people
were really Burmese and since they carried no identification
cards other methods would be found to prove their nationality,
the Third Region commander said.

Burma, meanwhile, asked Thailand to step up suppression of log
smuggling across the border.

Maj-Gen Khet Sein was told Thailand had already intensified a
crackdown on log smugglers but Rangoon was not doing enough,
particularly when the logs were brought into Thailand with the
assistance of Burmese authorities.

As for the fishing problem in Ranong, Lt-Gen Thanom put forward
the proposal worked out by the Thai Navy and Fisheries Department
urging both countries to set up a special committee to settle
disputes.

Burma's response wouldn't be known until tomorrow, when the
meeting concludes, because the Burmese delegation had to refer
the matter back to Rangoon.

Burma ordered indefinite closure of the Ranong-Victoria Point
border checkpoint last year and banned all Thai trawlers from
operating in its waters after Thai fishermen allegedly killed the
Burmese crew of a fishing vessel.

Lt-Gen Thanom congratulated Burma for its success in persuading
drug warlord Khun Sa to surrender since that has helped reduce
drug trafficking along the Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai, Mae Hong Son
and Tak borders.

He also thanked Burma which recently released a number of Thai prisoners.

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

NATION: US-BURMA POLICY NEEDS RETHINKING
June 20, 1996

A whirlwind tour to Asean and Japan by two special American
envoys on Burma has stirred debate in Bangkok , writes The
Naiton's Yindee Lertcharoenchok.

The American [government] is so good in making empty threats. And
last week's trip is just another example of such a threat," noted
one senior Thai official when asked to comment on the visit to
the region by two special US envoys on Burma.

It seems the US government expected nothing more than big media
publicity of the high-profile six-country tour by William Brown
and Stanley Roth.

"In terms of any substance, that's another question," the Thai
official added.

The official's remark was shared by Burmese dissidents who
attended the press conference in Bangkok last Saturday given by
the two envoys at the end of their one-week Burma mission that
included brief stops in Japan, the Philippines, Singapore,
Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand.

Brown, former ambassador to Thailand from 1985-1988, and Roth, a
presidential security adviser, were sent to the region "to
consult on coordinated response' following the Burmese junta's
sweeping arrests of over 260 political activists of the National
League for Democracy (NLD).

"They didn't say anything new that wasn't known or published
before," complained one dissident.

Several Burmese exiles and Burma campaigners at the news briefing
could not help but express strong disappointment that neither
Brown nor Roth had made use of their presence in Bangkok, the
city with closest proximity to Burma, to convey a strong and
substantive message to the intransigent ruling Burmese State Law
and Order Restoration Council (Slorc). Also the two failed to
spell out, in concrete terms, possible US retaliatory measures.

Apart from a bland opening statement, repetition of responses and
threats of possible economic sanctions, the US delegation was as
vague as before they embarked on the trip as to how Washington
would deal with the growing critical political tension and
potential outburst of violence in Burma, they added.

Although the US envoys could claim some success in drawing
regional and international attention to their mission it appears
they failed in the very objective of their mission - namely to
convince Japan and Asean countries to take a tougher stance
towards the Slorc and to find a common collective approach to
reverse the political situation in Burma.

Asean diplomats said while the US and Asean members have shared
similar concern over the ongoing political confrontation between
Slorc and the NLD and a desire for a peaceful solution, both
sides still differed on several fundamental principles and
approaches to the matter.

The US tends to be outspoken and critical but its repeated messages or 
threats often carry no weight because of lack of backup action. It is a 
typical case of words not being matched with deeds.

Asean, however, prefers a softer approach of quiet and
face-saving diplomacy, they added.

The diplomats said even though Indonesian Foreign Minister Ali
Alatas had last week rejected a recommendation of senior Asean
officials that he travel to Rangoon to voice Asean concern at the
political situation in Burma, the rejection itself served to
convey a clear message to both Slorc and the NLD. Moreover, the
grouping still retains a low-profile channel with the military
regime in order to communicate and put their message across
without creating a big commotion, they added.

Although individual Asean members such as Thailand and the
Philippines promptly aired their concerns over the arrests of the
NLD members, Asean diplomats said the remarks did not at all
reflect that the regional grouping was having second thoughts
over its constructive engagement policy with Burma.

In Asean's view, constructive engagement is still the best means
to bring about national reconciliation and democracy in Burma.

The diplomats questioned Washington's real intentions behind the
campaign tour by the two envoys, which, they said were
practically devised to serve American self-interests. The US
government is particularly good in announcing threats without
backing them with action, they said.

"It's so easy for them to threaten small countries like Burma.
But what about China? The US government wouldn't dare take any
real punitive actions against Beijing despite alleged Chinese
violations of copyright. They [Americans] fear Chinese
retaliation and loss of opportunity to other economic powers,"
one diplomat said.

The senior Thai official said he believed Brown's visit was a
conspiracy to thwart attempts by the US Congress to pass an
economic sanctions bill which is gaining growing support in both
the House and Senate. The pending sanctions bill would not only
forbid new US investment in Burma, but its impact would also
affect and force big American corporations like Unocal and Texaco
to eventually pull out of the country.

Washington knows that unless countries like China, Japan and
Asean members cooperate in the economic boycott, its unilateral
sanctions would be pointless and the Americans would ultimately
stand to lose out alone, he added.

On another front, which is of vital importance to the United
States, is Washington's desperate attempt to break the current
impasse over attempts to stop the drug flow into America after
Golden Triangle warlord Khun Sa struck a secret deal with Slorc
in January for his surrender.

Despite the initial outcry, threats and a US$2 million (Bt50
million) reward for the arrest of a man it has accused of being
responsible for over 60 per cent of the heroin flow into the US,
Washington later found itself in limbo after Slorc's outs right
refusal to comply with American requests for Khun Sa's
extradition, said the Thai official.

In its quest to win support from Asian and European friends,
ironically, the US; now finds itself more and more isolated in
its Burma policy with Asean and Japan refusing to toe
Washington's line. Also, US allies in the European Union have
failed to live up to their commitments to support democracy and
human rights in Burma, despite giving so much lip-service to it.
This non-action can be attributed to pressing European domestic politics.

The EU could not come up with a common statement denouncing Slorc
for its crackdown on the NLD because the British government
refused to cooperate with other European members in helping reach
a consensus unless the 15-nation union lifted its embargo on
British beef exports in light of the "mad cow" disease. 

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

BKK POST: KAREN CONFLICT PROMPTS BORDER ALERT
June 20, 1996

SECURITY forces are on 24 hour alert amid clashes between the
Karen National Union and the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army
across the border from Tha Song yang.

Measures to protest local people and prevent incursions have been
stepped up as the Rangoon backed renegades try to regain Bophawta
camp, said Pol Lt-Col Pairoj Rimprakhone, commander of Border
Patrol Police Company 344. Units from the Naresuan Task Force and
the Fourth Infantry Regiment, rangers and territorial defence
volunteers are part of the security operation, he said. 

Following renegade threats to attack the Sho Klo refugee camp, a
number of Karen, especially women children and the elderly, have
escaped since Sunday, he said.

DKBA forces fired 81mm mortar rounds at Sho Klo on Thursday,
injuring three Karen women and a number of children.

Last year, more than 100 Karen crossed to Ban Nong Bua to escape
fighting as the DKBA made an unsuccessful attempt to regain Bophawta.

Some 700 Karenni have crossed the Ban Nai Soy pass into Thailand
to escape fighting between Rangoon government troops and soldiers
of the Karenni National Progressive Party in central Kayah State.

Most of the refugees are women, children and the elderly. They
are living with relatives at Ban Pang Tractor and Ban Pang Kwai
40 kilometres from the Mae Hong Son town centre.

Foreign non-government organisations are providing the refugees
with food and medicine.

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

DBSO: STATEMENT ON THE CONTINUING REPRESSION IN BURMA
June 18, 1996

We,  the Democratic Burmese Students' Organization, reaffirm our 
commitment to uphold solidarity with the people of Burma who are currently 
standing firm for the democratic changes in the country.  We unreservedly 
condemn the repressive acts of SLORC in arresting two hundred students in 
addition to the continuing detention of elected  representatives.   We are
also concerned by the prospect of renewed repression in the form of direct 
confrontation between the security  forces and the unarmed civilians. 
Therefore,  we call for resolving the current national crisis in a peaceful 
manner and the holding of a political dialogue inclusive of all parties 
concerned, which has now become an agenda for the very survival of our 
country.  

Here, we humbly propose  the United States Government, the Congress,
the local governments, the NGOs and other international organizations to 
consider the following measures to prevent further violence in Burma:

-  Establishment of  multilateral sanctions on Burma through the United
Nations mechanisms or regional alliances towards effective pressure  on the 
SLORC to prevent further deterioration of the human rights situation;
	
-  Visa restrictions on officials of the SLORC government and the Armed
Forces of Burma and deny SLORC  crucial access to international capital and 
support;
	
-  Downgrading of diplomatic relations with the SLORC unless the SLORC
accepts a meaningful dialogue in resolving the crisis;
	
-  Official boycott on the "Visit Myanmar Year" organized by the SLORC
through the means of slave labor and forced relocation in the tourism projects;
	
-  Unconditional release of all political prisoners including the recent
detainees.   

In  accordance with our obligations, we pledge to intensify our endeavors in  
mobilizing our resources to act on the following tasks until we see the
implementation of the above measures. 

-  We shall continue to hold a relay fasting until June 19, 1996 when we
will celebrate  the 51st birthday of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi while reviewing the 
unfolding developments inside the country;

-  We shall mobilize our engagement through various mediums to ask
governments, especially the United States Government, which has true 
national interest of terminating the drug flow caused by  lack of accountable 
government and political instability, as well as promoting the democratic
values that America has defended for centuries. We will seek international 
campaigns in coordination with concerned students  from various parts of the 
world to act locally through a chain of networks  and internet to advance
awareness of the critical actions on Burma.

Keeping in line with  the above considerations, we welcome the initiative 
taken by the United States  Government in sending special envoys to Asia to 
facilitate an international coalition dedicated for the democratic changes in 
Burma.  We deem that, continuing support of international forces in the cause 
of Burmese democracy is very crucial, as we stress that the key now in 
meeting the challenge posed by the Burma crisis is for international pressure 
to remain steadfast and enforced.  
 
Everyone  of us, each day of this ongoing crisis in our country, has held out 
hope for a peaceful solution.  We will continue to assist our internal forces 
in search of a way to end this crisis without further conflict. The present 
crisis poses us both challenges and opportunities and we will accept our duty 
to realize all our hopes comes to fruition. A dawn is rising over Burma and 
the day shall come to us. 

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

MNRC: MONTHLY REPORT OF MON NATIONAL RELIEF COMMITTEE 
June 19, 1996  (abridged)

"But the manners of Thai authorities in driving out the suffering farmers 
and confiscating land are inhumane and maltreatment of a weak community." 

Since January, the MNRC and the Mon Resettlement  Committee which was
formed with mostly New Mon State Party(NMSP) members from concerned
District Administrative Body, have encouraged the refugees to prepare for rice
plantation in this rainy season. To facilitate for smooth plantation process  
that NMSP's committee has arranged sharing land to the refugees
who planned for growing rice, and the MNRC and the donor organization,
Burmese Border Consortium, provided available tools such as machete, grass
scythe, hoe, axe, saw, file and whetstone for them. The method of rice
plantation in the mountainous area is normally slash and burnt. 

According to registers received by MNRC from respective sites, there were 259
families from Halockhani, 143 families from Bee Ree and only 91 families from
Tavoy Area registered to grow rice and then, when MNRC distribute rice seeds
to those farmers, it was noted that 29 families from Halockhani and 5 families
from Bee Ree have failed to grow. They explained that they changed for other 
crops instead of rice, such as chilly and vegetables,because some said 
they failed to grow as they have been delayed for preparation time. 
Even the MNRC and Mon Resettlement Committee have attempted
to encourage  all refugees to grow, rebuild  houses and other needed
structures in the camps.

Numbers of estimated farmer families reduced for several reasons. The land
dispute in borderline areas  close to Halockhani camp occurred between 
Mon refugee farmers and Thai authorities.

For several decades, the land along the borderline of Three Pagoda Pass has
remained a complicated area for owning land between Thai and Burmese peoples,
and since 1991, the Mon refugees have become victims of forced relocation
because of land disputes in this area. The current land dispute area is so
called "Baleh Hanook" where a few hundred Mon refugees had been moved
and relocated to Loh Loe in 1991. The Thai authorities always believe that if
the Mons took longer time staying there, the Burmese authorities will
claim the land is owned by Burma. That is why the Mon refugees have 
had to move from one place to another. 

Following the land dispute, the Thai authorities including military and
border police drove out about 50 Mon refugee farmers from that area and also
confiscated their tools which were mostly distributed by donor
organization. The fears of the Thai authorities has consistently created
the forced relocations of Mon refugees since 1991 and then, they also did not
allow the Mon refugees to resettlement them again in Thai territory after
those refugees were attacked by Burmese troops in July 1994. The Thai military
forced the refugees back from border police check-point to former dangerous
campsite again. 
 
At the same time when Mon farmers were forced out from their rice plantation
without receiving any protection even from the NMSP, the new arrivals from
several local Mon villages had plantations confiscated

 The original native places of new arrivals of Halockhani are from various village
of Ye township of Mon State, Yebyu township of Tenasserim Division
and Kya Inn Seik Kyi of Karen State. All new arrivals from Tavoy Area have 
come from their origin home villages of Yebyu township. 

According to interviews conducted by MNRC, most of them escaped from human
rights abuses committed by SLORC local troops such as conscriptions of forced
labours and porters, and collection of various kinds of tax in their origin
villages. Besides such kinds of abuses, the torturing of villagers is still
occurring in local areas, as the Burmese soldiers haven't abandoned their
previous bad behaviours towards the people. The most terrible area is
Tenasserim Division where the military government is implementing several
infrastructure projects such as Ye -Tavoy railway and gas pipe - line. 
For the moment, the MNRC already completed transportation process of all
supplies to its all camps to stock - pile in rainy season. The rainy season
have already started in the third week of May and it might be difficult to
transport rice to Halockhani and impossible to Tavoy Area, because all
roads which was used for transportation have collapsed. Therefore, the MNRC
could not transport more supplies for those new arrivals and the stock -
piling assistance in the camp will not cover  the refugees to the end of year. 

In comparison with other refugees  such as Cambodians, Kurds and
Afghans who escaped of human rights abuses in their origin country, Burma's
ethnic refugees receive very little international protection. Thai doesn't welcome 
the well organized international protection of Burmese refugees like the
principles they accepted on the Thai - Cambodia border. 

The Kachin refugees who have been taking refuge along Chinese border
neither received the international protection nor available assistance for
survival and therefore, the Kachin refugee community is the most isolated
one among the several refugees from Burma. 

Even though the Mon, Karen, Karenni and Shan refugees of Thai - Burma border
received available assistance for survival, but sometimes the supplies
were blocked to transport when the pressure from Thai authorities was
intense, and the safety of them always in danger.  

Particularly, the Mon and Karen refugees have been attacked by Burmese
troops and refugees were arrested, detained, killed and kidnapped. Because
of such experience, the refugees always feel very unsafe in Thailand. 

Initially,  victims who suffered under the military inhumane governance
and latter, suffering has reached  them even in the border
camps where they hoped for a safe haven. 

However, international protection is still reluctant and no
organization can relieve such sufferings. The international attention
has not reached  them only when they were in hard situation such as 
they were forced to move, attacked by military and other violations. 
The situation of Burma's ethnic refugees is due to the lack of
international protection, while Burma the country of origin, does not have
a productive situation for repatriation. Until the time is reached for
repatriation, the refugees still need the international protection
provided to refugees in other countries of asylum according to international
protection law on refugees. 

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

VOA: BURMA-SUU KYI
June 20, 1996
from: john scherb <mcs@xxxxxxxxxxxx>

Intro:  The military government in Burma has issued new warnings 
against what it calls attempts by foreigners to dictate the 
country's political future.  as V.O.A's Dan Robinson reports, the
latest comments by the ruling military junta follow amnesty 
international's expression of concern about democracy activists 
held in jail since last month.

Text:  Burma's state-run media have recently taken special aim at
what the military government calls attempts by foreigners to 
interfere in burma and cause unrest.

Broadcasts of the voice of America and BBC-- still the main 
source of un-censored news in burma -- have come in for 
particularly harsh criticism.  

Wednesday, one commentary referred derogatorily to two special 
u-s envoys who recently toured six asian nations to express 
clinton administration concern about the situation in burma.

The envoys said asian governments shared u-s concern about the 
potential for violence in burma, and the need for a political 
dialogue.  They said if there is violence burma might become a 
problem for the regional organization ASEAN (Association of 
SouthEast Asian Nations).  

The commentary in a military-controlled english-language newspaper 
accused Washington of trying to "arm-twist" Burma's neighbors.  

At a recent meeting in Malaysia, Burma's foreign minister (Ohn 
Gyaw) dismissed suggestions Burma's admission as an ASEAN
observer might be affected by the political situation.

a report by Amnesty International says at least 35 democracy 
activists remain in jail following arrests of NLD members last month.

Amnesty says it knows of only 156 members of Aung San Suu Kyi's 
party who had been released -- out of more than 250 rounded up by
the government before a NLD congress.  

In another development, a Japanese government spokesman said 
Tokyo had been told by its embassy in Rangoon that Burma's 
military is not preparing to arrest Aung San Suu Kyi.

A Japanese newspaper (Mainichi Shimbun) -- quoting what it called
unidentified sources in tokyo -- said the military government was
preparing to  arrest the democracy leader.  but Rangoon-based 
diplomats and other observers reacted to the report with skepticism.  

******************************************************.

DOW JONES: UNOCAL CEO DENIES USE OF FORCED LABOR 
June 20, 1996
To: Burmanet <christin@xxxxxxxxxx>

 LONDON -- Unocal Corp.'s (UCL) chief executive denied the company is 
using forced or unpaid labor to build a natural gas pipeline connecting 
Burma to Thailand.

 Roger Beach said in an interview with Cable News Network that the 
company has ''a sophisticated audit program'' at the village level to ensure 
villagers working for the project or for the military are paid.
 ''We pay them all, we make sure,'' Beach said in the interview, which was 
monitored in London.
Beach was responding to reports, including earlier reports by Amnesty 
International and the U.S. State Department, about the use of forced and 
unpaid labor in Burma.

 Unocal and its joint-venture partner Total SA (TOT) of France, are 
building a 409-kilometer, $1 billion pipeline to connect the Yadanda 
offshore gas field in Burma to the Thai border. It will be used to deliver 
650 million cubic feet a day.
 Beach said the information in the reports ''just is not true.''
 ''I've been there, I've seen it, we document everything,'' he added. ''We're 
going to great extremes to make sure everyone voluntarily works and 
everyone is paid.''   

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INDEPENDENT REPORT: FREE BURMA CAMPAIGN (SOUTH AFRICA)
June 19, 1996

Today's launch of the Free Burma Campaign on the campus of the University 
of Durban-Westville was no spectacular affair.  Few , it appeared, had 
heard about the struggles in Burma or for that matter were able to place 
it on a map.  Nonetheless, more people know the name of Aung San Suu Kyi 
today than was the case yesterday and there is a growing appreciation of 
the oppression that ordinary Burmese citizens experience. We are very 
hopeful that this movement that we have begun will gather momentum in the 
days and weeks ahead.  The list of supporters signing up to join our 
"convening committee" is growing.  We have acquired a prominent 
noticehead in front of the student union to which we will attach pictures 
and news briefs on a daily basis.  We are also keen on linking up with 
fraternal organistions such as Amnesty International.  The highlight of 
the day was being interviewed by Kyaw Zantha of the BBC's Burmese Service 
which I expect will be broadcast this evening.

Our appreciation goes out to all those individuals and organisations from 
around the world who have sent and are continuing to send messages of 
support and campaign materials to assist in our common cause.

Our cherished hope is that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's next birthday will be 
in a liberated Burma

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