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BurmaNet News: June 26, 1996
- Subject: BurmaNet News: June 26, 1996
- From: strider@xxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Wed, 26 Jun 1996 00:37:00
-------------------------- BurmaNet -------------------------------
"Appropriate Information Technologies, Practical Strategies"
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The BurmaNet News: June 26, 1996
Issue #452
Noted in Passing:
Life is seldom dull for dissidents in Burma. I just looked
up "dissident" in three different dictionaries and the
definition I like best is "one who disagrees with the aims
and procedures of the government." That about sums
up the position of the National League for Democracy (NLD)
and others working for democracy in Burma.
(see: MAINICHI DAILY NEWS: DAW SUU'S LETTER
FROM BURMA #31)
HEADLINES:
==========
MAINICHI DAILY NEWS: DAW SUU'S LETTER FROM BURMA #31
KNU: KNU DELEGATION TO RANGOON
LETTER : TO BILL CLINTON FROM PROFESSOR U KYAW WIN
ABSDF: REPORT ON THE KARENNI REFUGEES
TRAVEL AND TRADE REPORT: ON VISIT MYANMAR YEAR
VOA: BURMA CONSUL
WALL STREET JOURNAL: CARLSBERG & BURMA
FTUB: REPORT - SLORCS ATROCITIES ON INDO-BURMA BORDER
FTUB(WB): THREE QUESTIONS TO DETAINEES BY SLORC
INTERVIEW: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DAILY PRESS BRIEFING
KYODO: SUU KYI REJECTS JUNTA-DRAFTED CONSTITUTION
NATION:BURMA'S BORDER SUCCESS BRINGS BRUTALITY
CFB: PEPSICO OPENLY ENDORSING ARMY RULE IN BURMA
UPI: SINGAPORE'S LEE CITED AT BURMA RALLY
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MAINICHI DAILY NEWS: DAW SUU'S LETTER FROM BURMA #31
June 24, 1996
LIFE IS SELDOM DULL FOR THOSE WHO DISAGREE
"A Dissident's Life"
Letter from Burma (No. 31) by Aung San Suu Kyi
Life is seldom dull for dissidents in Burma. I just looked up "dissident"
in three different dictionaries and the definition I like best is "one who
disagrees with the aims and procedures of the government." That about sums
up the position of the National League for Democracy (NLD) and others
working for democracy in Burma: We disagree with the present aims and
procedures of the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC). Agreeing
to disagree is a prerogative only of those who live under a democratic
system. Under an authoritarian regime, disagreeing can be seen as a crime.
This makes life for us rather difficult. Sometimes dangerous. But
certainly not dull.
The main issue on which we disagree with SLORC is the matter of promises.
We hold that a promise given to the nation should be honored, not cast aside
with a shrug and a sneer when "it no longer suits" them. When the military
regime took over power in September 1988 it announced that it had no
intention of governing the country for a long period. It would assume the
responsibility of bringing genuine multiparty democracy to Burma and power
would be transferred to the party that proved victorious in "free and fair
elections." The elections of May 1990 were hailed as one of the freest and
fairest ever and the NLD won 82 percent of the seats. As this was not the
result SLORC had expected it decided to forget its earlier promise and
brought out Notification 1/90 (another nice Orwellian touch), according to
which the job of the elected representatives was merely to draw up a state
constitution. But once the NLD and other political parties had been made to
sign an undertaking to abide by this notification, SLORC proceeded to
organize a National Convention in which less than one fifth of the delegates
were elected representatives of the people. The duty of the convention was
to endorse the basic principles of the state constitution which had been
laid down by the authorities without reference to public sentiment.
It has been recognized by successive resolutions of the United Nations
General Assembly that the will of the people of Burma expressed through the
elections of 1990 remains valid. In May, on the sixth anniversary of the
elections, the NLD decided to organize a conference of its elected
representatives. This would have been a simple enough matter in countries
where political parties are allowed to operate as genuine political
organizations. Not so in Burma. Even the day to day running of an NLD
office requires perseverance, patience, ingenuity and cool nerves. To begin
with, a landlord who rents out office space to the NLD is told that his
house or apartment could be sealed off or confiscated at any time the
authorities consider that the activities of the party justify such a move.
Thus finding a place to use as a party office is the first hurdle that has
to be overcome, giving members of the NLD much practice in political
education and friendly persuasion. In some places the NLD was obliged to
move its office several times because of pressure exerted on landlords. In
others the NLD was made to shift its office from a main road to a back
street so its presence would not be so obvious.
The presence of an NLD office is generally made known by its signboard.
When political parties were allowed to register with the Multi-Party
Elections Commission in 1988 they were also allowed to put up party
signboards on the exterior walls or perimeter of their offices. But after a
few months during which bright red and white NLD signboards blossomed all
over Burma from big cities to forgotten little hamlets deep in the
countryside, it was announced that no party signboards should be put up in
offices at the village and ward level. The reason given was that a
multiplicity of party signs in small villages and wards would lead to
clashes among members of the respective parties. This was unconvincing as
no such clashes had taken place and in many little villages and wards the
NLD was the only party with an office and a signboard. We discussed the
matter with the commission and a compromise was reached. Signboards would
be allowed in village and ward offices which had already put them up, or
sent in applications to put them up before, if I remember the date
correctly, Dec. 16, 1988.
But there are still villages and wards where the decision of the commission
has been ignored by the local authorities and NLD offices are still
continuing the struggle to be allowed to put up signboards outside their
usually very modest premises. There are places where NLD offices have been
told to reduce the size of their signboards. There have been cases where
local authorities have objected to NLD offices putting back signboards that
had been temporarily removed for renovation. There have been instances of
local authorities forcing NLD offices to remove their signboards; recently
in some towns in the Irrawaddy Division, members of the local Red Cross and
the Union Solidarity and Development Association have joined in these
operations. Where else in the world has the matter of a party signboard
turned into an open-ended saga?
(This article is one of a yearlong series of letters.)
***********************************************************
KNU: KNU DELEGATION TO RANGOON
June 18, 1996
Office of the Supreme Headquaters Karen National Union Kawthoolei
Department of information press sstatement for immediate release
In continuation of dialogue between the Karen National Union (KNU)
and the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC), the KNU
Headquarters has sent a delegation consisting of members as mentioned
below.
(1)Gen. Tamla Baw Head of Delegation
(2)Mahn Sha Dar Phan Deputy Head of Delegation
(3)Saw David Taw Member
(4)Saw Thamain Htoon Member
(5)Mahn Aung Tin Myint Member
(6)Saw Zaw Naung Chief of Office Staff
(7)Mahn Chit Sein Joint Chief of Office Staff
(8)Saw Min Htoo Documentation
(9)Saw Nyi Nyi Documentation
(10)Saw Gyee Ji Medical Office
(11)Saw Sheh Per All-round Assistant
The Union of Burma still lacks peace and stability. It is vitally necessary for
all the political forces involved in the political affairs of the Union to resolve
problems, with profound farsightedness, through the process of dialogue.
Accordingly, the KNU has engaged the SLORC in dialogue, with integrity
and a firm position aas a basis. We hereby reaffirm that we will continue to
hold dialogue with the SLORC time and again for a peaceful settlement.
********************************************************
LETTER : TO BILL CLINTON FROM PROFESSOR U KYAW WIN
June 24, 1996
Dear Mr. President:
I was outraged by a statement Ambassador William Brown made at a recent
press conference to the effect that forced labor and use of porters by
Burma's State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) has all but
vanished and that the United States should re-assess its view of Burma. If
Ambassador Brown did make such an assertion, it should be repudiated.
This assertion is not dissimilar to the position one might have taken after
Hitler, during World War II, slaughtered millions of Jews until fewer of
them remained and then coming out with the statement that the holocaust
had diminished, if not vanished.
SLORC is determined to remain in power regardless of the cost in human
suffering. If national reconciliation and peace were truly the generals'
sincere objectives, they should at once engage in dialogue with opposition
leader Aung San Suu Kyi and the ethnic peoples.
I once again urge you to depute a statesman of former President Jimmy
Carter's stature to go to Burma and offer the United States' good offices
to avoid a possible recurrence of the massacres of 1988.
Time is running out, Mr. President. Please act now.
Sincerely,
U Kyaw Win
Professor
*********************************************************
ABSDF: REPORT ON THE KARENNI REFUGEES
June 25, 1996
The victims:
More than 20,000 ethnic Karenni who had been living in a swath of
central Kayah State were forced to relocate into Shar Daw town by June 7,
according to the orders dated May 31 issued by Slorc IB (54), LIB (337)
and (530).
96 villages situated between the Salween River and Pun Creek in
Karenni State were ordered to abandon their native villages and moved to
new place in order to cut all ties between the local people and Karenni
forces.
These villages are (1) Daw kaweet (2) Daw taku, (3) Daw Einda, (4)
Daw Nawkin (5) Tee Taraku, (6) Tee Leh, (7) Naw Plu (8) Daw Tamaw (9) Leh
Dukaw (10) Daw Musay (11) Leh Da (12) Thaw Thwi Leh (13) Daw Muleh (14)
Naw Aw Lay (15) Klaw Leh (16) Tee Kaboleh (17) Su Leh (18) Daw Wan Raw
(19) Hurida (East), (20) Hurida (West) (21) Daw The Phu (22) Daw Noh Ku
(23) Daw Klaw Leh (24) Daw Kloku (25) Daw Mumar (26) Daw The (27) Daw So
Khai (28) Daw Soe (29) Daw Kraw Aw (30) Pana Leh (31) Tee Thoku (32) Tin
Lan (33) Daw Leh Ku (34) Daw Low Bu (35) Nam Loi Yin (36) Daw Ei Taw (37)
Shardaw (north), (38) Shardaw (east), (39) Tee Kuleh (40) Shardaw (west)
(41) Shardaw (south), (42) Pa Lai Lai (43) Daw Soesa (44) Daw Pu Ei (45)
Bu Law Ku (46) Si Ko Keleh (47) Daw Tama (48) Daw Tamaw (49) Daw Klawleh
Do (50) Daw thaw Bu (51) Daw Ei Lah (52) Daw The (53) Nga Moloh Soe (54)
Daw Klawleh Phu (55) Daw Miku (56) Daw Ei Sa (57) Daw kloku (58) Daw Tu
Tho (59) Daw Klai The (60) Daw Kloka (61) Daw Soe Kyai (62) Tee Kay Leh
(63) Daw Klaw Du (64) Den Lah (65) Daw Sodo (66) Daw Kloku (67) Daw Thaw
Ku (68) Daw Tama (69) Daw Tamwi (70) Daw Bolo (71) Daw Musay (72) Daw Kraw
Aw (73) Daw Lehda (74) Su Leh (75) Daw Sar Si (76) Daw Lat Leh (77) Daw He
So (78) Nam Phe Ku (79) Mana Khu (80) Daw Leh Ku (81) Tee The Ku (82) Daw
Kulee (83) Wam Loi (84) Paku Da (85) Wam Pila (86) Nam Lim (87) Leh Way
(88) Mime Lam (89) Wam Pha Gyi (90) Wam Pla (91) Wam Chat (92) Man Nob
(93) Ai Kwe (94) Sa Laung (95) Wam Aw 1, (96) Wam Aw 2.
The orders
The following is the one of the orders issued by the Slorc to the
villages in the area.
May 30, 1996
Regarding the above-mentioned case, we were ordered to move the villagers
from the villages between Salween River and Pun Creek and villages in
southern and northern part of Shar Daw into Shaw Daw ton by June 7, 1996
inorder to restore peace, law and tranquillity in the region. Anyone
fails to comply the order will be puished as the enemies, according to the
order.
Thus, we inform you to move your whole village ino Shaw Daw not
later than June 7, 1996. The moving villages will be resettleed by the
Township Lorc.
Signed
cc. - Chairman State Lorc, Kayah State - Chirman District LORC, Kayah
State - Front line office, LIB 337, Shar Daw town - Chairman, Market ward,
South, middle and Aung Chan Tha - in order to assist the resettlement.
The situation in Shar Daw:
About 10,000 villagers went to stay in Shar Daw town while most of
them either moved to Shan State or fled to Thai-Burmese border. Those who
went to Shar Daw according to the order were placed in the churches and
schools there. There are very crowded and no food nor medicines were
provided to the arrivals. Due to the crowed populaces and lack of medical
assistance, the diseases like diarrhea and cholera are breaking out in the
shelters.
When the villagers asked the permission to go back village to
carry the rice and food for themselves, three days were allowed. When they
arrived back to the shelter, all food and rice are seized by the Slorc and
later they distributed six tins per family for daily use.
In addition to the harsh situation in the temporary place, the
villagers faced other forms of extortion. All the household moved to Shar
Daw must register their family registration at the Immigration Department.
Every household were asked 30 kyats for one family registration to the
authorities as a bribe. Another 5 kyats per person when the villagers
returned back their village to bring the rice and food, was demanded for
the gate pass. ( Interviews with the refugees who went there and escaped
later to the border)
The remaining villages:
The villagers had to abandon all their properties such as house,
farms, furniture, domestic animals and silver coins which are being still
used for trade in the neighborhood. For Daw Leh Ku only, village of 22
houses, 30,000 baskets of paddy and about 100 cows and buffaloes were left
behind. ( interview with the villager from the village)
Traditionally, the Karenni uses for marketing and trading. They
save them in the bamboo joints at home. they could not bring along with
them when they decided to flee to the border area so that many coins were
left in the villages. the soldiers burnt down the houses and took the
silver coins. Many eyewitnesses said they saw soldiers were using and
selling the silver coins in Shar Daw.
So far, at least ten villages were burnt down by the Slorc and the
remaining properties were destroyed and taken by the Slorc troop. One
hundred houses in Daw Tama and Daw Bo Leh villages including schools and
churches were gushed down on June 15, by the Slorc and about 10,000 silver
coins were taken. One villager told that he, himself left 6,000 silver
coins behind.
The journey to the border:
Although the villages and the border is only two days walks far,
many refugees took at least five days to reach to the border. The heavy
rain on the way and Slorc's attempt to prevent the people from escaping
into Thailand made the refugee to hide and walk only in the night time.
Troop from IB(54), based in Loikaw, IB(94) based in Shwe Nyaung (Shan
State) and LIB (530) based in Lawpita were send to the region to prevent
and arrest the fleeing villagers. Some were arrested on the way to border
and sent to the concentration camp in Shar Daw. In one case, villagers
from Htee Saw Ku were arrested while they stopped to help one women in the
group give birth on the way to the border.
Most of the refugees arrived to the border are women and children.
No death causality was reported so far. Many pregnant women gave birth on
their way to border.
Some clashes were occurred between the Slorc and KNPP troops
recently. On June 22, two fighting were occurred near Daw Ka Lu village ,
which was 10 kilometers far from the border. On June 23, a five-hour
fierce battle was broke out on the border while KNPP troops were helping
the fleeing refugees.
Refugees in Thailand:
Over 2,000 Karenni refugees are being taken in villages of Ban Nai
Soi, Ban Mai, Ban Pang Tractor, Ban Pangkhauy and Ban Mai Pang Pung inside
Thailand with the help of foreign humanitarian organizations. They are
staying in make-shift shelters giving them little protection from the
monsoon rains.
********************************************************
TRAVEL AND TRADE REPORT: ON VISIT MYANMAR YEAR
June 25, 1996
from: "moe k. t." <moe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
MASS media reports on the crackdown on pro-democracy groups has resulted in
a drop in tourist arrivals into Myanmar and agents say this doesn't look good
for the run-up to Visit Myanmar Year which begins on 1 October.
However Myanmar Airways and THAI - the two main carriers with daily flights
to Yangon - report high loads from mostly business people.
The crackdown by the SLORC military hasn't stifled foreign investment
although hoteliers say they are worried that expected influx in tourist
arrivals will be delayed until the polical conflict improves.
SLORC is expected to soon announce a constitution which will be binding on
the country's many nationalities. The constitution will enable a greater
access to regions that are not on the tourist map for safety reasons.
SLORC has placed a ban on visiting journalists but there is no restriction
of tourist visas. Visas are being processed on demand at Burmese
embassies. The Bangkok embassy is processing visa applications within 15
minutes. Applicants are required to supply three passport photographs and
the fee of Bt600.
Tourists are still required to cash US4300 into foreign exchange
certificates which can be used for payment to hotels, restaurants and
souvenir shops.
SLORC is encouraging visitors to be part of tours. It has passed a law
which prohibits independent travel within the country but has been
reluctant to invoke the law as it could affect the world-wide campaign for
Visit Myanmar Year.
Hotel developers rushed to complete several luxury hotels in time for Visit
Myanmar Year on the understanding that the promotional year would see a
swelling in visitor arrivals.
But hotels report that the upmarket tourists that can afford to stay in
four-star hotels has yet to eventuate. Most arrivals are budget travellers.
Hotels are relying on business travellers to lift room occupancy. The
Summit Hotel in Yangon has been operating the past year with occupancies of
more than 60%.
The crackdown has kept travellers mostly in the capital. Mandalay has few
tourists and the newly-opened 200-room Novotel Hotel - ideally located on
Mandalay Hill overlooking the renovated Old Palace grounds - is hopeful
that
business will pick up by the year's end. SLORC has been promoting Mandalay
as a secondary tourism zone and the the Novotel is the only luxury hotel in
Mandalay.
The Road to Mandalay luxury cruise ship had a successful opening season but
the E&O operators say they are undecided on what the ship will be used for
during the monsoon rains which begin next month.
One proposal was for the luxury liner to be berthed in Pagan where there
are no luxury hotels and won't be until the Mandarin completes its hotel in
two years.
The first stage of the Baiyoke Teak Hotel has been completed and the hotel
is doing reasonable business trade despite the lack of tourists.
The gardens and swimming pool have still to be completed and, according to
general manager Juergen Voss "the Baiyoke will be something special...it
will appeal to both the business traveller and tourists."
The hotel is built almost entirely of teak and the floors are made from
marble squares.
*********************************************************
VOA: BURMA CONSUL
June 25, 1996
Intro: a group of diplomats is planning to travel Thursday to
Burma to gather details about the death of envoy James Leander
Nichols in a Rangoon jail. The death raised suspicion because
Mr. Nichols was a close friend of pro-democracy activist Aung San
Suu Kyi. As VOA correspondent Gary Thomas reports from
Bangkok, Mr. Nichols was in poor health.
Text: The diplomatic mission is seeking a detailed explanation
of the death of James Leander Nichols, who was honorary consul
for Denmark, Switzerland, and Finland. he previously represented
Norway's interests.
Denmark's ambassador to Thailand, Jurgen Reimers, confirmed Mr.
Nichols was in poor health.
"That was what we knew from before -- that he was
suffering from diabetes, high blood pressure, and then
some eye disease which i cannot remember the name in
english for the time being. But that was also to do
with the high pressure, hypertension."
Mr. Reimers said the diplomats plan to attend a memorial service
for Mr. Nichols this weekend in Rangoon.
---------------------------------------------------------
REUTERS: MORE SCANDINAVIAN DEVELOPMENTS: June 25, 1996
(added)
Indignation at his death was fuelled on Tuesday when London-based human
rights organisation Amnesty International said that his heart condition and
diabetes may have been fatally aggravated by deprivation of sleep during long
interrogations.
``We are calling for a thorough and prompt investigation. We are
concerned that an ill man was not receiving adequate medical treatment,''
Amnesty's Burma researcher Donna Guest told Reuters.
Danish newspapers quoted New York-based Human Rights Watch-Burma as
voicing similar concerns.
There has been no official confirmation of Nichols' death by the ruling
Burmese State Law and Order Restoration Council.
Norway asked the Burmese authorities on Monday for Nichols' medical
report. No reply had been received by Tuesday, Havnen said.
``We are trying to find out everything, everything we can,'' he said.
In Denmark, the main opposition Liberal Party joined the right in calling
for a tougher government line toward Rangoon.
``If we dare not react when our own representative is harassed -- in this
case with death as the result -- when will we do so?'' Bertel Haarder, member
of the Danish and European parliaments asked in the daily Berlingske Tidende.
---------------------------------------------------------
REUTER: FUNERAL OF MR. LEO NICHOLS June 25, 1996
(added)
The funeral of a Burmese businessman, who represented several European
nations and died in a Rangoon jail, was held on Sunday, diplomats
said on Monday.
There was no official confirmation of his death by the ruling Burmese
State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC).
"Leo Nichols died on Saturday. We were told that the funeral took
place on Sunday in Rangoon," a Norwegian Embassy official in Singapore told
Reuters.
He and Bangkok-based diplomats said their governments had not been
formally notified of Nichols' death.
The Norwegian diplomat said he heard the news of Nichols from an
He and other diplomats who worked with Nichols went to Burma several
times since April but the government refused to meet them or hear their
pleas to release Nichols.
*******************************************************
WALL STREET JOURNAL: CARLSBERG & BURMA
June 25, 1996
from: julien moe <moe@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
BURMA: Plans by Danish brewing group Carlsberg to open a plant in
Burma have led to warnings from a local human rights group that it will
face a boycott of its products by consumers. Carlsberg has noted that it
has already announced it is suspending the project pending a meeting with
a Danish group campaigning for Burmese democracy. Local concern about
human rights in Burma were heightened by the death of the Danish honorary
consul in a Rangoon jail recently.
*********************************************************
FTUB: REPORT - SLORCS ATROCITIES ON INDO-BURMA BORDER
June 26, 1996.
from: "ftub (wb)" <aungsan@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
According to the Kabaw valley development programmes local Slorc
commanders founded new villages near Indo-Burma border area
since 1991. These are (1) Aung Zay Ya (2) Sa Ya San and (3)
Bandoola village.
Slorc forced to relocated people from central Burma to these new
villages and promised that each house-hold would be provided with
a house, a five acre of land, 2 cattle and farming tools without
charges, no one wants to live there because there is no electricity no
water, no medical facilities in malaria endemic area.
Total 103 bullock-carts and more than 200 cattle were forcibly took
by regional Slorc from native (Kuki tribe) villages and these were
distributed to the new settlers as they promise.
>From May 15 onwards
20 bullock-carts from Nan Ma Lon village
30 bullock-carts from Chanug Net Kyi
15 bullock-carts from Htan ta Bin villaage
13 bullock-carts from Kyaung Toion village
25 bullock-carts from Nan Pha Lon village.
Therefore local people are facing very difficult condition on
ploughing seasons and also raided between the new settlers and
local native people.
*******************************************************
FTUB(WB): THREE QUESTIONS TO DETAINEES BY SLORC
June 25,1996
Three Questions to detainees (MPs) by SLORC
According to one of the SLORCs detainee (MP), SLORC asked
questions to them when they were in detention.
1. Can Aung San Suu Kyi lead the country? What do you think?
2. What is your opinoin on Aung San Suu Kyis marriage to
foreigners?
3. What is your ideology and what is your opinion upon current
situation?
*******************************************************
INDEPENDENT REPORT: CO-SPONSORS - BURMA FREEDOM BILL
June 25, 1996
More co-sponsors for the House version of Burma Freedom Bill (HR.2892)
Now we have five more co-sponsors for Burma Freedom and Democracy Act
of 1995 (House version - HR.2892). Up to now, there are 15 co-sponsors
in total for the House version of Burma Freedom Bill. The Following are
new co-sponsors for the bill.
Rep. Sam Farr (D-CA) 06/18/96
Rep. Richard "Doc" Hastings (R-WA) 06/18/96
Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) 06/18/96
Rep. Tom Lantos (D-CA) 06/18/96
Rep. Peter A. DeFazio (D-OR) 06/20/96
*******************************************************
INTERVIEW: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DAILY PRESS BRIEFING
June 25, 1996
Briefer: Glyn Davies
Q On Burma, it was reported that one of the Aung San Suu Kyi
supporters died in prison last week, and there are quite a few people
detained in prison.
MR. DAVIES: Right.
Q And are you still considering next steps to be taken for this
Burmese action?
MR. DAVIES: We're always considering steps to be taken. Our
policy toward that nation is always under review. What happened -- and
this was very sad -- was that a gentleman by the name of Leo Nichols,
who was a businessman and a friend of Aung San Suu Kyi, died, and he
died in jail.
Leo Nichols had served as honorary Consul for Norway and was a
local agent for some other countries. He was 65 years old and
reportedly suffered a cerebral hemorrhage in his cell while in prison on
June 22. He had a history of health problems.
We can't say whether or not the reports we're getting from the
Burmese regime are correct or incorrect about his cause of death, but
certainly his imprisonment on a questionable charge and the harsh prison
conditions, which included being kept in isolation, may well have
contributed to his death.
We think that his death heightens the urgency for the SLORC -- the
State Law and Order Restoration Council -- to release all those persons
in Burma who are being held solely for their peaceful exercise of their
basic political rights. There was really no reason to take him into
custody in the first place, and there's certainly no reason for the
Burmese regime to be holding the many individuals they are, including
many members of Parliament-elect who belong to Aung San Suu Kyi's
party.
Q How do you know there was no reason for him to be taken into
custody in the first place?
MR. DAVIES: We don't believe that there was. We believe that his
case is very similar to the cases of the many others who were taken into
custody by the Burmese authorities. By all indications, they appear to
have been taken into custody merely because they belong to a party and
were attempting to have contact with her.
She has a huge following -- Aung San Suu Kyi. Just on Sunday,
5,000 people came to see her speak. She is trying to build a democratic
movement in that country and every time she takes a step to do so, the
Burmese regime blocks her path, including by holding people in
detention. They're playing games. They'll arrest a couple hundred
people; they'll release 100 of them; they'll keep others.
We believe that that kind of arbitrary action is not at all
warranted and ought to cease, and they should allow her and her
supporters to go about their business.
*********************************************************
KYODO: SUU KYI REJECTS JUNTA-DRAFTED CONSTITUTION
June 24, 1996
Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi said Monday the
ruling military junta has no right to draw up a new constitution,
demonstrating that she will continue her fight for democracy despite
a new law aimed at suppressing political dissent.
Suu Kyi said in an interview with Kyodo News, ''Nobody except
for those who were chosen by the people'' (in the aborted 1990
general election) can work out a new constitution for the country.''
The junta, self-styled as the State Law and Order Restoration
Council (SLORC), refuses to recognize the outcome of the election
which brought a landslide victory for Suu Kyi's National League for
Democracy (NLD).
Instead of convening the elected legislature, the junta called a
national assembly to draft a new constitution under which new general
elections are to be held. The parts of the constitution completed so
far guarantee the military a substantial share of posts and influence
in future governments.
On June 7, SLORC banned anyone from inciting, demonstrating,
delivering speeches or expressing either by mouth or in writing
anything that would undermine the prevalence of law and order, public
peace and tranquility, or national reconciliation. The law also
prohibits drafting and publishing a constitution without junta permit.
Violators face 5-20 years imprisonment and any organization
found to violate the law can be dissolved, suspended or outlawed.
Since the enactment of the law, Nobel peace prize laureate Suu
Kyi, who had made a series of speeches attacking the junta since her
release from house arrest in July 1995, has refrained from touching
on the constitution issue in her regular addresses to her supporters
in front of her Yangon home.
The junta arrested more than 260 NLD members last month to
prevent them from attending a party congress held at Suu Kyi's
residence in Yangon. Those who did manage to attend the congress
decided that the NLD should draw up its own constitution.
Against the backdrop of the new law, Suu Kyi said that her party
would discuss what kind of constitution would contribute to
democracy. ''I cannot see why we cannot discuss the (constitutional)
principles,'' she said in the interview.
She reiterated that the law could be abused to suppress any kind
of legitimate political activity while calling on the junta to work
for a detente with its opposition rather than aggravate the situation.
The pro-democracy leader also indirectly criticized the partial
resumption of Japanese official development aid, demanding that any
assistance should be ''absolutely'' linked to democratization and
improvements in human rights.
But she expressed gratitude for Tokyo's response to the
nationwide crackdown on the opposition. ''We are very glad the
Japanese prime minister and foreign minister took a very strong
stance regarding the arrest of NLD members. We all very much
appreciate it,'' she said.
She said the fact that the seven-member Association of Southeast
Asian Nations (ASEAN), which pursues a policy of constructive
engagement with the junta, is moving toward accepting Myanmar as a
member, ''will not improve the image of ASEAN.''
Myanmar, which has expressed the desire to become a full member
of ASEAN in 1998, will be officially welcomed as an observer at an
ASEAN ministerial meeting in mid-July.
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NATION:BURMA'S BORDER SUCCESS BRINGS BRUTALITY
June 25, 1996
from: absdf-mtz <lurie@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
BURMESE troops have entered areas along the Thai border that had
been denied them since independence in 1948, bringing brutal
abuse to hundreds of thousands of people, sources along the
border said.
In the past four months alone, more than 100,000 villagers have
been forced from their homes in the northern two of I five
Burmese states, or divisions, on the 2,401-kilometre border
between the two countries, sources on the Thai side said.
Further south, forced labour and relocations have accompanied
infrastructure projects that are connected with a pipeline
expected to carry natural gas from Burma's Gulf of Martaban to
power plants in Thailand, said the Southeast Asian Information
Network, an independent human rights monitor.
Villagers are also abducted to serve as army porters and work on
tourism-related projects for the military junta's "Visit Myanmar
Year," to be launched in November, according to Amnesty
International and local human rights groups.
Myanmar is the official name for Burma given by the ruling State
Law and Order Restoration Council (Slorc).
Access by the troops to border areas follows ceasefire agreements
between Slorc and 15 armed ethnic groups in recent years, and the
surrender in January of former opium warlord Khun Sa's ethnic
Shan independence movement.
Brutality runs rampant as the junta chases down the remnants of
Khun Sa's army and several other Shan groups, but ceasefire
groups nearby have been allowed to increase their earnings from
opium and heroin production unhindered, border sources said.
Relocations of villagers were pushing the numbers in refugee
camps along the border towards 100,000 people, and the Thai
government says immigrants from Burma constitute the majority of
its estimated 700,000-strong illegal workforce.
The drive to relocate villagers in remote areas of central and
southern Shan State, opposite Thailand's northern Chiang Mai
province, began in March, the Shan Human Rights Foundation said.
"A minimum of 450 villages - at least 80,000 people - have been
relocated ... (They were) told they will be shot on sight if they
return," said a recent report from the foundation based on a
survey of villagers who fled to Thailand.
In Shan State and neighbouring Kayah State, old villages have
been burned and looted, while the relocated residents faced
appalling conditions and became forced labour on road
construction projects, border sources said.
In the first half of this month, Rangoon's troops forced most of
the 20,000 ethnic Karenni who had been living in a swath of
central Kayah State into one small enclave, a Karenni source
said.
More than 2,000 of them have crossed the border, but fighting
broke out on Saturday as Slorc attacked the escape routes, the
Karenni source said by telephone from the Thai province of Mae
Hong Son, opposite Kayah State.
"There was no place for them to live. There was no food, no place
to sleep and no land for thousands of people," at the' relocation
site, the source said.
The Karenni were among those signing d ceasefire agreements, but
government troops entered their territory in violation of the
accords in June last year ostensibly to control illegal logging
an exports.
Successes in the first half of 1995 against a divided Karen
National Union, for nearly five decades the most powerful ethnic
group opposing Rangoon, let the junta attack the Karenni without
fearing attacks on their flanks.
This year the Shan resistance began to fall apart, and the Shan
Human Rights Foundation estimated that several hundred refugees
have been crossing into Chiang Mai every day since April.
"[Slorc] seems to be quite happy for them to come to Thailand.
They are coming by the truckload to the border," a Shan source
said by telephone from Chiang Mai. _
*****************************************************************
CFB: PEPSICO OPENLY ENDORSING ARMY RULE IN BURMA
June 25, 1996
Shareholder and boycott groups are condemning the actions of PepsiCo's
Burmese franchise partner, multi-millionaire Thein Tun.
Tun recently led a rally of 10,000 business people staged by the SLORC
regime. The rally was an indirect attack on Burma's democracy leader, Aung
San Suu Kyi, who has defied a SLORC ban on large rallies opposing military
rule.
"All see the attempts of internal and external destructionists
working in collusion to hamper the all-round national
development," Tun said.
"Pepsi's presence at this rally is a blatant obstruction of the democratic
struggle in Burma, not to mention U.S. foreign policy, by a private U.S.
corporation. If Pepsi really believes in political neutrality, then it must
cut all ties with Mr. Tun," says Rev. Joe Lamar (or Zarni, Brian Schmidt
etc)
PepsiCo's standard response on Burma states that it "neither invests in nor
supports political or military systems or governments." The US government
has strongly endorsed Suu Kyi ever since her party, the National League for
Democracy, won by a landslide in the 1990 elections.
PepsiCo recently announced it was selling off its Burma venture, but was
quickly denounced as an empty gesture, since the buyer was Mr. Tun, who is
now sole owner of Pepsi-Cola Products Myanmar. PepsiCo's relationship with
Tun continues through a five-year franchise agreement.
PepsiCo also funds the SLORC front group Union Solidarity Development
Association (USDA). USDA has been likened to "Hitler's brown-shirts" by Suu
Kyi after its members beat up supporters attempting to attend her rallies.
PepsiCo may also be dependent on SLORC's pervasive practice of forced labor
on commercial farms. The firm refused to release a list of its sources of
farm products. PepsiCo exports such products to fund supplies for its
bottling plants.
Several other major U.S. corporations do business in Burma, but until now
none have actually publicly sided with the SLORC regime (confirm this).
*****************************************************************
UPI: SINGAPORE'S LEE CITED AT BURMA RALLY
June 25, 1996
A speaker at a government-organized rally has cited Singapore's former
prime minister Lee Kuan Yew as justifying military rule in Burma, official
media said Tuesday.
U Sein Ban, proprietor of Sein Ban industries, said at a rally of
``Upper Burma Entrepreneurs'' held in Mandalay on Monday that Burma was
enjoying peace and stability unprecedented in its history because of the
current government's national reconciliation policy.
He was quoted in the government-run New Light of Myanmar Tuesday as
saying Burma's economy was making good progress because of the
governments's market reforms.
But these achievements were being jeopardized by a group of people
who were trying to isolate the country from the world community and
incite peasants, students and workers to commit acts of lawlessness and
violence, he said.
Stressing the danger posed by this group, he recalled Singapore
senior minister Lee Kuan Yew's recent statements supporting military
rule in Burma.
In a speech on June 7 Lee was quoted as saying Burmese opposition
leader Aung San Suu Kyi was incapable of ruling Burma and should
``remain behind a fence and be a symbol.''
Lee said the army was the only instrument of government in Burma and
questioned whether the United States and other supporters of Suu Kyi
were prepared to run the country if it disintegrated.
``The true nature of the 'destructionists' was clearly exposed by
this question,'' U Sein Ban said. ``In other words, the mask they were
wearing was pulled off by this question.''
In the past Burmese propaganda slogans have described Suu Kyi and her
National League for Democracy as ``destructionists.''
According to the New Light of Myanmar, the rally in northern Burma
was attended by more than 6,000 private entrepreneurs, including
industrialists, rice and edible oil millers, hotel owners, tour
operators, executives of cooperatives and joint-ventures, wholesalers,
retailers and artists.
Speakers at the rally praised the government for its nation-building
endeavors and condemned the ``destructionists.''
In recent weeks pro-government rallies have been organized and
billboards attacking the democratic opposition have been constructed
throughout Burma.
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