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B-NET NEWS JAN 23, 1996 (correct ve



Subject: B-NET NEWS JAN 23, 1996 (correct version) 



------------------------ BurmaNet ------------------------
"Appropriate Information Technologies, Practical Strategies"
----------------------------------------------------------

The BurmaNet News: January 23, 1997
Issue #618

HEADLINES:
==========
ABSDF (WB): INSIDE REPORT-FARMER'S PROTEST 
KNU: SITUATION REPORT,  PA-AN DISTRICT, KAREN STATE
AP: 4 HURT IN SHOOTING IN BURMA
BKK POST: WA REBELS FINGERED FOR RAID ON TRUCKS
THAILAND TIMES: KNU BLOCKS DKBA LOGGING DEALS WITH THAIS
THAILAND TIMES: ARMY CHIEF BLAMES KNU AND RANGOON
SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST: JUNTA DEFIES U.S.
DAP (MALAYSIA): STATEMENT BY LIM KIT SIANG PARLIAMENTARY
NATION: JUNTA'S RULE NOT SEEN AS OBSTACLE TO BURMA TRADE
CHICAGO TRIBUNE: CONGRESSIONAL JUNKET TO BURMA
BKK POST: RANGOON BUSINESS BAN CALLED UNFAIR
AFP: RADIO FREE ASIA SET TO BROADCAST TO BURMA, VIETNAM
NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR: CLIMBING UP THE PANDAL POLE 
ANNOUNCEMENT: RE: JANUARY 19  BURMESE PROGRAM
ANNOUNCEMENT: TRANSLATORS NEEDED TO VOLUNTEER
ANNOUNCEMENT: FORCED LABOR PICTURES ON THE WEB
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

ABSDF (WB): INSIDE REPORT-FARMER'S PROTEST 
January 22, 1997
brian@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
 
        Regarding the farmers' protest in Dipeyin township of Shwe 
Bo district Saggaing division had been already broadcasted briefly 
on Democratic Voice of Burma radio (Norway) evening program 
on 19th Jan. 1997.
 
        It was happened due to dissatisfaction of the farmers who 
were forced to sell their paddy to State Law and Order Restoration 
Council at the rate of 14,000.00 Kyats per 100 baskets where the 
market price is 35,000.00 Kyats.
 
        The protest started by the farmers from Inpin village of 
Dipeyin township and they went on street and marched to Dipeyin 
town. More than 3,000 farmers from Ohndabin, Pauktaw, Khada 
and Methae villages located along the car road to Dipeyin joined 
the protest.
 
        While the farmers were marching on the way to Dipeyin, the 
university students joined hand in hand with them and guide them 
to be systematic and peaceful demonstration. They shouted their 
demands while on the way to Dipeyin.
 
Their demands are as follow;
 
1. Stop unjust repression upon peasants.
2. Reduce the heavy taxation upon farmers.
3. Stop force-buying of crops by inappropriate price.
4. Allow to form independent peasants union.
 
        Despite the threat of gunpoint by the armed forces led by the 
Township Law and  Order Restoration Council, chairman U Tin 
Htoo and police (O.C) U Than Oo, the peasants rally advanced to 
Dipeyin.
 
        After half an hour of the arrival of the rally at Dipeyin, the 
Divisional SLORC chairman and commander of North West 
Command Maj. Gen. Hla Myint Swe asked the peasants for a 
negotiation. When the peasants rally entered the Saya San Hall at 
Dipeyin, the SLORC people used video cameras to film  each and 
every one, who  participated in the rally.
 
        When the farmers discussed with Maj. Gen. Hla Myint Swe, 
they demanded to stop forced buying of paddy and crops by 
unsuitable price and demanded to sell fertilizer to those farmers 
who sell paddy to the S.L.O.R.C. Besides that they complained 
regarding the false statistics and data forwarded to higher concerns by 
the Township S.L.O.R.C.in which they have shown less acreage of 
paddy growing fields. They also complained against the corruption 
of irrigation department where it has been a usual practice to take 
money from the farmers while irrigating their fields.
 
        Maj. Gen. Hla Myint Swe responded as follows;
 
1. Farmers demands will be forwarded to the higher SLORC authorities.
2. If there is any problem for peasants they can represent those 
things step by and  systematically.
3. This act of demonstration of farmers is an act which provoke instability
of the state law order and also against the present rules  and regulations.
4. Those we can forgive the recent peasants' protest but we can't 
bear  any such repeated activities in future.
5. Such actions will be drastically responded.
 
        Soon after the above mentioned discussion, the farmers 
were sent back to their respective villages by buses arranged by 
authorities.
 
        On that very night military forces entered the concerned 
villages and arrested those who actively  participated in the rally. 
Among the persons arrested up to now, Ma Moe Moe a Mandalay 
university student is also included. Family members of anyone is 
not allowed to meet those arrested and nobody knows the  venue of 
their detention.
           
           The chairman of the Dipeyin Township Law and Order 
Restoration Council summoned one person from each household 
to attend the independence day meeting at Min Swe village without 
fail.There he told that the chairman of Divisional Law and Order 
Restoration Council and the Divisional Commanding Officer is very 
much angry with the recent demonstration of farmers and he 
warned that this kind of farmers' action will be strictly responded in 
the future.      
  
********************************************************

KNU: SITUATION REPORT,  PA-AN DISTRICT, KAREN STATE
January 21, 1997

Due to the failure of talks between the Karen National Union (KNU) and the
State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC), the situation at the front
line resistance area has deteriorated.  Skirmishes have increased in number
between the Karen National Liberation Army (KNLA) and the Slorc troops.

In early January, Slorc troops of Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) 549 and the
Democratic Kayin Buddhist Army (DKBA) fined Thee Wah Pu villagers, Paan
District, 250,000 kyats because a small battle broke out in the village
resulting in one killed and one wounded on the Slorc side. Every day about
thirty ox carts were ordered to clear mines along the Ta Nay Cha-Kaw Kareik
road. All the villages in the Ta Nay Cha township have to volunteer to work
for the Slorc troops five days a week. A statement issued by the LIB 549 was
as follows:
1.Anybody who has any contact with resistance forces will be severely dealt
with.
2. If there is any explosion or shots fired in the vicinity of any village,
that village will be relocated immediately and a heavy fine paid.

Karen National Union Information Center

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

AP: 4 HURT IN SHOOTING IN BURMA
January 21, 1997

RANGOON, Burma (AP) -- Ethnic insurgents sprayed gunfire at two cars
carrying pilgrims to a Buddhist temple in eastern Burma, wounding four
people, the military government reported Tuesday.

Sunday's attack by the Karen National Union wounded three men and an elderly
woman, the government said in a statement.

The report comes five days after the Karens and 15 other insurgent groups
urged the ruling State Law and Order Restoration Council to open talks with
them and pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, winner of the 1991 Nobel
Peace Prize.

The government has accused the KNU and student insurgents of bombing a
Rangoon pagoda compound Christmas Day, killing five people and wounding 17.

The group says the government staged the bombing to justify a crackdown on
dissent.


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

BKK POST: WA REBELS FINGERED FOR RAID ON TRUCKS
January 22, 1997

The United Wa State Army is suspected of being responsible for Monday's
attack on three passenger trucks along the Thai-Burmese border.

A Thai girl on board one truck was killed and three others were seriously
wounded in the attack. It happened at 1 p.m. in the UWSA-controlled area
inside Burma, about 8 kilometres from Ban Arunothai, Chiang Dao.

According to eyewitnesses, an unknown number of men armed with M-16s and
AK-47s emerged from a nearby jungle and set up a roadblock to force the
three trucks loaded with Thais and Burmese to stop.

After the drivers stopped the engine, the gang sprayed bullets at the trucks
and left the scene without taking valuables or money eyewitnesses said. The
incident prompted police to investigate the scene and found the body of the
14-year-old girl, Noi Jongsaeng.

Three others who were seriously wounded were rushed to Chiang Dao  hospital.
Pol Maj-Gen Bovorn Songsiri, commissioner of the 3rd Region- Border Patrol
Police, said the attack took place in the UWSA-controlled area.

According to sources, there are 3,000 Wa tribespeople living along the
border. Burmese authorities wanted these rebels to withdraw from the area,
but they declined.

It is thought the attack might be the work of the UWSA, which wanted to use
the area as a base for the production of illicit drugs for export. (BP)

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

THAILAND TIMES: FOUR BURMESE GOVT SOLDIERS DEFECT TO KNU
January 20, 1997
by Assawin Pinitwong

TAK: Four young Burmese soldiers on the point of starvation
surrendered to the Karen National Union (KNU), according to a KNU
source yesterday.

The source said the men had turned to the KNU in desperation,
fearing repatriation to Burma should they surrender to Thai authorities. 
     
The KNU did not believe tho men had been sent to spy on them, the
source added.

Over the past two months several seriously ill and malnourished
Burmese troops had given themselves up to Thai authorities in
order to be fed and cured, the source said. 
     
The four soldiers, some of thom gtill in their teens, were
idofltified as Than Kyaw, 23, Than Win, 19, Aung Ko Ko, 21, and
Win Thein, 16. 
     
According to the source the men, who had served under the 1 2th
Special Division and the 549th Infantry Battalion, had given up
their arms to the KNU. 

The KNU officials said they would not harm the prisoners and
promised to provide them with food and shelter.

The Burmese army usually recruits young boys to serve in its
forces, where starvation and disease are endemic.

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

THAILAND TIMES: KNU BLOCKS DKBA LOGGING DEALS WITH THAIS
January 22, 1997
Assawin Pinitwong

TAK: The Karen National Union (KNU) has blocked the export of
logs from Burma to the Thai border district of Tha Song Yang in
an attempt to prevent its rivál, the Democratic Karen Buddhist
Army (DKBA) from doing business with Thai timber traders,
according to an informed KNU source.
     
The source said the order came from the KNU's 7th Division
headquarters located opposite Tha Song Yang district and was
aimed at preventing` the DKBA from financing their military
actions, particularly the purchase of  weapons and ammunition.
     
The DKBA, which is supported by the Burmese government, is
reportedly receiving less supplies from Burmese troops, the
source said. The group broke up with the Christian-dominant KNU
due to a split in the ranks in 1994, which had later led to the
fall of KNU headquarters on the Thai-Burmese border to the
government troops. The DKBA was instrumental in leading Rangoon
troops to the former colleagues' jungle strongholds.

Both groups, which  levy tax on Thai logging  traders, have been
fighting each other for the control of logging areas inside
Burma. The traders also have to pay off to the government troops
for their goods' safe passage across the border. 

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

THAILAND TIMES: ARMY CHIEF BLAMES KNU AND RANGOON FOR FAILURE OF TALKS
January 22, 1997

BANGKOK: It would be near impossible for the Burmese government 
and members of the Karen minority group to reach cease fire
agreement if both parties insist on their own demands, army chief
Chettha Thanajaro said yesterday.  

He said that peace talks between the two groups have been held
four times but still they could not come to an agreement.

Each side continues to press for their own demands and would not
agree to sacrifice any condition in the peace talks, Gen Chetta added.

The Burmese government has demanded the Karen National Union
(KNU) to lay down its arms and surrender to the Rangoon
government in previous peace talks. The KNU has rejected
Rangoon's demand as a condition.

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

SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST: JUNTA DEFIES US AS 'GLOVES COME OFF' 
January 22, 1997
Greg Torode 

The military junta has vowed to stand firm in the face of possible sanctions
from Washington over its treatment of democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

Foreign Minister U Ohn Gyaw said Washington was "listening to the wrong
people and applying all the wrong sort of pressure".

"We would never yield to any pressure like this," Mr Gyaw told the Sout
China Morning Post.

"People should know we can stand alone . . . we are a big country with so
many natural resources, we can easily feed our own mouths. The US has been
listening to the wrong people and putting around a lot of misinformation.
They cannot scare us."

Friction is mounting between Washington and the ruling junta, the State
Council for the Restoration of Law and Order.

It is bracing itself for a tough few months ahead following the appointment
of Madeleine Albright, a long-time critic of the regime, as President Bill
Clinton's Secretary of State.

And a new batch of diplomats at the US embassy in Rangoon is trying to boost
already strong ties between Ms Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for
Democracy and Washington.

"They are pushing things as far they can" given that they recognise the
junta as the Government, a diplomatic source said.

"US interests are running parallel to Aung San Suu Kyi's and the lines of
communication are getting stronger all the time. The gloves are coming off."

Laws passed late last year force Mr Clinton to ban all new US investment in
Burma if Ms Aung San Suu Kyi is "harmed, exiled or re-arrested".

Both Western and Asian diplomats in Rangoon say any sanctions would have
little immediate impact but could force many other countries into a harder
line, putting considerable pressure on Japan in particular.

US oil firms are tied up in a US$1 billion (HK$7.73 billion) gas pipeline
that accounts for a third of all foreign investment committed to Burma. (SCMP)

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

DAP (MALAYSIA): STATEMENT BY LIM KIT SIANG PARLIAMENTARY OPPOSITION LEADER,
DEMOCRATIC ACTION PARTY
January 19, 1997


ASEAN should not admit Burma as a member so long as SLORC is not prepared to
remove its "pariah" status in the international community
========================================================

Two reports in the last two days show that the military junta in Burma, the
State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC), is not prepared to remove 
its "pariah" status in the international community - which is the strongest
reason why ASEAN should not admit Burma into the regional organisation this
year. 

On Friday in Geneva, the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child
urged Burma to end what it called systematic, forced enrolment of children
in the Burmese army and called for "urgent efforts to end child military
conscription and forced use of children as porters for the army." 

Yesterday, SLORC announced that it had convicted 20 persons for inciting
student protests in December and each had been sentenced to seven years in
prison. The sentencing followed secret trials under emergency legislation 
passed 46 years ago and frequently used against politicaldissidents. 

Those imprisoned include six members of pro-democracy leader Aung San 
Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy while the identities of the other
14 people given prison sentences are not known. 

Also yesterday, the Burmese security forces blocked one of Suu Kyi's senior
deputies from entering Rangoon's holiest shrine to meet supporters braving 
the military regime's crackdown on political dissent. Police and soldiers 
told Tin Oo, 69, vice chairman of the National League for Democracy,
not to climb a steep staircase to a hill topped by the gilded Shwedagon
Pagoda, where 30 supporters were waiting for him to speak. 

Meanwhile, university campuses at the heart of the student unrest in Rangoon
last month remain closed. 

These are not the only marks of SLORC's "pariah" status in the 
international community. 

On 12th December last year, the United Nations General Assembly in a 
resolution adopted without a vote specifically referred to Burma, asking 
SLORC to permit unrestricted access to Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Aung San 
Suu Kyi and to hold substantive dialogue with her, other political leaders
and ethnic representatives. SLORC was also urged to release political
prisoners, allow citizens to participate freely in the political process, 
and to end torture, abuse of women, forced labour and relocations and
summary executions. 

Last June, the 83rd International Labour Conference of the International
Labour Organisation (ILO)in Geneva specifically referred to child labour 
and abuses under the SLORC regime, including child-trafficking routes from
Burma. 

On the drug trafficking front, Burma has more than doubled its illicit drug
exports since the SLORC takeover in 1988. 

The United Nations Drug Control Program (UNDCP) reported at the UN-sponsored
Heads of Narcotics Law Enforcement Agencies international meeting in
November last year that the Asian heroin trade reaps US$63 billion in
profits annually. Burma is by far the largest exporter in the region,
providing over 50 percent  of the world's supply. Various reports have
highlighted the integration of  narco dollars into the Burmese national
economy with one study estimating that at least 50 percent of Burma's
economy is unaccounted for and extralegal.
 
What is most shocking and intolerable is that SLORC had remained unmoved to
demands by international opinion for greater respect for human decency and
dignity for the people of Burma so as to cease to be regarded as an
international "pariah" state. 

ASEAN's international reputation and credibility will suffer a severe blow
if SLORC is admitted into the regional organisation without having to make 
serious efforts to remove its "pariah" status in the international community. 

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

NATION: JUNTA'S RULE NOT SEEN AS OBSTACLE TO BURMA TRADE
January 21, 1997
KULACHADA CHAIPIPAT 

THAILAND considers Cambodia to have less potential for foreign investment
than Burma despite the fact that both countries are suffering from long-term
political conflicts. 

Whether intentional or not, the current political situation in Burma was
conspicuously absent in a speech by the president of the Export-Import Bank
of Thailand, Pridiyathorn Devakula, when he addressed a Thai-Canadian
business forum yesterday on the topic ''Thailand: Canada's Centre for
Indochina". 

Pridiyathorn spoke of the aspects of Burma's economic performance which are
advantageous to investors, including Rangoon's positive attitude towards
privatisation, but failed to give Canadian investors a glimpse of the
reality in the country. 

Although he did list some obstacles investors would face in Burma, he did
not seem to consider the political situation as a factor that should delay
or sway the decisions of investors. Thai Exim Bank last year granted a
US$150 million (Bt3.75 billion) soft loan to Burma for improvements to
Mandalay airport. 

When Pridiyathorn's speech turned to Cambodia, he immediately concluded that
the country's development was hindered by political conflicts. 

''At present, the political situation in Cambodia is not quite clear to
foreign investors. There are still a lot of uncertainties in their view. And
all of you may realise, what investors hate most is the uncertainty and
that, as a result, affects Cambodia a great deal," he said. 

Pridiyathorn did mention Cambodia's positive attributes which should attract
investors in the future, such as an inexpensive labour force, and natural
and historical sites. 

Pessimism has surged in Cambodia in the past two years because of the
political climate, while in Burma, Rangoon's suppression of its political
opponents has not receded despite the symbolic release of opposition leader
Aung San Suu Kyi from six years of house arrest last year. 

The member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations has
decided to admit both countries into its group, although when remains unclear. 

The situation in Burma was not high on Canadian Prime Minister Jean
Chretien's list of priorities during his visit to Thailand, on which he was
accompanied by a delegation of 300 Canadian businessmen. However, he used
Thailand as a go-between to convey his concerns over the current political
situation in Burma. 

The Canadian leader told Prime Minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh over dinner on
Friday that Canada wanted to see political dialogue between the Burmese
military regime and Suu Kyi. 

The business forum was organised to illustrate to Canadian businessmen the
business potential locally and what Thailand could offer beyond functioning
as a regional centre for business activities. (TN)

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

CHICAGO TRIBUNE: CONGRESSIONAL JUNKET TO BURMA
January 19, 1997
Mike Dorning and Mary Jacoby

Remember Burma, the Southeast Asian country where a military dictatorship
overturned the results of a 1990 election and began a brutal campaign
against pro-democracy activists?

The regime's human rights abuses were highlighted when pro-democracy
leader Aung San Suu Kyi received the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize.

Well, Burmese official media report that a four-member congressional
delegation led by Rep. J. Dennis Hastert, Republican from Yorkville (IL),
visited in December to dine with leaders of the regime, including Gen.
Maung Aye, vice chairman of the euphemistically named State Law and Order
Restoration Council.

The U.S. government slapped a visa ban on members of that council in
retaliation for their arrest in September of hundreds of democracy
activists.

The congressional leaders' meetings have infuriated some human rights
activists, including Chicagoan Donald Erickson, a local coordinator for
the Free Burma Coalition.

"He was the guest of one of the hard-liners.  That regime is one of the
most brutal governments in the world," Erickson said.

Although the congressional team officially was on the December trip to
investigate the drug trade (and, indeed, it's a good place to go for
information, since the military regime is suspected of complicity with
heroin smuggling), the delegation also visited the controversial Yadana
gas pieline in Burma.

Charges from human rights groups that slave labor is being used to build
infrastructure for the pipeline has inspired a protest campaign against
Unocal, a California-based energy conglomerate with a stake in the project.

--------------------------

Further information for inquiring minds:

These four Reps. were the guests of Gen. Maung Aye:

Dennis Hastert (IL) 708-406-1114, 202-225-2976, dhastert@xxxxxxxxxxxx

Tom DeLay (TX) 713-240-3700, 202-225-5951

Bill Paxon (NY) 716-742-1600, 716-634-2324, 202-225-5265,
bpaxon@xxxxxxxxxxxx

Deborah Price (OH) 614-469-5614, 202-225-2015, pryce15@xxxxxxxxxxxx

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

BKK POST: RANGOON BUSINESS BAN CALLED UNFAIR
January 22, 1997  AP
To Governor Wilson, it's 'unconstitutional'

California Governor Pete Wilson said yesterday that sanctions on companies
doing business with military-ruled Burma violate the US Constitution, and
the suggested that Southeast Asian neighbours take the lead in demanding
more democracy.

Mr Wilson, in Bangkok during an eight-nation trade mission to Asia, was
asked if his state government would follow the lead of California cities
like San Francisco and Berkeley in adopting anti-Burma laws.

"I think that frankly is unconstitutional" if they dictate to private
business, the republican governor said.

Boycott Burma campaigns have been building in support of Burma's
pro-democracy movement. Several US and European companies have pulled out of
Burma under public pressure.

One of the biggest remaining - the oil company Unocal, working on a gas
pipeline between Burma and Thailand - is based in Los Angeles.

California is working to expand trade with the Association of Southeast
Asian Nations, which is near to making Burma a member. (BP)

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

AFP: RADIO FREE ASIA SET TO BROADCAST TO BURMA, VIETNAM
January 17, 1997   (abridged)
by Veronica Smith

    WASHINGTON, Jan 17 (AFP) - Radio Free Asia, the controversial new US
government-funded broadcasting service transmitting to China and Tibet, said
Friday it will add services to Burma and Vietnam next month.

    Richard Richter, president of the service, said the direct Burma
transmissions will begin February 3, featuring a half-hour format of breaking
news and more extended, magazine-style news reporting.

    On February 5, the service will begin "exactly the same scenario" of
programming for Vietnam.

    Richter said the Burma broadcasts will be heard between 7-8 a.m. and
9-10:30 p.m., while in Vietnam they will air between 5:30-6:30 a.m. and 9-10
p.m.

    The service anticipates having three transmitters functioning each hour
to Burma, and four for Vietnam.

    The Voice of America probably will announce the frequencies so listeners
can tune in a day before the broadcasts begin, he said.

    Heading the Burmese service is So Thin, a former Burmese diplomat, he
said. Bich Nguyen, a scholar and writer on arts and public affairs, will
direct the Vietnam service.

    Radio Free Asia is technically a private corporation but is funded by
about 10 million dollars annually in federal government grants.

    Congress has charged Radio Free Asia with broadcasting news and
information in eight languages to Asia: Mandarin, Tibetan, Cantonese,
Burmese, Korean, Khmer, Laotian and Vietnamese.

    The first broadcasting, in Mandarin to China, began last September 30;
the Tibetan-language service was added on December 1.

    Beijing condemns the direct broadcasts to the mainland as US interference
in its internal affairs.

    Washington defends the service as a means of delivering news and
information to Asian countries where such information is controlled.

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

NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR: CLIMBING UP THE PANDAL POLE JUST TO BE VISIBLE TO
TRAITORS WITHIN 
November 30, 1996  (abridged)
by Sein Lun

Those elected to the presidency of the United States of America for the first
term have to form the government with their people and appoint in the White
House posts those who campaigned for their winning the election and those
who raised election campaign funds. They have to see to internal affairs as they
promised during their campaign. After that, they come out into the ring to
show off their styles of fighting the rival before the actual boxing match
as is a custom in dealing with international affairs.

As all know, George Bush, Republican President, who  won in the 1988
election waged war on Iraq. He hung the banner of the United Nations with
whatever sophisticated weapons there were. He obtained financial support
from oil tycoons and capitalist alliance countries. George Bush led the war
against Iraq to victory. His men lauded him as a colossal warlord or a war
hero. However, the American people who detested wars did not elect him to
the second-
term presidency in the 1992 election. They punished him thus. 

Bill Clinton was elected to the second-term presidency in the 1996 election
so that he can do what he wishes to during the tenure. There is no more
third term according to  their law. So he now feels free to do what he
wishes to. He
need not be worried even if the people do not like is activities during the
second term. What he wishes to do means acts compelled to be perpetrated by
American
presidents to bully and dominate all parts of the world and destroy the
welfare of other nations in the interests of America. 

American President Clinton who arrived Thailand on 26 November also went to
Chulalongkon University in Bangkok and made a speech. It is learnt according
to BBC and VOA broadcasts that it is a university where Myanmar
expatriates, insurgents, and CIA stooges often assemble and give talks and
observe the four-8s [8 August 1988 mass democracy protests] anniversary.

Clinton's Chulalongkon University speech has driven a wedge to jeopardize
solidarity, peace, and security of Asia  and stability, peace, and goodwill
relations among South- East Asian countries. He talked in his speech about
Myanmar for 17 and a half lines, or in words, 109. However, BBC and VOA
exaggerated it in their broadcasts to more than seven pages.

President Clinton lauded Thailand's fight against drug trafficking and
promised America's continued support to the  cause. It is well worthy of
reciting 'well done'. It seemed that Clinton had not read writings of
international
researchers that narcotics from the Golden Triangle had been taken out
through Don Muang Airport in Bangkok, Thailand.

It seemed that Clinton had not known that American diplomats, former
American military officers, Western journalists, and CIA agents had been
coming in and out of the camps and locations of drug trafficking. All Myanmars
know that there have been reports appearing with photos in the newspapers. 

[section omitted]
It is mentioned in the article that George Bush and  his former ministers in
the International Republican Institute are narcotics missionary work and
providing
everything necessary to Suu Kyi and her group in Myanmar Naing-Ngan [Burma].
All these facts are true. Here, the question is why can't US curb narcotic
drugs flowing in from abroad though it has all modern equipment? 

The entire 45 million national people of Myanmar know about the nation's
endeavours to eradicate narcotic drugs.  These endeavours are also known to
the UN and true-hearted  diplomats as well as to foreign journalists and DEA
agents, who are attached to the American Embassy. Those who do not know
about it might be Clinton and the American Government only.

Clinton without maintaining his dignity had accused  Myanmar that she is
producing methamphetamine drugs. (section omitted) Earlier, methamphetamine
drugs valued at millions of kyats were been seized in Tachilek which is
divided only by a creek from the other country. Who produce these drugs that
had been smuggled into Myanmar from the other country? Please Answer it,
Clinton, as you can properly read the labels.

In connection with this case, I would like to present the article of JFO
Mac-Alistaire which appeared on page 26 of the Time magazine issued on 7
November 1994. The story was like this: Richard Horn, an agent of DEA,
attached at the American Embassy in Yangon, wished Myanmar's anti-drug
campaign success. He wanted to help in this matter with all- out efforts.

At that time, America, which was ignoring Myanmar's drug eradication
endeavours, had stopped providing assistance. Giving politics as a reason,
it had hindered the State Law and Order Restoration Council's anti-drug
campaign. All the reports submitted by poor little DEA officer Horn to his
superiors were blocked by the then Charge d'Affaires ai of US Embassy in
Yangon and also the
then head of CIA branch Mr Franklin P Huddle Jr. Mr P Huddle Jr also bugged
his phone. Horn thought that he was  obstructing DEA's operations. DEA
officials remarked that poor little Horn never realized the true policy of the
central government of America. They called him back to America and
transferred him to Illinois. Unable to stand it, he sued Mr P Huddle Jr and
the Department of State Affairs of US. He was just hitting a stone with his
fist.

Only President Clinton can give the answer that  whether he actually has no
knowledge of these events or whether he was knowingly speaking like this
without having any consideration. He also made brazen remarks on Myanmar's
internal affairs, accusing the Government of rejecting the political changes
of Myanmar and telling the Government to enter into dialogue with Suu Kyi
and not to oppress her. Clinton needs to understand that today's 45 million
Myanmars are making great political changes by building a peaceful, modern,
and developed nation which practises genuine democracy. We will never let
Myanmar become a slave country with democracy in name only in accord with
the wishes of the West.

Suu Kyi has already been branded as an axe-handle as she is destroying his
father's nation with the assistance of alien nations; it had been done at
the mass rallies attended by millions of people, who also see NLD jalebis
[National League for Democracy followers], numbering in hundreds only, as
reserve axe-handles and handout takers.

It has been precisely stated in the four-point People's Desire, which
emerged from mass rallies in May and  June, that axe-handles would be
opposed, those trying to jeopardize stability of the State would be crushed
and all internal destructive elements would be branded as common enemy and
crushed. The four desires also say the people will oppose foreign nations
interfering in international affairs of the State and crush all external
destructive elements as the common enemy. The people have openly said that
internal destructive elements and axe-handles are Suu Kyi and her cohorts
with slavish stinks. 

People are singling her out by name like that as they can no longer control
their anger against Suu Kyi, as she is harming their interests, obeying
alien dictates, and has married to an alien. Normally, Myanmars, who have
purity of mind,
never blame others by name. The people generally use the terms, the West,
neocolonialists, hegemonists, and Ngapwagyi, for alien destructive elements.
Let me just tell Clinton that he is of his own volition standing before the
signboard "External destructive element" and "climbing up the pandal pole"
as he has insulted and slandered Myanmar, to break up tranquillity,
security, and development of Asia and South-East Asia region and incite
enmity between Myanmar and her neighbours.

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ANNOUNCEMENT: RE: JANUARY 19  BURMESE PROGRAM VIA  INTERNET
January 21, 1997

Democratic Voice of Burma (SYDNEY)

Dear friends. 

The January 19   program of the DVB  SYDNEY originally  on   2NBC in 
Australia, is now available for real-time playback via RealAudio     from 
BurmaSong at

http://users.imagiware.com/wtongue/dvb2.html

This is a Burmese-language program featuring Burma news, views, and music of
Burma presented by Burmese now living in Australia. It  will be appreciated  
any  suggestion  about  program , Please sends  E-mail  to (ausgeo@xxxxxxx ).

Since December 15, 1996, program  files  have been  encoded  with Real Audio 
3.0. Adjustment  to  your  player  may  be  necessary.
Many  thanks  to  Mr Wrightson Tongue and  BurmaNet

DVB  SYDNEY	 http://users.imagiware.com/wtongue/dvb2.html

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ANNOUNCEMENT: TRANSLATORS NEEDED TO DO VOLUNTEER WORK
January 22, 1997

  I am working with two organizations here in Japan, called "Pro-Democracy for
 Burma" and "People's Forum on Burma."

Both of these groups need to translate information related to Burmese politics
and human-rights into Japanese, because most of the members do not read
English well.

  It is very important that we distribute as much information as possible to p
oliticians, business people and the general population, because Japan is still
 one of the leading investors in Burma and the Japanese media are reluctant to
 tell the whole story.

  If you are Japanese/English bilingual and willing to help translate even a 
few short paragraphs, or preferably more, please contact me directly as soon
as possible.

  Thank you
       FAX: (81)-3-5387-5733     please put "Martin Sieg Room 212" 
                                 at the top.                

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ANNOUNCEMENT: FORCED LABOR PICTURES ON THE WEB
January 21, 1997

Dear friends

Please take a look in our Home Page
(http://user.centralnet.net/honsawatoi/monland.html).  I just posted
some Ye-Tavoy railway construction forced labor's pictures which I
received them from Bangkok. Forced labourers are included children and
women. Feel free to use them for free Burma campaign.  Our home page
address also was changed.  The one given above is new address.

Pon Nya
Monland Restoration Council

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