[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index ][Thread Index ]

Burma Issues Burmadoc summary April



subject: Burma Issues Burmadoc summary April 19 - 24

 Burma Issues, a Bangkok-based organization, maintains a documentation
center that archives a wide variety of materials (newspaper clippings,
reports, statements, press releases, books, videos, etc.) related to
Burma.  We currently have over 12,000 sources in our archives.  Every week
a summary of the past week's entries is made.  In the past, this list has
been used within the organization to keep our volunteers and friends
up-to-date on current developments. Each article is followed by an
abbreviation that corresponds to the source of the document, a date and a
code that corresponds to our internal indexing system used to retrieve
copies of the original document.  For people who are interested in a
document contained in the list, feel free to request a copy.  Bear in mind
that, in most cases, the document will take 1 to 2 weeks to arrive via
international post.  In urgent cases we can fax documents.  

Burma Issues
PO Box 1076
Silom Post Office
Bangkok 10504
THAILAND

Recent News Items & Other BurmaDoc Entries: 
19 April to 24 April 1997


Themes: issues concerning border areas; issues concerning women and
children; regional relations; lead up and reaction to President Clintons
decision to impose economic sanctions on new investments in Burma; Asean
reaction to imposition of sanctions; Unocal lawsuit; regional relations;
recent unrest; other international campaigns.

Issues concerning border areas

Two Thai villagers were badly injured and another went missing after
stepping on a landmine on the Burmese side of the border opposite Tha Song
Yang district, Tak yesterday morning.  The men were reportedly hired by a
Thai logging company.  Border Patrol Police have warned villagers not to
cross the border because of mines laid by unknown groups.  BP970421
OA/9E/005

Burmese government forces (about 1,000 in total) attacked an ABSDF base
close to the Thai border triggering a new exodus of refugees into southern
Thailand (estimated 138 new refugees).  An ABSDF spokesman reported that a
further 500 ethnic Mon refugees hd fled to the border, but were yet to
cross into Thailand.  More refugees are expected from settlements of
Karen, Mon and Muslim communities close to the student camp.  TN970420
OA/9C/010

Issues concerning women and children

International safeguards against the trafficking and sexual abuse of
children are insufficient to ensure their protection, UN Crime Prevention
and Criminal Justice Officer Ralph Krech told a news conference during a
regional child rights seminar in Bangkok.  Mr Krech said a new UN
convention under which governments would commit themselves to cracking
down on the trafficking of children was needed to bolster grassroots
efforts to fight the trade.  Activists attending the seminar said
international networks and support were crucial to rights drives.
BP970419 OA/7BB/003

A UN project offering skills training in hotel services at top venues in
Bangkok, is trying to steer young women  clear of  the flesh trade.
Between 200,000 and 800,000 minors are estimated by voluntary
organisations to have entered the flesh trade in Thailand, some sold into
prostitution by their parents.  The idea of the project is to empower
girls at risk of entering prostitution.  They receive on-the-job training
and English language lessons and have the chance for further education.
TN970424 OA/5B/004

Lead up and reaction to President Clintons decision to impose economic
sanctions on new investments in Burma

The US sent a strong signal this week that it may soon impose investment
sanctions on Burma, as Republican Senator Mitch McConnell, pressed for
action aimed at penalising human rights abuses there.  The senator be
lieves the conditions of the law, signed by President Clinton last
September which authorises him to outlaw new US investment in Burma is its
junta arrests, harms, or exiles ASSK or suppresses her followers on a
large scale, have been met.  The senator is chairman of a key foreign
funding committee and a sponsor of a much tougher Burma sanctions bill
last year.  The bill, suffered a narrow defeat in the senate last year.
BP970419 OA/9C/008

The 900,000 members of the Oil, Chemical and Atomic Workers International
Union (OCAW) have joined stu dents and community activists from a US-based
group called Free Burma Coalition to mobilise in favour of de mocracy in
Burma to pressure the US government to impose sanctions on the military
junta. The 3-day campaign will protest President Clinton's "acceding to
multinational corporations interests by refusing to impose economic
sanctions".  There is a growing movement in the US to make multinational
corporations and oil companies more accountable for their actions.
BP970420 OA/9C/011

US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright announced President Clinton's
decision to ban new US investments in Burma because of the regime's
increasingly harsh treatment of the country's democratic opposition.  The
presi dential action, however, won't affect an estimated $240 million in
existing US investments in Burma, nor is it certain to induce other
governments to take similar punitive actions against the Slorc.
AWSJ970423 OA/9C/015  President Clinton approved the ban on US investment
in Burma under a 1996 law allowing such a measure if human rights abuses
in the country worsened.  The details of the sanctions and when they will
go into effect were still being worked out.     BP970423 OA/9C/014 

 Khin Nyunt said his government would not be swayed by the US decision and
denied the allegations of human rights abuses and that "It's not a problem
for us"  TN970423 OA/9C/017 as it has "many friends in countries around
the region who understand us..We have five neighbours..we have very good
border trade."  TN970424 OA/9C/026

Burma's  military authorities accused the US government of imposing
economic sanctions on Rangoon as a means of boosting its political stock
at home and of trying to use democracy and human rights sa a means of
boosting the influence in the region. TN970424 OA/9C/029

Unocal chairman Roger Beach said yesterday that he was disappointed by the
decision.  Unocal is the largest US investor.  However, the sanctions will
not affect his company's direction toward investing in the region.
TN970423 OA/9C/016 The next day, Unocal announced it is giving up on at
least 2 natural gas blocks located off Burma as well as other projects in
the wake of the decision  The corp had not yet signed production-sharing
contracts with the Burmese government.  Unocal's chairman condemned the
decision saying the move would cost the US jobs without ensuring an
improvement in human rights in Burma.  TN970424 OA/9C/023

 ASSK  was not available for comment - her telephone line appeared to have
been cut.  The NLD's activities have been sharply curtailed over the past
6 months as the authorities jailed scores of party members and virtually
iso lated ASSK from supporters.  BP970423 OA/9C/018

Analysts said the US decision to clamp sanctions on Burma was unlikely to
hurt an economy which was increas ingly dependent on its Asian trading
partners and that the impact is weakened because it does not affect
existing investments.

Editorial from The Nation: The long-awaited resolution comes a bit too
late to spare the lives and suffering of tens of thousands of Burmese
refugees and political activists, but the restriction will create a
widespread and strong impact, not only on Burma, but countries near and
far that choose to engage the repressive regime.  Com ments that US
companies are already bearing the brunt of it and Asean members will find
it more difficult to decide on the timing for Burma's entry.  TN970424
OA/9C/026

ABSDF welcomes US government's decision, saying it is a major step towards
forcing Slorc to recognise the democratically elected government of Burma
led by ASSK and increases pressure on Slorc to reconsider their hard-line
stance against the democratic movement and to solve the country's
political problems through political means.  The imposition of sanctions
shows that the US government considers that economic investment in Burma
merely supports the Slorc regime and its generals.  Existing investing
foreign companies are propping up an illegal regime with an atrocious
human rights record.  TN970424 OL/9C/011

Tin Maung Win, member of the Presidium National Council of the Union of
Burma, welcomed the decision.  He especially thanked the US Congress for
their role in passing the sanctions bill that allowed the decision.  He
called on Unocal and Texaco to withdraw and for European countries and
Asean to follow the US lead and bar investment until the NLD can be
seated.  TN970424 OL/9C/012

Australia will not follow the US decision saying the government does not
believe that the imposition of similar measures against new investment in
Burma would make any significant impact on the situation, or induce the
Slorc to take a more positive attitude toward dialogue with the
opposition.  AWSJ970424 OA/14DC/001  Exist ing policy did not encourage or
discourage trade and kept aid flows away from Burmese government agencies.
Since 1989 Australian investment in Burma totalled US$30 million
accounting for 0.9% of the country's foreign investment approvals.
TN970424 OA/9C/027

The Asian Development Bank said any resumption of development assistance
to Burma, which has been sus pended since the mid-1980s, hinges on the
country's political situation changing.  The comments were made shortly
after the  decision was   announced.     AWSJ970424 OA/14DC/001

Asean reaction to imposition of sanctions

Asean has already committed itself to the admission of Burma, Laos and
Cambodia, although Asean foreign min isters are due to discuss the timing
of entry in Kuala Lumpur on  May   31.  Thailand and Malaysia both said
the sanctions would not hurt Burma's chances of joining Asean while Viet
Nam, China and Indonesia all condemned the US  decision.  Thailands
permanent secretary for Foreign Affairs, Saroj Chavanaviraj, said the US
invest ment ban could affect future economic cooperation between Asean and
the US although he saw the ban as only a "warning signal" because it was
not retroactive.  BP970424 OA/9C/020

   A senior  official of the Commerce Ministry expressed concern about the
prospect of Burma joining Asean this year following the US decision to
impose economic sanctions against Burma as the US is a major political and
economic power.  "It's possible that the US may reduce the privileges it
offers to Asean members such as bene fits under the Generalised System of
Preferences."

Commerce Minister Narongchai Akrasanee said he believed Burma would not be
seriously affected as compa nies from many other countries besides the US
have invested there and that he was only looking at the economic
feasibility of the three countries,  and whether  they can implement the
Afta programme which includes the sub mission of a list products on which
import tariffs have to be reduced.  TN970424 OA/9C/024
 
Burma has agreed to implement all economic agreements related to
membership in Asean.  If accepted as a new member, Burma must sign two
agreements at the annual meeting of Asean foreign affairs ministers in
July.  One is to accept the principle of most favoured nation and to
support national treatment and transparency in trade.  The second
acknowledges the acceptance of other regional economic pacts.  BP970424
OA/9C/022
 
Malaysian PM Mahathir Mohamad said sanctions imposed by the US would not
delay the entry of Burma into Asean. "We're going to work very hard to get
Myanmar into Asean."  Asean follows the policy of "constructive
engagement" and never interfers in the internal politics of another
nation.  TN970424 OA/9C/025

Foreign Minister Prachaub Chaiyasarn said the Foreign Ministry was trying
to hold a Thai-Burmese Joint Com mission meeting in Phuket before the
annual gathering of foreign ministers of Asean in July.  Mr Prachaub and
his Burmese counterpart, Ohn Gyaw, will co-chair the meeting of the joint
commission formed to boost all as pects of ties between the two countries.
This statement came after playing golf with his Burmese, Cambodian and
Laotian counterparts, although he said they did not discuss the groupings
membership application.  BP970421 OA/9CA/038

The Laotian and Cambodian prime ministers have pledged to support each
other in preparing for full member ship of Asean and signed four
memorandums of understanding of understanding on establishing sister city
links.  BP970419 OA/9CAA/040

Unocal lawsuit

A federal court in LA will on Monday hear a class-action motion filed by a
group of 14 Burmese nationals on behalf of tens of thousands of victims
who suffered alleged human rights abuses due to the controversial Yadana
gas pipeline project.  The plaintiffs filed a lawsuit on Oct 3, 1996
charging Unocal, Total, MOGE (Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise) and the
ruling Burmese junta with committing international human rights abuses in
the course of implementing the Yadana joint venture.  They are seeking a
court injunction ordering the multinational oil corporations to stop their
activities and to  pay   financial compensation.  The court dismissed the
complaint against Slorc and MOGE on the grounds that they were entitled to
sovereign immunity.
 
Legal  and human rights experts agree that the ruling could have
far-reaching implications for many US compa nies operating in foreign
countries because it could vastly expand the jurisdiction of the US court
system.The  original civil rights lawsuit against Unocal was filed by
activist lawyers on behalf of indigenous farmers in the Tenasserim region
of Burma.  TN970419 OA/9C/009

Residents in Thailand's Kanchanaburi province are considering filing a
similar suit against the PTT, however it is doubted a US court would
accept jurisdiction and that environmental harm is not a strong claim
under interna tional law as opposed to alleged human rights abuses.
TN970423 OA/4GH/014

Regional relations

Thai leaders joined several regional countries in playing down the impact
of the US economic sanctions on Burma, saying Thailand and Asean would not
deviate from their policy and relations with Burma.  PM Chavalit urged the
world community to be patient and that he would try to convince Burmese
junta leaders of the interna tional concerns.  He said that Thai
investment projects will carry on unaffected because the two countries
still maintain diplomatic relations.
  
Deputy PM Amnuay Viravan said he did not know yet if the ban on new
investment will affect some foreign joint ventures or multinational
projects already in Burma and that some competitors, such as Japan, might
be very happy because they could now take over US economic interests in
Burma, as might Thai investors.  TN970424 OA/9CA/043

Peregrine Securities Group is involved in scandals in Viet Nam and Burma.
In Rangoon and Hanoi Peregrine employed people it thought had good
connections with the ruling parties, however, the firms was drawn into a
dispute over business interests with its representative in Rangoon.
TN970421 OA/4EC/025

Singapore Telecom Ltd said it has set up Burma's first international link
for email and computer communications which gives companies in Burma
access to computer networks in other countries.  The junta has outlawed
the use of email by private individuals, and companies must register their
email and data transfers with state moni tors.  Use of a fax machine
without official permission is punishable by fines and jail terms.
BP970423 OA/4EC/026

Thanat Khoman, one of the 5 signatories on the Bangkok Declaration that
gave birth to Asean, said Burma was  not ready to join Asean.  He said
that the admission of the group would complete the geographical
composition of the SEA grouping and would be a demonstration of its
maturity but weighty domestic problems mean some candidates are not fully
able, financially and administratively, to discharge properly their
membership obliga tions. 'It would seem wise to delay their entry, for
their own sake s well as that of the organisation, which will always
welcome them a little while later'.  TN970419 OA/9CAA/041

After a one-year delay, Asean has agreed to consider a Chinese proposal to
draft and sign a political declaration cementing their relations.  China
only became a full dialogue partner of Asean in July last year.  China
also ex pressed a willingness to sign the Treaty on the SEA Nuclear
Weapons Free Zone, but only through a protocol of accession prepared for
the 5 nuclear powers.  Malaysia proposed at the meeting that China
participate at an in formal Asean summit in December at which Japan, South
Korea, Cambodia, Laos and Burma would also be in vited to attend.
TN970419 OA/9CAA/042

A fact-finding mission consisting of senior officials from all Asean
member countries leaves for Burma today to look into Burma's preparedness
in joining the regional group.  Burmese delegates to a meeting in Ho Chi
Minh City last week of Asean's senior economic officials expressed Burma's
firm determination to join Asean.  TN970421 OA/9CAA/044

Plans for a regional free trade area are firming up as Asean moves closer
to taking on new members, with Thai land in the forefront of efforts to
knock down barriers to cross-border trade.  Reasons for the push include:
pro spective membership of Burma, Laos and Cambodia to Asean; the cutting
of manufacturing costs for an eventual Asean investment area and the
speeding up of goods deliveries.  BP970423 OA/9CAA/045

PM, Chavalit, yesterday said that Gen Than Shwe, chairman of the SLORC,
will soon step down.  Chavalit said, "Gen Than Shwe does not want to stay
in his position, which is somewhat like the case of Gen Saw Maung.  These
people are not bad people."  TN970419 OA/9F/002

PM, Chavalit Yongchaiyudh, will visit Burma early next month according to
Foreign Minister, Prachaub Chaiyasarn.  The issue was discussed during a
meeting with his Burmese counterpart Ohn Gyaw, whom Mr Prachaub was hoping
to play golf with in BKK.  Permanent Secretary Saroj Chavanaviraj will go
to Rangoon next Thursday to prepare the premier's schedule and the topics
for discussion with Burmese leader Gen Than Shwe.  Mr Prachaub's one-hour
meeting with Ohn Gyaw also touched on other bilateral issues, including
the setting up of the Thai-Burmese Friendship Association, the annual
meeting of the Joint Commission at foreign ministerial level, and the
celebration of the 50th anniversary of Thai-Burmese diplomatic relations
next year.  Burma's entry into Asean was not discussed.  BP970420
OA/9CA/039

Recent unrest

Article in Newsweek on the killing of Cho Lei Oo by the parcel bomb,
presumed intended for her father, Lt Gen Tin Oo, one of the most powerful
men in Burma.  The source of the bomb is a mystery, however, she likely
died by the accident of her birth: she was one of the dangerously rich.
The privileged new class in Burma is deeply resented throughout Burma.
The elite has appeared since 1991, and care least about politics. 

Anger is high in Mandalay over the sudden prosperity of ethnic Chinese
merchants, who began moving in after SLORC relaxed investment rules.
Locals accuse the Chinese of funding businesses with drug money and have
turned on all outsiders.  Buddhist monks have rioted against local Indian
Muslims - tension has been growing since January.

SLORC generals know they have become targets, taking on a kind of siege
mentality and have stepped up na tional security.  brelief@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
OL/9H/002

The junta issued a statement that the parcel bomb was disguised as a
Japanese language book and sent by Bur mese opposition groups in Japan.
This was refuted by a Burmese Buddhist monk who said  'all mail in and out
of Burma is closely scrutinised by Burmese authorities to screen out any
political documents'.  Four Burma pro- democracy groups based in Japan
have denied any involvement.  SLORC has formally asked the Japanese gov
ernment to help investigate the source of the bomb.

Rangoon residents gave a different version of the bombing than official
reports saying the bomb was actually in front of the residence gate and
exploded as Tin Oo's daughter drove out of the driveway.  TN970419
OA/9H/013

According to Thai and rebel sources, a clash occurred on April 10 between
Burmese soldiers and rebels search ing for the weapons and hidden
treasures of former opium warlord Khun Sa.  23 people were killed and
dozens wounded.  BP970423 OA/3CB/002

Other international campaigns

A group of prominent US entertainers has appealed for the release of a
Burmese comedian, jailed after a political performance which satirised the
ruling military junta and its record of corruption last year.  BP970419
OA/11B/003