16/2/98:LETTER TO THE PRESIDENT KIM

[uneoo@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

/* Written Mon 16 Feb 11:00am 1998 by drunoo@xxxxxxxxxxxx in igc:reg.burma */
/* -------" 16/2/98:Letter to President Kim Dae-Jung "------- */

LETTER TO PRESIDENT KIM DAE-JUNG (16/2/98)
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Dr U Ne Oo
18 Shannon Place
Adelaide SA 5000
Australia.

February 16, 1998.

President Kim Dae-Jung
c/- Forum of Democratic Leaders
Ayrung Building, Suite 501
506-20 Chang Chun-dong
Seodaemu-ku, Seoul.

Dear President Kim Dae Jung:

I firstly should like to congratulate you for your success and
as the new president of South Korea. You are a global symbol of
Asian struggle for democracy and, have truly been an inspiration
to democracy campaigners throughout this region. Your election
success of last December in no doubt serves as a morale booster
to our movement for democracy in Burma. We wish you every
success in serving your country and also furthering the causes
of democratic Korean society.

I am writing to you in regarding with South Korean companies
that are currently operating in Burma. A recent report from news
media (Asiaweek, 6 February 1998) indicated that some Korean
businesses may have been involved in billing-out the debts of
Burmese military junta. I appeal you to discourage the South
Korean companies acting as guarantors of Burmese military
government in seeking loans and funds from international banks.
In this connection, I enclosed my report and related
communications for your information.

We are also aware that some South Korean businesses, such as
Daewoo corporation, have recently scaled down current operation
in Burma for commercial reason. I appeal Mr President to
encourage all South Korean companies in Burma to keep scale down
their operation. I, however, do not advocate these Korean
companies to be totally withdrawn from Burma. When we achieve
reconciliation and democracy, these companies from South Korea
will be much more openly welcomed in Burma.

In closing, I thank you for your kind attention to these
matters.

Yours respectfully and sincerely
Sd. U Ne Oo.

/* Endreport */

ASIASEEK, 6 FEBRUARY 1998: FRONTLINES
KEEPING TIGHT REINS ON BURMESE OFFICIALS
========================================
When Myanmar's former dictator Ne Win visited his old friend 
President Suharto in September, he was reportedly told that then 
Burmese commerce minister Tun Kyi had been involved in arranging 
a large delivery of fuel from Pertamina, Indonesia's national 
oil company, and that payment had not been received. Within weeks 
of Ne Win's return to Yangon, Tun Kyi was sacked and is currently 
in detention pending the outcome of investigations into his 
activities. Which activities are not exactly known. Several 
members of his family and friends were also indicted. Last week, 
his daughter Kyi Kyi Than and her husband Khin Maung Zaw fled 
to Thailand with their children to escape persecution. A 
well-known Yangon nightclub, Mr.Guitar, run by Tun Kyi's 
daughter-in-law was also shut down. 

Myanmar does have some oil of its own -- fields around Magway 
supply about 10,000 barrels a day, and are still under development. 
Deputy energy minister Tin Tun -- who by the way, denies that 
Myanmar bought the disputed oil from Indonesia or that bills 
were left unpaid -- says the country needs only 20,000 barrels 
daily right now; industry sources say it is more like 30,000. 
Either way, where does the money to buy the extra fuel come from? 
One of the junta's main trading partner, South Korea, recently 
stepped in to help Yangon settle the outstanding bill with 
Jakarta. But given Seoul's own problems, that is unlikely to 
happen again. Meanwhile, the junta is taking no chances: as part 
of government-wide corruption crackdown, top bureaucrats and 
ministers, especially in the commerce sector, are under tight 
observation.
********