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The BurmaNet News: April 13, 1998



------------------------ BurmaNet ------------------------   
"Appropriate Information Technologies, Practical Strategies"   
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The BurmaNet News: April 13, 1998
Issue # 981

HEADLINES:
===========

AP:  BURMESE GOVERNMENT BANS IMPORTS
BKK POST (EDITORIAL): NO PEACE WITHOUT BURMA'S HELP
BKK POST: NEW BORDER PASS TO BE OPENED
UPI:  ALBRIGHT TO LAUNCH ASIAN TOUR
CIIR:  VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN
IPB: INTERNALLY DISPLACED PEOPLE

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BANGKOK POST: BURMESE GOVT BANS IMPORTS
11 April, 1998

Rangoon - The Burmese government has banned the import of a range of goods
produced such as fresh fruits and alcohol, the Ministry of Commerce said
yesterday.

Under an order issued on March 20, but made available to reporters
yesterday, the ministry had banned the import of seasoning powder, soft
drinks, biscuits, canned food, alcohol, beer, cigarettes and fresh fruits.

Burma's military government is believed to be low on foreign currency
reserves and has launched an austerity campaign encouraging people to use
local products.

Under the new order agricultural products such as rice, peanuts, sugar,
minerals, animals and animal products, rubber and cotton are banned for
export.

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BANGKOK POST EDITORIAL: WITHOUT BURMA'S HELP THERE WILL BE NO PEACE
11 April, 1998

After years of stubborn resistance, the Thai government has finally decided
to allow the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) a role in
overseeing the tens of thousands of Karen refugees who have taken sanctuary
along the volatile Thai-Burmese border. It was a commendable and bold
decision by the Chuan government given the initially strong opposition of the
Thai army, which has insisted that the border's security should be the top
priority, not innocent human lives.  Until recently, the Karen minority
group had been considered a useful buffer zone between the two neighbours.

Deputy Foreign Minister MR Sukhumbhand Paribatra visited Rangoon last week
and held talks with the Burmese junta leaders about the part to be played
by the UNHCR, including its involvement in repatriation of the refugees.
The Burmese government expressed support for the Thai plan and said it is
willing to take back those refugees who return voluntarily. It remains to
be seen though how cooperative the Burmese will be in handling the refugee
issue.

Since the end of last year, Thailand has been the target of criticism from
around the world for its treatment of the Karen refugees, who have been
repeatedly attacked by a breakaway Karen rebel group.

With the UNHCR in the field, there will be an increase of much needed
transparency at the border, where the Thai army has traditionally had the
final say. The Thai government and the UNHCR will be working together
closely to take care of the refugees and to ensure their security although
the latter will
not enjoy the freedom and privileges it had during the Cambodian war years.
With the UNHCR present, the hosts will be able to screen the Karen
refugees, and decide which ones need to be relocated. In the past, armed
elements have sought refuge in the camps, prompting attacks from across the
border.

When the border situation improves, Thailand can hope that through the
cooperation of the UNHCR these so-called "people of concern" will be
repatriated. Thailand does not want to give the impression that it is
willing to provide housing for these groups of people indefinitely,
particularly during the current economic troubles. But out of humanitarian
concern, Thailand is willing to do so for the time being.

The Karen camps are one of several bilateral issues that Thailand and Burma
need to sort out. While progress has been made on the refugee issue, both
sides must work harder towards resolving the border demarcation dispute.
Thailand's border problems with its other neighbours - Laos, Malaysia and
Cambodia - are proceeding well and have made much progress. Demarcation of
Thailand's longest land border, particularly at Doi Lang, needs to be
resolved quickly before it turns ugly.

The Chuan government has shown some sensitivity in handling the Burmese
issue, unlike during its first administration five years ago. In the past
five months, attempts have been made to soothe the strains in the country's
relationship with Burma to bring about more cross border trade and other
exchanges. Burma should have learned by now that the government and the
army are working closely together and to seek to exploit the differences
between them will be more difficult than it has been in the past.

This year is a pivotal one for both Thai-Burmese relations and Burma's
integration into the region. Overall improvement with Thailand would yield
generally positive results for Burma. Without Thailand, Burma will not
succeed in integrating into the region and vice versa. Without Rangoon's
sincere cooperation, the Thai-Burmese border will never be at peace.

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BANGKOK POST: NEW BORDER PASS TO BE OPENED
10 April, 1998
By Subin Khuenkaew, Chiang Mai

A new border pass in Chiang Dao district has been opened on a trial basis
to spur border trade with Burma.

Deputy Interior Minister Prapat Pothasuthon said he believed the pass at
Kiew Pa Wok had the potential to become a bustling commercial point and
possibly the most important channel for land transport of goods between the
two countries in the future.

As far as trade volume is concerned, Kiew Pa Wok is expected to rival major
existing passes such as Tachilek opposite Chiang Rai.

Mr Prapat said during a survey of the border area that high purchasing
power and convenient transport facilities are Kiew Pa Wok's main assets.
It also provides a jump-off point connecting main Burmese cities including
Kengtung and Taunggyi in Shan State.

Since its official opening five months ago Kiew Pa Wok, which operates on
trial every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, has injected income of up to
100 million baht into the local economy.

Cement, gasoline, construction materials and consumer goods were exported
to Burma while farm produce has been the main import. The goods are mostly
traded in baht.

The border pass is some five kilometres from the nearest village of Ban
Arunothai and about 30 kilometres from Chiang Dao district from which point
commuting is made easy by the four-lane highway linking Chiang Mai city.

Kiew Pa Wok was also where Thai companies, Thai Sawasdi, and Friends Import
& Export hauled in Burmese logs before their operation licences expired
last month.

The border pass was opened to trade by permission of Prawit Sisophon, the
Chiang Mai governor.

Mr Prapat said a market would be developed as soon as the Forestry
Department approved the use of its land. The construction, which looks to
attract private investment, would take place near the deteriorated forest
area.

Mr Prawit said local traders were ready to conduct business at the new
market. Locals would be given first priority in leasing market space.

A special budget was needed to improve infrastructure at the border point,
he said.

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UPI: ALBRIGHT TO LAUNCH ASIAN TOUR
9 April 1998

Washington - Secretary of State Madeleine Albright will undertake a
four-nation, one-week tour of Asia later this month that will include stops
in Japan, China, South Korea and Mongolia. 

State Department spokesman James P. Rubin says Albright will discuss the
North Korean peace process, the Asian financial crisis, upcoming elections
in Cambodia, the repressive military government in Burma and President
Clinton's trip to China in July. 

``The purpose of Secretary Albright's trip is to affirm continued U. S.
strategic commitments to Asia and take up specific regional and bilateral
concerns,'' Rubin said. 

Beginning April 28, Albright will make stops in Tokyo, Beijing, Seoul and
Ulanbaatar before returning to Washington May 3. 

In addition, Rubin announced that Albright will journey to China with
Clinton, attend the annual Association of Southeast Asian Nations meeting
in Manila during July and participate in the Asian-Pacific Economic forum
in Kuala Lumpur this November.

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CATHOLIC INSTITUTE FOR INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS:  ORAL INTERVENTION TO THE
UNITED NATIONS COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS
9 April 1998

Fifty-fourth Session
VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN

Mr. Chairman,

It was a shock to learn of the cases reported by the Special Rapporteur on
Violence against Women.  Violence against women is a very serious violation
against the entire society.  I hope that the world will not forget the
situation of women in my country, Burma.

Women from Burma are forced to suffer very many human rights abuses
covering almost all the civil, political, economic, social and cultural
rights.  Abuses occur frequently because of ethnic cleansing operations
known as the "Four Cuts Campaign" and so-called infrastructure projects.  		

During the last year, thousands of my country's women and children have
been pushed out from their homes and farms by the army as part of its Four
Cuts Campaign.   (Four cuts campaign aims to cut off finance, food,
intelligence and recruits to the armed ethnic opposition forces and local
people have been forced to move to military controlled relocation sites).
Women and young girls including those who are pregnant or old, have been
forced to work as  porters in war zones to carry military supplies and
suffer grave human rights abuses.  The soldiers commit such atrocities as
rape, extra judicial executions, arbitrary arrests and torture.  Moreover
women are considered more versatile as forced labor because, in addition to
carrying goods, they are raped by soldiers.  
 	
Burmese people, including women and children, have also been forced to
relocate because of infrastructure projects funded by foreign investments.
In the case of Ye-Tavoy railway construction project and Yadana natural gas
pipeline project (a joint venture project of the military, Total of France
and Unocal of U-S-A) people have been forced to give up their homes and all
their property.  Many more have been forced to work against their will.  

Because of infrastructure projects and ethnic cleansing operations during
1997, local people living in 79 villages in Tennisserim division became
homeless. People have been forcibly moved to sites where they can easily be
taken for forced labor.  Many have died from rape, beatings, exhaustion,
accidents and a lack of medical care. Such forced relocation and forced
labour is the main reason for the  refugee and internally displaced
population of Burma.

Large numbers of refugees can be found along the Thai, Bangladesh, Chinese
and Indian borders.  Also, there are 1 million internally displaced
persons.  More than 81 per cent are women and children.  

Until now more and more new refugees especially women and children are
arriving in neighboring countries to escape from forced laborer, forced
relocation and further grave human rights abuses.  Even after they escaped
to neighboring countries, they often face violations from the Burmese
military and their allied troops. Last month, the Democratic Karen Buddhist
Army (DKBA), SPDC's sponsored military group attacked three refugee camps
in Thailand. Several refugees including a pregnant women and children were
killed and hundreds more injured.

In conclusion Mr Chairman,

We believe that ethnic cleansing operations and so-called development
projects are not helping Burma (Myanmar).  These operations and projects
kill many civilians and cause others to become homeless or flee the country
as refugees and migrant workers. Women from Burma are directly suffering
from violence of the government and the army.  We have a very urgent need
to demand our political, civil, economic, social and cultural rights.

We recommend that:

(1) The Human Rights Commission, in its resolution on the situation of
human rights in Myanmar, emphasizes the gender-based persecutions that
women of all ethnic backgrounds suffer at the hands of the so-called
"Government of Myanmar".

(2) The international community works unitedly to promote the human rights
of women in all areas of life, by helping restore a civilian,
democratically elected government to Burma, in an effort to stamp out the
main causes of  violence against women from Burma.

(3) The SPDC, immediately stops the violation of women's rights.  Tatmadaw
leaders, soldiers and officers of the state must be held responsible for
abuses of humanitarian and human rights law.  Reports of rape and other
forms of violence against women must be investigated and publicly
condemned, and the perpetrators brought to justice.

CIIR and women of Burma thank you, Mr. Chairman for your attention

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INTERNATIONAL PEACE BUREAU:  ORAL INTERVENTION TO THE UNITED NATIONS
COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS
9 April 1998

Fifty-fourth Session
INTERNALLY DISPLACED PEOPLE

Mr. Chairman,

The issue of internal displacement is a serious issue that deserves the
attention of the Commission. It is no longer considered as a sensitive
internal problem. The scope of the crisis urgently calls for international
involvement, since internal displacement is a human tragedy of great
magnitude and global in dimension. It is also a crisis with serious
regional and global implications. It has the potential to destabilize not
only the country of origin but also the neighboring countries, as a result
of mass exodus of people for survival or refuge.

We have learned from the report of Representative of the Secretary-General
that the normative and institutional frameworks for internally displaced
persons have been reasonably well developed for the U.N. agencies
concerned, to collaborate for addressing the issue of internal
displacement. However, there is still much room for improvement to
translate these developments into effective actions. Accordingly, it would
be appropriate to make the translation of these developments into actions
the main focus of the mandate, increase country visits for assessment, and
place human and material resources at the disposal of the Representative
who has played a major role in the development of a set of guiding
principles, for comprehensively addressing the needs of the internally
displaced. 

Mr. Chairman,

At this point, I would like to draw your attention to the plight of the
internally displaced in the country of Burma, as a relevant case urgently
needing international involvement for protection and assistance. A
conservative estimate put the number of internally displaced in the country
at 2 million. That means more than 4.5% of the entire population of the
country. The severity of their conditions also warrants serious concern.
The are two causes of displacement, one of which is large-scale development
projects, involving the building of dams, gas pipe-lines, access roads and
railway lines, and the clearing of poor people living near tourist sights
or prominent areas in the cities, in the campaign for beautification, in
expectation of enhancing the tourist industry.  The people are forcibly
relocated without any compensation or assistance. The displaced population,
including women and children, are press-ganged into forced labor to work on
the projects with very little or no payment. 

The other cause of displacement is the military operations conducted in the
traditional ethnic lands and adjacent areas. The military government
employs a strategy that could result only in wholesale destruction or
displacement of the civilian population in rural areas. In order to deny
the rebels from information, food supply, source of income and
communication, the civilian population near urban areas are forcibly
relocated closer to the towns and cities or near military camps. Those who
are late in moving or complain are subjected to brutal punishment,
including torture and summary executions. In most cases the troops forcibly
take the belongings of the villagers, including personal jewelry, cash and
clothing. These relocated villagers are forced to do manual work in the
military camps and plant crops for the soldiers, serve as porters in
front-line areas and, as human mine-detectors or a shield against the rebel
bullets. 

The soldiers destroy the villages and farms, farther away from urban areas,
generally by burning, and shoot at the villagers on sight. They destroy the
food supplies whenever found,  kill the live-stock,  cut down orchards and
take whatever belongings they can carry.

As a result of such a massive and widespread violations of human rights,
hundreds of thousands of villagers take flight from their traditional
habitats. The majority of them remain in hiding in deep jungles and hills.
These internally displaced persons not only have to live a life of severe
deprivation and want but also a hunted life, having to fear violent death
or capture, constantly. 

It is estimated that there are about a million internally displaced ethnic
peoples in the Shan, Karenni, Karen, Arakan and Chin States and adjacent
areas, living on relocated sites or in hiding.    
	
Mr. Chairman,

The situation being as such, it is most desirable to give mandate to
Representative of the Secretary-General to go to Burma and conduct an
investigation, at the earliest date possible. It is time for a peaceful
resolution of conflicts in Burma, as called for by the U.N. resolutions on
Burma every year, since 1992.  We can hopefully expect that visits of the
Representative to Burma could influence the situation for positive changes
and a chance for laying down at least some ground-work for the protection
and assistance needs of the internally displaced.

Thank you.

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