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OSI: Burma News Update No. 58
- Subject: OSI: Burma News Update No. 58
- From: ccraig@xxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Wed, 03 Jun 1998 09:06:00
Open Society Institute
Burma News Update No. 58
02 June 1998
Election Anniversary
Burma's National League for Democracy (NLD) marked the eighth
anniversary of its sweeping 1990 election victory by saying it opposes
any new elections until the 1990 results are honored. NLD officials
addressed over 400 people attending a meeting at the compound of NLD
leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi in Rangoon. The gathering took place only
after a last-minute reversal of the military junta's order prohibiting
the gathering. NLD sources say at least 180 party supporters were
detained or otherwise prevented from attending the meeting. Daw Suu
Kyi praised the junta's decision to let the meeting proceed, and
reiterated the NLD's call for dialogue on democratic reforms.
[Analysts report that the regime's shifting positions regarding the
NLD may represent deepening rifts in the junta, influenced by the
country's deteriorating economic situation and reaction to recent
events in Indonesia.--Ed.]
Rangoon, Reuters, 27 May
MPs Jailed
Forty-two elected NLD members of parliament are today jailed by
Burma's military junta, and a total of 78 of 485 MPs have spent some
time in prison since 1990, according to a new study. A "most
egregious" case involves Tin Min Htut, who was sentenced to three
years' imprisonment "for illegal possession of foreign currency" after
the junta searched his home and "found his toddler son playing with
two Singaporean coins and an old tin cup."
Financial Times 29 May
More Arrests, Torture
Amnesty International said Burma's army junta increased arrests and
torture of democracy activists in the run-up to the eighth anniversary
of their never-honored 1990 election victory. "Amnesty International
is concerned about the safety of these detainees, as torture and
ill-treatment of political prisoners is common" in Burma. Amnesty
added that two people recently arrested for writing a history of
Burma's student movement were in dire need of medical aid after being
tortured. Reports from Bangkok also said that 29-year old Aung Kyaw
Moe, a student sentenced to 14 years for his part in December 1996
pro-democracy demonstrations in Rangoon, died on 24 May after being
beaten by jailers trying to break up a hunger strike at Tharyarwaddy
Prison in northern Burma.
Bangkok, Agence France Presse, 27 May; Kyodo News Agency, 29 May
Japan Urges Reform
Japanese Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto urged Burma's army junta to
begin dialogue with the National League for Democracy and improve
respect for human rights and accept democratization, according to
Japanese officials. In a letter delivered in Rangoon to senior regime
leader General Khin Nyunt by Japan's Deputy Foreign Minister Koichi
Haraguchi, Hashimoto said recent limited resumption of Japanese aid to
Burma was facing opposition within Japan's ruling party and its
allies.
Tokyo, Jiji Press, 27 May
Junta: Sanctions Bite
Asked in a recent interview about the impact of U.S. sanctions on
Burma's economy, senior Burmese junta member Brigadier-General D.O.
Abel, replied: "Not only American companies [feel the effect of
sanctions]. The sanctions have an effect on other countries and make
them fearful of investing here. For example, any Japanese companies
that are operating here... cannot operate in the state of
Massachusetts. They and other multinational companies don't want to
invest here because they are afraid of retaliation from the United
States." On 18 May, President Bill Clinton announced that U.S.
sanctions would not be lifted because the military junta "continues
its policies of committing large-scale repression of the democratic
opposition in Burma."
Leaders Magazine (New York), April-June; The White House, 18 May
New Pipeline Proposed
A international consortium has been formed to build a $2.5 billion
pipeline natural gas pipeline project from Burma to southern India.
Partners will include the India Gas Corporation, the U.S.-based Brown
& Root Company (a Halliburton Company subsidiary), and the British
Cairn Energy plc. The new pipeline is expected to have installed
capacity of 28 million cubic meters per year.
Export Sales Prospector, Information Access Company Electronic
Newsletter, June 1
BURMA NEWS UPDATE is a publication of the Burma Project of the Open
Society Institute: 400 West 59th Street, New York, NY 10019 Tel: (212)
548-0632 Fax: (212) 548-4655 Email: burma@xxxxxxxxxxx