OSI: Burma News Update No. 58 (r)

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     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 
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