The BurmaNet News: June 29, 1998

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 "Appropriate Information Technologies, Practical Strategies"
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The BurmaNet News: 
Issue #1036

Noted in Passing: " I will not go away until I see the ghost." - Rangoon
resident [see THE NATION: ELUSIVE GHOST HAUNTS RANGOON] 

HEADLINES:
==========
The Nation: Suu Kyi Slightly Hurt 
AFP: Myanmar Opposition Stages Demo
The Nation: Elusive Ghost Haunts Rangoon
SCMP: Beijing Backs Jet Trainer Purchase
FEER: Blowing Hot and Cold
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The Nation: Suu Kyi Slightly Hurt in Scuffles Near Home
27 June, 1998 

RANGOON - Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and up to 50
supporters staged an overnight demonstration outside her home after
scuffles with security  forces, the government and opposition sources said
yesterday.

Aung San Suu Kyi was slightly injured in the scuffle, according to a
statement by her National League for Democracy (NLD).

The stand-off began on Thursday when security forces blocked supporters of
the Nobel peace laureate from entering her Rangoon compound for a regular
"reading session," the two sides agreed. Aung San Suu Kyi and other NLD
leaders joined the youths and attempted to lead them to her compound, they
said.

The NLD statement charged that a man in civilian dress ordered security
forces to attack the group, "whereby the police proceeded to do just that,
using batons and fallen dried branches picked up from the roadside". Four
youths suffered head injuries while Aung San Suu Kyi was slightly hurt in
the scuffles, the statement said. The group then remained outside the
compound overnight, it added. 

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AFP: Myanmar Opposition Stages Demo
26 June, 1998 

Myanmar Opposition Stages Demo After Scuffle With Security Force 

YANGON, June 26 (AFP) - Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi and up
to 50 supporters staged an overnight demonstration outside her home after
scuffles with security forces, the government and opposition sources said
Friday.

Aung San Suu Kyi was slightly injured in the scuffle, according to a
statement by her National League for Democracy (NLD).

The stand-off was sparked Thursday when security forces blocked young
supporters of the Nobel peace laureate from entering her Yangon compound
for a regular "reading session," the two sides agreed.

The NLD statement charged that a man in civilian dress ordered security
forces to attack the group, "whereby the police proceed to do just that,
using batons as well as fallen dried branches picked up from the roadside."
Four youths suffered head injuries while Aung San Suu Kyi was slightly
injured in the scuffles, the statement said.

The group then remained outside the compound overnight, it added.

The Myanmar junta, in another statement issued Friday, said the group had
refused legitimate orders to leave "on security ground(s)" and that after
staging the sit-down protest overnight had been allowed to enter.

Yangon officials earlier denied anyone was injured in the scuffles and said
no arrests had been made.  Residents said the road to Aug San Suu Kyi's
compound was sealed off Friday.

Visitors to NLD leader Aung San Suu Kyi's home are strictly controlled by
Myanmar's ruling military junta.

The NLD won 1990 elections but the military has ignored the result and
clamped down on the pro-democracy opposition. 

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The Nation: Elusive Ghost Haunts Rangoon 
26 June, 1998 

[BurmaNet Editor's Note: Since Saturday, June 20, Rangoon residents have
been hearing rumours of a stone-throwing ghost that appeared in the Golden
Land television store.  In addition, rumours of other supernatural
incidents occurring in the Myeinigone area -- plates and dishes floating in
the air and crashing into the walls; letters and pictures appearing on the
walls of a teashop; blood coming out from televisions; the sounds of people
marching; and unknown (and unseen) voices crying, screaming, and moaning in
the night -- have spread through the city.  Throughout the week, more and
more people gathered in the area hoping to see the ghosts or some sign of
them.  The army finally intervened and ordered people to disperse.  Many
people refused and several were arrested.  These gatherings are significant
because these people were unusually aggressive in refusing the authorities'
requests to disperse. 

Burma-watchers believe that these rumours have attracted so much attention
because of people's strong memories of the Myeinigone incident of June 21,
1988 during which about 80 civilians and approximately 20 police personnel
were killed in clashes.  The significance of the 10th anniversary of this
incident and the dramatic events of 1988 are further heightened by their
disappointment that there was no proper, official acknowledgement of the
deaths.  Also, no traditional religious ceremonies  were held for the dead.
 Many of the people believe that this is why the ghosts remain in the area.

Since Friday, June 26, there has been a strong military presence in the
area and people have been prevented from gathering.  The story has not
appeared in the official State press.  The strong reaction of the military
against the crowds that are gathering suggest that the military themselves
are, indeed, haunted by the ghosts of 1988.]

RANGOON --  Burma's military government has had practice keeping the
political opposition in check, but its security forces recently have been
forced to confront a more elusive target -- rumours of a ghost.

Rumours have spread like wildfire in the capital since last Friday that a
ghost has been terrorising an apartment near a busy road junction,
reportedly smashing glasses, cups and light bulbs.

Every day, hundreds of curious observers have been assembling in front of
the so-called haunted house at Myeinigone ward in Sanchaung township, about
four kilometres from downtown Rangoon. On Saturday, about 1,000 people
gathered there.

The area is also swarming with security officials, in numbers which are
usually reserved for keeping a close eye on the country's pro-democracy
activists, whose activities are tightly controlled.

In a strange coincidence that has fuelled rumours about the apparition, the
intersection near the house was the scene of violence 10 years ago this
month during massive anti-government protests.

Student demonstrations from June 15-21, 1988, were brutally crushed by the
riot police, with a curfew declared and schools and universities shut down.
Battles between pro-democracy demonstrators and the army flared around the
country until September, when the military reasserted absolute control.

The crowds outside the house say only that they hope to get a glimpse of
the "poltergeist" -- a stone-throwing ghost -- which has reportedly been
wrecking the belongings inside. The apartment's owner recently moved to
another dwelling downtown.

Many believe in the existence of ghosts, some are just curious, a few
skeptical, yet people from as far away as Hlaingtharyar -- a poor
neighbourhood 15 km northwest of Rangoon have come to see the "haunted
apartment", travelling by car, bus, rickshaw, bicycle and on foot.

"I will not go away until I see the ghost," a 50-year old woman said on
Sunday to a policeman who told her to move along. "I came all the way from
Hlaingtharyar just to see the ghost."

The doors of the haunted apartment in a three-storey brick building have
been shut all the time, with security police and local authorities trying
to drive away the crowds while traffic police cope with the usual heavy
traffic aggravated by bystanders spilling over from the pavement.

Nobody has been found who actually claims to have seen the so-called ghost
nor has any other evidence of spectral doings surfaced, yet the monsoon
rain and the heavy security have failed to keep the curious crowds away. 

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South China Morning Post: Beijing Backs Jet Trainer Purchas3 
25 June, 1998 

Burma plans to buy seven jet trainers that also can be used as light attack
aircraft in a US$20 million (HK$154.8 million) deal financed by China,
Jane's Defence Weekly reported yesterday.

Rangoon would be the first export customer for the two-seater Karakoram-8,
jointly developed by China and Pakistan, the respected military magazine said.

The report said it was not clear whether the order for seven aircraft
included two jets delivered last October for trial. The proposed delivery
schedule was not known.

The reports said it was also not known whether Burma would have the
aircraft fitted with an optional armaments package. That would include a
23mm gun pod and fittings for air-to-air missiles and 57mm rockets or bombs
weighing up to 250kg.

Rangoon sources were quoted as saying the country's air force chief,
Major-General Kyaw Than, visited Beijing earlier this month to finalise the
deal.

The K-8s were being bought as replacements for six Super Galebs obtained
several years ago from Yugoslavia, the report said.

The K-8 is being built by China's Nanchang Aircraft Manufacturing Company.
Pakistan has a 25 per cent share in the programme.

The first test flight of the K-8 was conducted in 1990 and 12 aircraft had
been delivered by 1997, six each to China and Pakistan, it said.

Prototype and pre-production versions of the K-8 are powered by an Allied
Signal turbofan engine. Beijing acquired 40 of the engines before the
United States cut off further sales.

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Far Eastern Economic Review: Blowing Hot and Cold 
2 July, 1998 

The on-again, off-again meeting of senior officials from the European Union
and Asean has been put on hold once more because of continuing bickering
between the two groups over Burmese participation.

EU diplomats thought they had struck a deal with Thailand -- which will
host the meeting, whenever it is held -- on an "informal and passive"
Burmese presence at the talks. But Rangoon has decided to play hard ball,
arguing that it must be given full observer status, including a seat at the
negotiating table.

Sources say Burma's stance is a source of irritation to the EU and to other
Asean governments that want to put the long-standing EU-Asean relationship
back on track as quickly as possible. Last November, the EU, which has a
ban on all high-level contacts with the military government in Rangoon,
balked at sending a delegation to Bangkok because Asean had invited Burmese
representatives to the talks.

Since then a range of planned cooperation projects and programmes haven't
been implemented because they need a formal go-ahead from EU-Asean senior
officials -- whenever they can agree to meet.

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