The BurmaNet News: July 6, 1998

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The BurmaNet News: 
Issue #1041

Noted in Passing: "The country is edging towards total disaster. You and
your colleagues will be held responsible, if total disaster befalls the
country."  --Saw Bo Mya of NCUB [see NCUB: OPEN LETTER TO THAN SHWE] 


HEADLINES:
==========
THE NATION: BURMA CRACKS DOWN
PLF: BATTLE NEWS
NCUB: OPEN LETTER TO THAN SHWE
KNU: STATEMENT CONCERNING NLD 13-POINT DECISION
THE NATION: KAREN REFUGEES TO BE MOVED TO NEW CAMP
VOA: PHILIPPINES URGES ASEAN TO ENGAGE
BKK POST: INSTABILITY "THREATENS ASSOCIATION"
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THE NATION: BURMA CRACKS DOWN ON NLD AFTER ULTIMATUM
4 July, 1998 

BURMA'S junta has cracked down on opponents demanding Parliament be allowed
to sit, arresting at least two people and ordering others to report daily
to intelligence agents, students and diplomatic sources said yesterday.

"There is a requirement that all NLD members register in the mornings and
in the afternoons," one foreign diplomatic source said from Rangoon.

"We have heard of a couple being detained but cannot confirm it ourselves,"
he said.

The diplomat said the  crack-down had apparently been driven by a demand by
members of Nobel peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for
Democracy (NLD) to allow the Parliament elected in 1990 to convene by Aug
21 or  face unspecified consequences.

The NLD-led opposition had won the polls by a landslide but has never been
allowed to take power.

"It's in part because of the ultimatum," he said.

Another foreign diplomat said NLD township organisers and elected members
of Parliament had been ordered to stay in their home districts and
confirmed they had been instructed to report to intelligence or police
agents at 6 am and 6 pm every day.

NLD sources told the diplomat some 10 members had been arrested in recent
days.

"I think it's the government's reaction to the ultimatum," they added,
dismissing speculation that the hard line might be linked to the
anniversary in July and August this year of a 1988 crack-down on opposition
demonstrators.

The Bangkok-based opposition All Burma Students Democratic Front (ABSDF)
said at least 40 NLD members had been detained across the country and that
NLD chief Suu Kyi was anticipating a raid.

"The NLD has decided they will go all the way: they would rather go to
prison if not allowed to convene Parliament," ABSDF foreign-affairs
secretary Aung Naing Oo said, adding that the order for NLD members to
report to intelligence agents had been issued on June 25.

"They believe the junta could raid the compound at any time, so they have
asked people not in good health to stay away from the compound.

"Aung San Suu Kyi expects to be arrested again. If not under house arrest
again, [she will be] in prison. Basically, the military is worried."
NLD and junta officials in Rangoon could not be immediately reached for
comment. 

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PEOPLE'S LIBERATION FRONT: BATTLE NEWS
3 July, 1998 

DKBA Regiment no. 999 Company Commander Lwin Moe and his followers came to
attack Naung Dain village in Papun district , where  KNU, People's
Liberation Front ( PLF ), and ABSDF were camping on 1 June, 1998, at 00:45
hrs.  There were no casualties.

PLF forces and KNU no. 19 Regiment Company Commander Captain Char Teik and
Sergeant Phar Khe of Regiment no. 103 with their troops pursued and
attacked the DKBA at Nokwe village from 7:30 hrs to 10: 00 hrs. Four of the
DKBA were killed and three were wounded. Two of the SPDC LIR no 28, which
had come as reinforcements, were killed and two wounded. Sergeant Phar Khe
and two from KNU were wounded.

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NATIONAL COALITION OF THE UNION OF BURMA (NCUB): OPEN LETTER TO SENIOR
GENERAL THAN SHWE 
6 July, 1998 

To:  Senior Gen. Than Shwe, Chairman, State Peace and Development Council

Dear Senior Gen.,

The present state of the country is quite disturbing.  There is a
likelihood of it to explode soon, into pieces. The situations of the
country, among the people and in the military establishment are in utter
chaos.

There is an impending danger of the country sliding into a serious shortage
of food and general calamity, unparalleled in the history. We have learned
that there is not enough stock of food even for three months. You know
better than anyone else that the state of livelihood of the people is many
times worse than that of the time prior to the four 8 movement, the state
of internal dissension in the military establishment is about to get out of
control, the desertion of Burma army troops is on the increase, the problem
among the family members of the troops to make ends meet is becoming more
serious and, soon, there will be no money for paying the soldiers.

We all know that the health situation of U Ne Win is becoming worse. The
circumstances of family members of U Ne Win and those of you and the
leading members of the SPDC, depend upon the fate of U Ne Win.

The country is edging towards total disaster. You and your colleagues will
be held responsible, if total disaster befalls the country. In order to
address the problems correctly and, in time, we would like to earnestly
urge you to do the following:

(1) To immediately hold dialogue with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, with a view to
moving towards the tri-partite dialogue;

(2) To comply with the demand of the NLD for convening the parliament
within 3 months;

(3) To release all political prisoners including Min Ko Naing and U Win Tin;

(4) To immediately cease the brutal war against the ethnic nationalities.

If these things are ignored, we would like to seriously warn that the SPDC
shall be held responsible for all the consequences.

Solemnly and seriously,

(Saw Bo Mya)

Chairman
National Council of the Union Of Burma 

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KAREN NATIONAL UNION (KNU): STATEMENT CONCERNING NLD 13-POINT DECISION
6 July, 1998 

On May 27, 1998, the National League for Democracy (NLD) held a general
meeting and adopted a vital 13-point decision.

1.  The NLD is the party that won a land-slide victory in May 1990 general
election, receiving an overwhelming vote from the people.  Accordingly, the
NLD carries the duty to be accountable to the people and to realize their
wishes. The adoption of the 13-point decision and the demand to the SPDC to
comply with the decision are the right and inevitable steps for the NLD to
take.

2.  After winning the election in  May 1990, the convening of the
parliament and the formation of a new government were to be the NLD's first
order of business. However, because of restriction and suppression by
force, the NLD could not have convened even the parliament, up to this day,
though a period of 8 years has elapsed.  What is worse is the propaganda,
by the SPDC, with a view to terminate the term of parliament and nullify
the election result, even though the parliament has never been convened.
Since such acts of the SPDC are totally contradictory to its original
promise, they are totally illegitimate. The SPDC must respect the election
result.

3.	The solemn and urgent demand made by the NLD to the SPDC to comply with
the 13-point decision, including the request to permit it to convene the
parliament, truly reflects the will of the people and the need of the
country. For that reason, we, the KNU, earnestly welcome and support the
correct stand and demand of the NLD.

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THE NATION: KAREN REFUGEES TO BE MOVED TO NEW CAMP 
3 July, 1998 

THAI authorities have decided to move more than 8,000 Karen refugees from
Huay Kalok camp in Mae Sot district in Tak province this month to a
temporary shelter in Tak province which is already congested with Karen
refugees because of the approaching monsoons and security concerns.

Foreign Ministry spokesman Kobsak Chutikul yesterday said that refugees in
the Huay Kalok camp are expected to be moved to the Mae La camp in Tha Song
Yang district within two weeks.

He said the United Nations High Commission for Refugees and other Thai
authorities are being consulted and the Interior Ministry is preparing for
the relocation. "Although the Mae La camp has 30,903 Karen refugees and is
already congested, we will move those from Huay Kalok camp to join them
because an appropriate temporary shelter has not yet been found," he said.

A total of 8,186 Karen refugees have been taking shelter in Huay Kalok camp
since 1977. The camp which lies about five kilometres from the Thai-Burmese
border is liable to attacks by the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA) --
a group loyal to the military government in Burma.

The DKBA have attacked the Huay Kalok camp twice, in January of last year
and March this year during which the camp was torched resulting In several
deaths and injures.

"The shifting of the refugees, which is expected to be conducted in two
weeks, will provide a safe area as the rainy season is approaching and the
Huay Kalok camp is too close to the border and could face future attacks,"
he said.

Some 86,218 Karen refugees are living in about 10 camps in Thailand. The
Thai authorities are looking to relocate those camps lying perilously near
the border for safety and security reasons. However, it has yet to find a
suitable location or the support of local Thais. Kobsak said 110,999
Burmese refugees are currently taking refuge in 15 areas along the western
border of Thailand.

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VOICE OF AMERICA: PHILIPPINES URGES ASEAN TO ENGAGE 
3 July, 1998 by Ruth Youngblood 

Intro:  The Philippines has appealed to feuding factions in Burma to
exercise restraint. As Ruth Youngblood reports from Manila, Foreign Affairs
Secretary Domingo Siazon urged Asean (the Association of Southeast Asian
Nations)  today (Saturday) to scrap its non-interventionist policy for a
more flexible one.

Text:  Citing the possible outbreak of hostilities in Burma, the
Philippines has dropped is long-standing policy of non-interference in the
internal affairs of its Asean neighbors. Foreign Affairs Secretary Domingo
Siazon told a news conference it is not sufficient for Asean to cling to a
stance of benign neglect.

The Asean countries must be true to themselves and their values, said the
chairman of Asean's standing committee, in finding solutions to political
and economic difficulties wracking the region.

With the Philippines hosting the Asean regional forum and ministerial
meeting starting July 20th,  Mr. Siazon appealed to Burma's military
dictatorship and Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy to
exhaust all possible means of resolving their problems in a non-violent
manner. He stressed the nine-member Asean must not be destabilized. The
regional grouping includes Brunei, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore,
Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines and Burma.

Aung San Suu Kyi, the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize winner and opposition leader,
appealed earlier to newly-inaugurated Philippine President Joseph Estrada
to help persuade the military dictatorship to make democratic reforms.
Defying pressure from western governments and human rights groups, Asean
admitted Burma last July in the hopes of maintaining a constructive
engagement policy relying on quiet diplomacy.

Mr. Siazon said the financial and economic crisis and the continuing
political change in Southeast Asia will be seriously affected by a
deterioration of peace and order in Burma.  He blasted the closing of
universities in the troubled country for depriving a generation of students
the opportunity of securing an education.  Mr. Siazon warned the brewing
conflict may lead to the deterioration of Asean relations with the European
Union and other western countries.

The Foreign Affairs Secretary said a flexible engagement policy originally
proposed by Thailand has not yet been adopted by the Asean member countries
and is expected to be taken up at the meetings this month.  Mr. Siazon said
other Asean ambassadors he has talked with agree it's time for more active
involvement.

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THE BANGKOK POST: INSTABILITY IN BURMA THREATENS ASSOCIATION 
4 July, 1998 

SIAZON NOTES MOVE TO POLITICAL CONFRONTATION

Burma appears headed toward a new political confrontation, the Philippine
foreign secretary warned yesterday, calling on the ruling junta and
opposition leaders to resolve problems peacefully.

Domingo Siazon said any violent confrontation in Burma could destabilise
the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, of  which Burma is a member.

"It seems that the atmosphere between the government and the National
League for Democracy may be deteriorating," Mr Siazon told reporters.

"From what we have observed, it seems that both sides are moving toward
maybe again another political confrontation and we urge them to exhaust all
possible means of resolving their problem in a non-violent way," he said.

"We would like to urge our friends in Burma to exercise optimum restraint
and to engage in a dialogue among themselves so that Asean as a whole would
not in any way be further destabilised," Mr Siazon added.

He said the region was "going through a very difficult phase in its
history" because of the Asian financial crisis and  political changes.

"We have learned in fact that the  political stability of a nation is
extremely important," Mr Siazon said.

Mr Siazon said Asean would be "unhappy" if violence occurred in Burma
between the junta and supporters of Aung San Suu Kyi, especially before a
meeting of foreign ministers of the grouping in Manila later this month.

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