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The BurmaNet News: July 13, 1998 (r)



Re:SUKHUMBHAND SAYS COMMENTS JUSTIFIED
Re:SIAZON STICKS BY STABILITY WARNING 

It's time for the ASEAN to adopt a new policy towards Burma and follow
the lead of Thailand and Philippines. There is no need for the other 
ASEAN nations to hold back their support on this new initiative. 


As we all know that the Burma issue will be on the agenda of top-level 
political consultations between the EU and ASEAN which will take place 
on July 28-29, this new initiative from the ASEAN will certainly be a 
wise thing to do . 

Let this be a worthwhile renewed investment in Burma collectively from 
the ASEAN .

Towards a peaceful transition to democracy in Burma.
 
Minn Kyaw Minn
============== 


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>
>The BurmaNet News: July 13, 1998
>Issue #1047
>
>Noted in Passing: "It is estimated that more than 50 percent of NLD MPs
>have suffered some form of intimidation from the military to prevent or
>discourage them from taking an active role in politics."  - Aung Naing 
Oo
>(see THE BANGKOK POST: REMINDERS NOT TO FORGET) 
>
>HEADLINES:
>==========
>THE NATION: SUU KYI AT RISK, SAYS BURMESE JUNTA 
>AFP: NIGERIAN MILITARY TEAM IN MYANMAR
>AFP: POWER CUTS ADDING TO WOES IN MYANMAR CAPITAL
>BKK POST: REMINDERS NOT TO FORGET 
>BKK POST: SUKHUMBHAND SAYS COMMENTS JUSTIFIED 
>BKK POST: SIAZON STICKS BY STABILITY WARNING 
>LA TIMES: NEW MILITARY RULERS CONTINUE AN OLD REGIMEN 
>BKK POST: KAREN TO BE MOVED TO DEGRADED FOREST AREA 
>JOURNAL OF COMMERCE: US CHANGES STANCE
>ANNOUNCEMENT: SACRIFICE: THE STORY OF CHILD PROSTITUTES
>****************************************************************
>
>THE NATION: SUU KYI AT RISK, SAYS JUNTA 
>12 July, 1998 
>
>SAFETY: RANGOON FEARS RIOTS AS TENSION HEIGHTENS.
>
>
>RANGOON - The Burmese junta yesterday warned that opposition leader 
Aung
>San Suu Kyi's safety was at risk and suggested there could be rioting 
if
>she was harmed.
>
>Certain parties intended to cause the Nobel peace laureate "some form 
of
>bodily harm", a statement prepared by Burma's Canadian Embassy and
>distributed in Rangoon said, without identifying the plotters.
>
>"The government of the Union of Myanmar [Burma] has always had a deep
>concern for the personal security of all politicians, including Ms Suu 
Kyi,
>as there are known elements who are trying to create political unrest 
by
>putting her to some form of bodily harm," it added.
>
>The statement came amid escalating political unrest and just three days
>after authorities blocked the National League for Democracy (NLD) 
leader
>from travelling outside Rangoon to meet supporters.
>
>"The recent request to make her return to Yangon [Rangoon] was meant to
>forestall undesirable events similar to ones currently taking place in 
a
>major African nation following the death of a prominent politician," 
the
>statement said, in an apparent reference to Nigeria.
>
>There has been rioting in Nigeria following the death in custody of
>opposition leader Moshood Abiola this week.
>
>The NLD-led Burmese opposition won 1990 polls by a landslide, but the 
junta
>has refused to relinquish power.
>
>The NLD has given the junta an ultimatum to convene Parliament by Aug 
21 or
>face unspecified consequences and has repeatedly called on the military
>rulers to engage in dialogue.
>
>Another opposition group meanwhile called for the Association of 
Southeast
>Asian Nations (Asean) to take a tough stand against Burma's junta when
>foreign ministers from member states met later this month.
>
>The Thailand-based All Burma Students Democratic Front (ABSDF) said it 
had
>always been opposed to Burma's admission to the Asean regional grouping 
in
>July last year.
>
>But the ABSDF added that now that Burma was in the grouping its 
partners
>should use their influence to force change.
>
>"They should make it Asean policy to pressure Burma's military regime 
into
>dialogue with the opposition," ABSDF foreign affairs secretary Aung 
Naing
>Oo said.
>
>"They should completely scrap 'constructive engagement, which they all 
know
>is not working," he added, referring to the Asean policy of avoiding
>confrontation between members.
>
>Aung Naing Oo said his organisation expected the Asean foreign 
ministers to
>take a firmer line on Burma when they met in Manila but that they would 
not
>go far enough.
>
>"We over the years, have pointed out that bringing Burma into the fold 
will
>not benefit Asean," he added.
>
>****************************************************************
>
>AFP: NIGERIAN MILITARY TEAM IN MYANMAR
>6 July, 1998 
>
>Bangkok -- Senior Nigerian military officials arrived in Yangon on 
Monday
>for an official visit, state-run Myanmar media said. The delegation 
headed
>by Major General G.I Oboji was welcomed at the airport by senior 
Myanmar
>military officials, Television Myanmar said in a dispatch monitored 
here.
>It gave no further details of Obiji's scheduled meetings with Myanmar
>military leaders and the length of his visit. smo/nj 
>
>****************************************************************
>
>AFP: POWER CUTS ADDING TO WOES IN MYANMAR CAPITAL 
>10 July, 1998 
>
>Yangon -- Power cuts are adding to the woes in the capital of 
impoverished
>Myanmar, with black-outs increasing in duration and frequency, 
residents
>complained Friday.  
>
>"Sometimes it's 6:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., sometimes it's 1:00 p.m. to 
9:00
>p.m.," one said.  
>
>"It changes all the time, but it does make life difficult."  
>
>A Western expatriate said the wealthy and most foreigners had 
generators
>which minimised power disruption but most Yangon residents had no such
>back-up. "It causes great hardship," the expatriate said.  
>
>"They can't keep foodstuffs, they can't cook on an open stove unless 
it's
>one in the morning or something.  
>
>"Most people also have electric water pumps, so water supply can be cut
>off, the toilet flushing, everything."  
>
>The power shortage is widely believed to be due to a drop in the water
>table because of lack of rain, as well as shortages of parts and other
>problems at electricity plants.  
>
>A Myanmar junta spokesman conceded there was a problem with power 
supply.  
>"It is mainly because of water shortage and also due to some technical
>problems," he said.  
>
>"This is not a permanent problem and will be resolved sooner or later."  
>
>A foreign diplomat said the situation had improved with the onset of 
the
>wet season and black-outs appeared to have reached their peak in April 
and
>May.  
>Authorities at one stage were believed to have cut electricity supplies 
to
>the city of Mandalay in order to minimise disruption in the capital, 
they
>added, saying water shortages were also causing difficulties in the
>agricultural sector.  kf/jkb 
>
>****************************************************************
>
>THE BANGKOK POST: REMINDERS NOT TO FORGET 
>12 July, 1998 by Aung Naing Oo 
>
>Perspective
>
>BURMA: A BOOK IS COMING OUT TO REMIND PEOPLE NOT TO FORGET THAT THE 
WINNERS
>OF THE 1990 PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS IN BURMA ARE STILL BEING HARASSED,
>THREATENED, TORTURED, AND JAILED BY THE MILITARY GOVERNMENT.
>
>Dr Tin Min Htut, an elected Member of Parliament (MP) from Pantanaw
>township Irrawaddy Division, was arrested on February 19, 1997 by the
>Burmese military regime. His crime? Illegal possession of foreign 
currency.
>
>His real crime, though, was being an active leader of the National 
League
>for Democracy (NLD).
>
>Two coins in a cup: Prior to his arrest, the military summoned 
officials
>from all departments of the town and asked them if Dr Tin Min Htut had
>violated any law.
>
>When they could not find fault with him, the town police chief ordered 
his
>men to find anything that could incriminate the MP.
>
>The police searched his house and found two Singaporean coins in a 
small
>toy cup his son was playing with. Dr Tin Min Htut was then arrested for
>illegal possession of foreign currency and given a three-year sentence.
>
>Subsequently, his election win was revoked.
>
>Height matters: Another NLD MP, U David Hla Myint, was imprisoned for
>flying the NLD flag at the same height as the national flag.
>
>For this offence the Election Commission dismissed him as an MP and 
also
>banned him from running in future elections.
>
>Both Dr Tin Min Htut and U David Hla Myint are among 66 NLD MPs the
>Commission has dismissed from Parliament.
>
>Through the Election Commission the military has dismissed from 
Parliament
>all MPs who have been charged with an offence and had others banned 
from
>running in future elections.
>
>More than eight years ago, the NLD won the 1990 election in a landslide
>gaining 392 of the 485 seats much to the surprise of the then ruling 
State
>Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC).
>
>Despite unprecedented freedom to campaign and  financial backing from 
the
>regime, the National Unity Party (NUP) won 10 seats only.
>
>However, the Burmese military junta, which now calls itself State Peace 
and
>Development Council (SPDC), has continually refused to honour the 
election
>results.
>
>Doubtful draft: With the question of fresh elections called into
>consideration as the National Convention drafted a new constitution, 
the
>military junta has sought to secure a dominant role in the future 
political
>sphere.
>
>However, given the number of NLD delegates participating in the 
currently
>postponed convention, the drafting of an acceptable constitution is 
very
>much in doubt.
>
>There were only 88 NLD delegates at the Convention, representing just 
12.5
>percent of all 702 Convention delegates.
>
>Furthermore, in the National Convention, the military regime has 
proposed a
>presidential system of government through direct election for the
>presidency via an electoral college.
>
>With this system of government it would be easier for the regime to 
control
>election results; the military would dare not allow a popular vote for 
the
>presidency as they know the result would not be favourable to them.
>
>The regime's preference for indirect election of key political posts 
such
>as the presidency is merely to avoid a direct popular vote.
>
>Draconian suffering: While the success of this objective by the regime
>remains to be seen, MPs and other opposition members continue to suffer
>under draconian laws.
>
>The courage of these men and women elected in 1990 election against 
such
>tyranny must not be forgotten.
>
>Following the election, the Slorc began a systematic campaign of 
repression
>against Members of Parliament from the NLD and other opposition 
parties.
>
>As part of this campaign military leaders have banned political 
parties,
>forced MPs to resign from office, dismissed MPs from Parliament, forced
>them into exile, and even jailed or tortured them.
>
>Over the past eight years the military regime has particularly targeted 
NLD
>MPs.
>
>Since the 1990 election the military junta has forced 112 MPs from 
office
>or used the Election Commission to dismiss them. This represents more 
than
>a quarter or 28 percent of the 392 NLD Members of Parliament that were
>elected under the NLD banner.
>
>The military has banned 83 political parties, leaving only 10 legal 
parties
>in Burma today.
>
>Twenty of these banned parties had won seats in the election and a 
total of
>48 opposition MPs have been affected by the ban.
>
>Since the 1990 election the military has also jailed 78 MPs-all from 
the
>NLD-two (U Tin Maung Win and U Hla Than) died in prison.
>
>At the moment, there are 42 NLD MPs who remain under detention in Burma 
for
>their political activities.
>
>As a result of threats and intimidation from the military junta, 20
>opposition MPs, most of whom are from the NLD-have been forced to flee 
to
>Thailand, India and other countries.
>
>Many now work for the National Coalition Government of the Union of 
Burma
>(NCGUB).
>
>These figures are just the tip of the iceberg.
>
>Many individuals have been rearrested many times, and there are many 
NLD
>MPs who continue to be intimidated and harassed daily by military
>authorities but who refuse to end their political activity or resign 
from
>their political parties.
>
>The many ways in which the military regime has harassed and intimidated 
NLD
>MPs and members into resigning are too numerous to list but common 
methods
>include banning the right to education, to medical care and the right 
to
>travel not just for them but also for their families.
>
>There is also the blocking of promotions, sacking of NLD members and
>canceling of the licenses of lawyers and doctors.
>
>NLD members and MPs are arrested and charged, those in government 
service
>are forced to repay government loans, evicted, or their houses and land
>threatened with confiscation.
>
>While in many of these cases the acts of harassment have been carried 
out
>the military regime has not had to go so far usually; repeated threats
>alone have proven to be a very effective tool of intimidation. For the 
more
>courageous, the consequences are heavier.
>
>In one example, the authorities pressured an MP from Arakan State U 
Maung
>Kwin Aung, to resign from Parliament. He refused. He and members of his
>family were arrested and charged with criminal offences.
>
>The Slorc has used a range of repressive and arbitrary laws to gain
>convictions against NLD MPs and other Pro-democracy supporters.
>
>The 42 NLD MPs  currently in prison were charged under one or more of 
these
>laws-all of which are in contravention of accepted standards of
>international civil and political  rights.
>
>For instance, the 1950 Emergency Provision Act is widely used to clamp 
down
>on NLD members and MPs. In May 1996, some 300 NLD members and MPs were
>arrested under this act.
>
>The 1961 Restriction and Bond Act was originally intended to restrict 
the
>movement of criminals but is now used to incriminate and place more
>restrictions on the opposition members.
>
>Citing this law, authorities take mugshots, fingerprint party members, 
and
>force them to sign papers restricting their travel.
>
>The military regime also makes use of the provisions of the 1975 State
>Protection Act which the military regime used to place Daw Aung San Suu 
Kyi
>under house arrest for six years.
>
>The Penal Code Article 122(1) also known as "high treason law"-- 
carries
>the maximum penalty of death and is used arbitrarily to restrict the 
NLD's
>political activity.
>
>Less than a year after the election a number of NLD MPs had been 
charged
>under Burma's high treason law for participating in meetings in 
Mandalay to
>form a provisional government. They were given prison sentences ranging
>from 10 to 25 years Many of these MPs remain in prison today.
>
>One of them, Dr Zaw Myint Maung from Mandalay, was sentenced to 25 
years'
>imprisonment and in 1996 was given an additional seven years for 
producing
>a magazine in prison. He was also beaten and tortured by officers of 
the
>Military Intelligence Service.
>
>Another law that the military applies is that of the Official Secrets 
Act.
>This affected recently the Rangoon MP Daw San San, one of the 15 women 
MPs
>elected to parliament who is currently under detention and whose 
sentence
>was increased from six to 25 years.
>
>Although she was released after serving two of her 20-year sentence 
during
>an amnesty after her first arrest in 1990, the military rearrested her 
for
>alleged parole violation.
>
>She was rearrested for an interview with the BBC and for refusing to 
end
>her  political activity. In the interview, she was critical of the 
regime.
>She was charged under the Official Secrets Act.
>
>The junta has never declared the election results null and void as this
>would elicit international criticism.
>
>Instead the military regime used setups, threats and intimidation, jail 
and
>torture which allows them to quietly eliminate elected MPs from the
>political sphere.
>
>It is estimated that more than 50 percent of NLD MPs have suffered some
>form of intimidation from the military to prevent or discourage them 
from
>taking an active role in politics.
>
>Most of these MPs are potential winners in future elections should they 
be
>given a chance to stand for elections.
>
>For some time now, the All Burma; Students' Democratic Front (ABSDF) 
has
>been compiling information on all the 485 MPs that were elected to 
office
>in 1990.
>
>The details are being published in a new book by the ABSDF entitled To
>Stand And Be Counted: The Suppression of Burma's Members of Parliament, 
a
>reminder of the sacrifices made in the struggle for democracy and human
>rights in Burma.
>
>Meanwhile, the Burmese military regime continues to reject the NLD's 
call
>for a substantive dialogue and continues to ignore the appeals and
>resolutions of the United Nations.
>
>In the light of all this, the task to pressure the military regime to
>recognise the results of the election has fallen on the shoulders of 
the
>people of Burma and the NLD.
>
>Nevertheless, assistance from the international community and 
particularly
>the member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) 
are
>a great help and will hopefully continue.
>
>Then the aspirations of the elected MPs for a new democratic Burma be
>fulfilled and peace could be returned to Burma.
>
>Aung Naing Oo is the foreign affairs secretary of the ABSDF (All Burma
>Students' Democratic Front).
>
>****************************************************************
>
>THE BANGKOK POST: SUKHUMBHAND SAYS COMMENTS JUSTIFIED 
>12 July, 1998 by Achara Ashayagachat 
>
>'WE ARE A FRIEND, SO THERE IS NO SWEET TALK'
>
>Thailand is entitled to comment on the situation in Burma because it 
has
>made "political investment" in the country and stands to suffer over
>spills, Deputy Foreign Minister Sukhumbhand Paribatra said yesterday.
>
>"We have spoken for Burma, saying that isolation is not the right 
path,"
>M.R. Sukhumbhand said, referring to Thailand's contention at various
>international forums since Burma's admission into the Association of
>Southeast Asian Nations last year.
>
>Thailand's "political investment" had been "substantial" because of
>widespread condemnation of Burma's human rights record, he added.
>
>Asean-which groups Brunei, Indonesia, Thailand, Laos, Malaysia, the
>Philippines, Singapore, and Vietnam-admitted Burma last July despite 
strong
>opposition from Western countries, notably the United States and member
>states of the European Union.
>
>M.R. Sukhumbhand's remarks followed a fierce reaction from Rangoon to
>Thailand's earlier expression of concern in the growing tension in 
Burma
>and call for "all sides" to exercise restraint.
>
>The "constructive engagement" of Burma by Thailand and other Asean 
member
>states had been interpreted as tantamount to turning a blind eye to the
>situation in the country, M.R. Sukhumbhand said.
>
>Asean had now developed to the stage where member states should be able 
to
>express their opinions on domestic issues that threatened to affect the
>region, he added.
>
>Thailand continues to adhere to the principle of non-interference 
upheld by
>Asean and the United Nations, he said. But as a neighbouring state
>threatened with over spill from any untoward incident in Burma, 
Thailand is
>entitled to speak, he added.
>
>Thailand also believes there should be room for some "flexibility" in 
this
>case as such an approach had already been applied to transnational 
problems
>such as the haze, drug trafficking and child prostitution, he said.
>
>"We believe we have a right to apply flexible engagement with Burma 
because
>we are a true friend. True friends speak frankly to each other, we 
don't
>sweet talk."
>
>Expressions of concern "should be regarded [by Burma] as expressions of
>goodwill by the international community, by Asean, and by Thailand. It
>can't be helped if Burma considers us to be interfering in its internal
>affairs," said the deputy foreign minister.
>
>"We want Burma to be a good member of Asean, and not to let Burma's
>membership become an obstacle to Asean cooperation with Western 
countries,"
>he said.
>
>****************************************************************
>
>THE BANGKOK POST: SIAZON STICKS BY STABILITY WARNING
>11 July, 1998 
>
>Manila-The Philippines will not withdraw a statement it made earlier 
this
>week that unrest in Burma could destabilise Southeast Asia, Foreign 
Affairs
>Secretary Domingo Siazon said yesterday.
>
>"No, this is not presumptuous. That call can be made anytime because we
>know that there are movements going on," Mr Siazon said.
>
>He was referring to the Burmese foreign ministry's call for the 
Association
>of Southeast Asian Nations to avoid speculating on a conflict between 
the
>junta and the opposition.
>
>Tension is running high in Burma following the arrest of some 40 
supporters
>of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
>
>****************************************************************
>
>LOS ANGELES TIMES: NEW MILITARY RULERS CONTINUE AN OLD REGIMEN OF 
REPRESSION 
>10 July, 1998 by David Lamb 
>
>Yangon -- This country has been brought to its knees by almost four 
decades
>of madcap socialism, military abuse and self-imposed isolation.  
>
>What should be one of the region's most prosperous nations -- Myanmar 
has
>80% of the world's teak forests, bountiful oil, gems, minerals and 
natural
>gas -- is the flat-out poorest, a country that has known neither 
political
>nor economic development as two generations of generals enriched 
themselves
>through drugs and corruption while the Burmese became poorer and more
>repressed than they ever were under British colonial rule.  
>
>Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, has a per capita annual income of 
$107.
>Its top universities have been closed for 18 months to defuse student
>protests. Its jails hold upward of 3,000 political prisoners. Inflation
>runs at 50% a year. Fuel is rationed, rolling power blackouts are 
common.
>Foreign companies -- among them Pepsi-Cola Co., Apple Computer Inc. and
>Heineken -- have fled.  
>Now, though, there are hints that the generals are tiring of being 
viewed
>as international pariahs and would like to polish their tarnished 
image, if
>not change their policies.  
>
>On Nov. 15, several of the most unpopular generals -- who had also 
amassed
>personal fortunes -- were swept aside in a palace mini-coup and placed
>under house arrest. They were replaced by younger, better educated men 
who
>changed the name of the ruling body from the Orwellian-sounding State 
Law
>and Order Restoration Council to the State Peace and Development 
Council.  
>
>Led by Khin Nyunt, 58, a previously obscure intelligence general, the
>council, acting through Burmese companies, hired two Washington public
>relations firms to recast perceptions of a country that Marco Polo
>described in the 13th century as having "vast jungles teeming with
>elephants, unicorn and wild beasts" and in which George Orwell worked 
as a
>British colonial policeman before writing "Animal Farm." 
>
>The 19-member council opened Myanmar's doors to a trickle of foreign
>journalists, adopted a more aggressive anti-drug policy resulting in 
record
>opium seizures and allowed the opposition, headed by Nobel laureate 
Aung
>San Suu Kyi, 52, to hold a party congress.  
>
>At the same time, it apprehended nearly 250 intellectuals and accused 
them
>of subversive acts and conspiracies, exile sources in Bangkok, 
Thailand,
>say. The military, whose weapons' supplier is China, makes no mention 
of
>the 1990 election that it annulled after Suu Kyi's National League for
>Democracy took 80% of the legislative seats.  
>
>"As far as I can see, there has been no improvement" in human rights, 
Suu
>Kyi said in a videotape smuggled out of Yangon, formerly Rangoon.  
>
>Because the junta operates in near-total secrecy, Western and Asian
>diplomats do not know what to make of the new council. It appears to 
have
>no ideology other than political stability and keeping power and no
>national message except asking the 50 million Burmese for patience and
>saying it wants foreign investors back.  
>The envoys believe that Ne Win, 87, the nation's supposedly retired
>strongman, probably was instrumental in the palace shake-up. Ne Win, a
>general who ended 14 years of democracy in 1962, ruled until stepping 
down
>in 1988, after pursuing Stalinist policies that shut this land to the
>outside and used spies to turn Burmese against Burmese. From August 
1989
>until September 1997, he was never seen in public. Said to be in ill
>health, Ne Win still relies on astrologers and surrounds himself with
>soothsayers and self-declared wizards.  
>
>Gen. Saw Maung, one of Ne Win's successors, gave mystical speeches 
about
>Jesus' supposed return to Tibet and retired in 1991 after a nervous
>breakdown. By then, Burma had changed its name to Myanmar, capitalism 
had
>replaced socialism, and a pro-democracy movement had been born, rooted 
in
>the deaths of 3,000 protesters at the hands of the army in 1988.  
>
>Suu Kyi, whose father, Aung San, led Burma to independence in 1948, 
became
>a global celebrity after winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991. She is 
seen
>by human rights groups as a Joan of Arc fighting a cruel, corrupt 
regime.
>She was instrumental in the Clinton administration's decision last year 
to
>impose sanctions against Myanmar.  
>
>With Suu Kyi's supporters and the generals at a stalemate, and no talks
>occurring, Myanmar slides ever deeper into despair. The predominantly
>Buddhist Burmese, who seem to tolerate any misfortune with a smile and 
have
>learned that expressing political opinions is unhealthy, muddle on.
>
>****************************************************************
>
>THE BANGKOK POST: KAREN TO BE MOVED TO DEGRADED FOREST AREA 
>11 July, 1998 by Supamart Kasem in Tak 
>
>More than 17,000 Karen refugees from two camps in Tak will be moved to 
a
>degraded forest in Phop Phra District soon under a state policy to 
ensure
>refugees' safety.
>
>Fourth Infantry Regiment Task Force commander Col Chayutti Boonparn 
said
>the delayed relocation would be carried out soon as the agencies found 
out
>an appropriate location for a new shelter for 8,570 refugees from Huay
>Kalok Camp in Mae Sot District and 8,935 others from Mawkier Camp in 
Phop
>Phra District.
>
>According to him, the new refugee camp will be built in a one-square
>kilometre denuded forest at the Phop Phra National Forest Reserve in 
Tambon
>Phop Phra along the Mae  Sot-Umphang Highway.
>
>Tak Governor Huekharn Tomornsuek and deputy Third Army commander 
Maj-Gen
>Ittipol Sirimonthon inspected the plot last week and chose the land for 
the
>relocation programme since the plot is outside wildlife sanctuaries and
>national parks and has enough water sources, Col Chayutti added.
>
>All concerned staff from the province, the Third Army and some
>nongovernmental- organisations will meet soon to work out an 
operational
>plan for the project subsidised by the  NGOs, he said.
>
>Earlier, the province scrapped its plan to transfer 8,935 refugees from
>Huay Kalok Camp to Mae La Camp in Tha Song Yang District.
>
>Journal of Commerce: US Changes Stance on Role in State Sanctions 
>8 July, 1998 by Michael S. Lelyveld 
>
>U.S. officials are no longer saying they can't block states from
>sanctioning Swiss banks over Nazi gold because it could affect a
>Massachusetts court case on Myanmar sanctions beginning this week.  
>
>The change in position surfaced after State Department officials 
reportedly
>told Switzerland they lacked the authority to order city and state 
agencies
>in New York not to penalize two Swiss banks that dealt in gold taken 
from
>Holocaust victims during World War II.  
>
>The Myanmar connection involves a lawsuit filed in April by the 
National
>Foreign Trade Council against Massachusetts for its selective 
purchasing
>law specifically aimed at that nation. A federal judge in Boston is
>expected to set a schedule for the case today and may rule on an NFTC
>motion to keep company names in the case confidential to avoid public
>boycotts.  
>
>The council, representing companies allegedly harmed by the sanctions, 
is
>arguing that Massachusetts has usurped federal powers over foreign 
policy
>by barring contracts with firms doing business in military-ruled 
Myanmar.  
>
>GOING THE OTHER WAY  
>
>But the State Department position, as reported by the Financial Times 
on
>Saturday, would essentially abandon the claim of precedence over states 
on
>selective purchasing laws.  
>
>An official said Monday that legal experts at the State Department and 
the
>U.S. Trade Representative's office had advised that disclaiming federal
>supremacy on the Swiss question could affect the Myanmar dispute.  
>
>"More accurately, we need to look into that issue,'' said the official,
>adding that there is ""no opinion yet.''  
>
>The hitch adds another dimension to the widening row over "subfederal''
>sanctions, which already involves U.S. corporations, the European Union 
and
>the federal government's ability to make trans-Atlantic trade treaties
>stick.  
>An official confirmed a report by Inside U.S. Trade that the EU will 
file
>an amicus brief in the Massachusetts case. The EU has threatened a 
formal
>dispute before the World Trade Organization because of conflicts 
between
>the state law and a 1994 Government Procurement Agreement with the 
United
>States on open bidding for contracts. 
>
>The EU trade commissioner, Sir Leon Brittan, was expected to press the
>Myanmar issue Tuesday during Washington meetings with Undersecretary of
>State Stuart Eizenstat and other officials.  
>
>The outcome of the NFTC suit may also be used to determine whether New 
York
>can bar the Swiss banks from bidding on overnight deposit business 
starting
>Sept. 1. Several NFTC members are U.S. banks which oppose the curbs, an
>official of the Washington-based group said.  
>
>Simon Billenness, a senior analyst at Franklin Research & Development 
Corp.
>in Boston and an organizer for the Myanmar sanctions, agreed that the
>selective purchasing principle is at stake. The tactic was used 
effectively
>in 1988 when Massachusetts imposed contracting penalties on companies
>dealing with South Africa. Like the Myanmar curbs, the South Africa
>sanctions were written by State Rep. Byron Rushing, a Dorchester 
Democrat.  
>
>The subfederal conflict has become a second front in the corporate 
campaign
>to restrain the spread of unilateral sanctions. Two sanctions reform 
bills
>were filed in Congress last month, and Senate Majority Leader Trent 
Lott
>named an 18-member panel to study the issue.  
>
>LOOKING PAST MASSACHUSETTS  
>
>The NFTC hopes that the Massachusetts suit will knock out a series of 
state
>and city curbs aimed at countries including Indonesia, Nigeria and 
China.  
>The issue has proved complicated for Mr. Eizenstat, who has tried to 
forge
>a settlement of Holocaust survivor claims by persuading the Swiss 
National
>Bank to join the Credit Suisse and UBS banks in offering more than the 
$600
>million proposed last month. The Swiss are also threatening WTO action.  
>
>Mr. Eizenstat has opposed the mounting number of unilateral measures 
and
>has tried to keep peace with Europe on sanctions issues. Although the
>subfederal questions could come together in the WTO, Switzerland is not 
a
>member of the 15-nation EU.  
>
>A TOUGH ISSUE  
>
>The selective purchasing issue is a tough one. In a brief filed last 
month
>in the Myanmar case, Massachusetts Assistant Attorney General Thomas
>Barnico argued that the state is not interfering with U.S. powers but 
only
>acting as a "market participant'' with the right to choose its 
suppliers.
>Also, the federal government has never stated any intent to pre-empt 
the
>state law on Myanmar, he said.  
>
>USTR officials did seek repeal of the law last year, however, after the 
EU
>objected to conflicts with the trans- Atlantic pact. But officials have
>since said the administration would back Massachusetts in a WTO 
dispute.
>
>****************************************************************
>
>ANNOUNCEMENT: SACRIFICE: THE STORY OF CHILD PROSTITUTES IN BURMA 
>10 July, 1998 from <EBruno@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>
>50 MINUTES, COLOR
>Each year thousands of girls are recruited from Burmese villages to 
work in
>Thai brothels.  Held for years in debt bondage, they suffer extreme 
abuse
>by pimps, clients, and police.
>
>The trafficking of Burmese girls has soared in recent years as a direct
>result of political repression in Burma.  Human rights abuses, war, and
>ethnic discrimination has displaced thousands of families, leaving 
families
>with no means of livelihood.  An offer of employment in Thailand is a 
rare
>chance for many families to escape extreme poverty.
>
>SACRIFICE examines the social, cultural, and economic forces at work in 
the
>trafficking of Burmese girls into prostitution.  It is the story of the
>valuation and sale of human beings, and the efforts of teenage girls to
>survive a crisis born of economic and political repression.
>
>Documentary Film Competition, Sundance Film Festival , 1988
>
>Golden Spire Award, San Francisco International Film Festival, 1988
>
>Jury Award, Charlotte Film Festival, 1988
>
>"Sacrifice counterpoints forthright tales of four young prostitutes 
with
>mesmerizing images: a woman standing in a door frame awaiting her fate
>juxtaposed with farmers cultivating the fields.  The images make a 
poignant
>plea for survival, both of the exiled women and the tormented land". -
>Andrea Alsberg, Sundance Film Festival
>
>"An emotionally shattering study of four girls who, under Burma's 
longtime
>military rule, were driven out of their mountain homes into 
prostitution in
>Thailand."  - Michael Fox, San Francisco Magazine
>
>Producer, Director, Camera, Editing: Ellen Bruno, 3447 25th Street, San
>Francisco, CA 94110, Tel: 415-641-4491, Fax: 415-641-9104
>
>Domestic Educational Distribution: 
>FILM LIBRARY
>22-D Hollywood Avenue, Ho-Ho-Kus, New Jersey  07423
>Tel: 800-343-5540       
>Fax: 201-652-1973
>
>Television Distribution:
>FILMS TRANSIT
>Contact: Jan Rofekamp
>402 East Notre Dame
>Montreal, CANADA  H2Y 1C8
>Tel: 514-844-3358       
>Fax: 514-844-7298
>E-Mail: filmtran@xxxxxxxxxxx
>
>****************************************************************
>
>
>


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