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The BurmaNet News: July 16, 1998



------------------------ BurmaNet ------------------------
 "Appropriate Information Technologies, Practical Strategies"
----------------------------------------------------------

The BurmaNet News: July 16, 1998
Issue #1050

HEADLINES:
==========
BKK POST: RANGOON FOES MULL CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE 
BKK POST: JUNTA DEFENDS "TIME-TESTED" ASEAN POLICY 
THE NATION: THAILAND DEFENDS STAND ON TURMOIL IN BURMA 
BKK POST: THAI EYES ON SKIES 
BKK POST: TOUGHER MEASURES TO CONTROL REFUGEES 
BKK POST: SPLIT ON WHETHER TO LET MILLERS HIRE
REUTERS: UNOCAL SAYS YADANA START-UP DELAYED 
NRC HANDELSBLAD: PARIS IS BLOCKING SANCTIONS ON BURMA 
ANNOUNCEMENT: NDF JOURNAL AVAILABLE 
ANNOUNCEMENT: DEP WELCOMES NEW STUDENTS
ANNOUNCEMENT: RALLY ON MARTYR'S DAY 
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THE BANGKOK POST: RANGOON FOES MULL CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE 
15 July, 1998 

A Burmese opposition group yesterday called for a campaign of civil
disobedience if the ruling junta refuses to enter dialogue with
pro-democracy parties, amid reports of clashes between government forces
and rebels near the Thai border.

"They should follow the tactics of disobedience," said Democratic Alliance
of Burma (DAB) joint secretary Aye Saung.

A junta spokesman said the comments were "total nonsense, not worth
refuting". 

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THE BANGKOK POST: JUNTA DEFENDS "TIME-TESTED" ASEAN POLICY
15 July, 1998 

Burma yesterday warned against any change in Asean's policy on
non-intervention in members' domestic affairs.

The warning came after it angrily rejected expressions of concern from
Thailand and the Philippines that rising political tension in the junta
ruled state could lead to violence.

Asean's long-standing hands-off policy towards developments within the
borders of its member states was supported by the regional grouping's
Treaty of Amity and Cooperation, a junta official said in a statement
issued in Bangkok.

"These principles and traditions are time-tested, and the adherence to
these principles saw Asean grow in solidarity and coherence," it said.

"These principles have served Asean well for over 30 years. It remains even
more valid today. It would not serve Asean's interests to tamper with them."

Thailand on Tuesday defended its right to express concern about
developments in Burma, saying any turmoil in the neighbouring state could
have implications across the common border.

Thailand has proposed Asean adopt a policy of "flexible engagement" under
which members can comment on their partners' domestic matters when they
have regional implications. 

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THE NATION: THAILAND DEFENDS STAND ON TURMOIL IN BURMA 
15 July, 1998 

THAILAND yesterday defended its right to express concern about developments
in Burma, saying any turmoil in the neighbouring junta-ruled state could
have, implications across their common border.

Deputy Foreign Minister Sukhumbhand Paribatra said Thailand abided by the
Asean policy of not interfering in the domestic affairs of other states,
which he added was also a United Nations policy.

"But Thailand and Burma share a border," he was quoted as saying in a
Foreign Ministry statement.

"Any movement in Burma also effects Thailand. That's why Thailand has
expressed concern over these incidents."

Bangkok last week expressed concern that rising political tension in Burma
could erupt into violence and urged restraint by both Burma's rulers and
opposition parties.

But the comments drew an angry response from the regime, which warned that
Thailand's expression of concern echoed by the Philippines, could damage
regional relations.

"These speculations are based on false premises and are entirely contrary
to reality," the Burmese Foreign Ministry said in a statement read on state
television.

"It is regrettable that such speculations based on unfounded premises and
fabrications can only lead to misunderstanding among Asean members and
adversely effect bilateral relations, apart from being entirely against
basic principles and objectives of Asean."

A Burmese opposition group yesterday called for a campaign of civil
disobedience if the country's junta refuses to enter dialogue with
pro-democracy parties.

"They should follow the tactics of disobedience," Democratic Alliance of
Burma (DAB) joint secretary Aye Saung said in Bangkok, conceding that it
could lead to violence."

****************************************************************

THE BANGKOK POST: THAI EYES ON SKIES 
15 July, 1998 

Regional satellite TV channel in the offing

Information ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations
yesterday agreed to launch an Asean satellite channel by 2000, and Thailand
hopes to take a first step towards it.

The ministers reached the agreement during their fifth biennial meeting,
which also launched a new website for culture and information which
officials said was at http://www.asean-infoculture.org.

Prime Minister's Office Minister Supatra Masdit, who chaired the meeting,
expressed hope that Channel 5, which is already beaming all over the world,
would be able to show the way for other Asean member states in receiving
and transmitting to the Asean channel.

Khunying Supatra said she would discuss the matter with Lieutenant General
Paeng Malakul, director of Channel 5.

The Asean television channel is set to reach all member countries before
extending to the rest of the world.

Asean groups Burma, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore,
Thailand and, Vietnam. Cambodia, a prospective member, attended the meeting
as an observer.

Singapore's Minister of Information George Yeo indicated the group's
support for Malaysia's cost-saving proposal for national channels to beam
to bean existing satellite, rather than launching a new one.

National channels would only have to pay the cost of renting separate
transponders, Mr Yeo noted.

Singapore is to host a meeting in October to settle funding arrangements
and appoint a network coordinator.

But Mr Yeo emphasised that the new web site and planned satellite channel
were efforts by Asean to "make our gentle voices from the region to be
heard", not to counter Western mass media.

The editor of Burma's New Light of Myanmar official newspaper, U Kyaw Min,
said Rangoon might be selective about presenting information from the Asean
channel to Burmese viewers.

****************************************************************

THE BANGKOK POST: TOUGHER MEASURES TO CONTROL REFUGEES 
15 July, 1998 by Cheewin Sattha, Mae Hong So 

Tougher measures to control Karen war refugees in this northern province
have been enforced since last Friday to ensure security in border areas.

Governor Samrerng Boonyopakorn, head of the provincial Thai-Burmese border
command centre, said the centre had agreed to implement five new measures
to control refugees in the province, and to move 32,215 Karen refugees from
more than 11 shelters to four camps.

The four camps are Site 1 in Ban Nai Soi, Ban Pang Tractor and Ban Pang
Khwai of Muang district, Site 2 in Bang Mae Surin of Khun Yuam district,
Site 3 in Ban Huay Mae Kong Kha and Ban Tha Sala of Mae Sariang district,
and Site 4 in Ban Mae Lama Luang of Sop Moei district.

According to him, some 1,401 Muslim Karen refugees living in Ban Mae Sam
Lab, Sop Moei district, will also be transferred to Ban Mae Lama Luang.

Under the new measures, the chief of each district with a camp has been
made camp director, while the district police chief or his deputy will be a
deputy camp director, and the assistant district chief will be an assistant
director.

All refugees must register themselves with camp authorities to prevent
foreign forces from using the camps as their support bases in Thailand.

The refugees are not allowed to leave their camps except in case of serious
illness. Those considered to be gravely ill would be allowed
hospitalisation for 7-15 days at a time under doctor's recommendations.

However, all refugees may leave their camps to buy consumer goods with
official permission, but must return within two days.

Any help from non-governmental organisations (NGOs) must be given to
refugees in the camps only with the Interior Ministry's permission. NGO
staff cannot enter any camp without a pass issued by the ministry.

****************************************************************

THE BANGKOK POST: OFFICIALS SPLIT ON WHETHER TO LET MILLERS HIRE FOREIGNERS 
15 July, 1998 by Penchan Charoensuthipan

Ideas to be presented to committee today

Officials are still split on the issue of whether the government should
allow millers to continue employing foreign labour to carry rice sacks, and
they will present their ideas for a subcommittee in charge to decide today.

According to a source at the Labour and Social Welfare Ministry, officials
from a committee studying the replacement of alien labour with Thai take
the view that the government should give millers another year to hire alien
workers to carry rice sacks.

During that period, they should try to replace alien workers with Thai. If
they fail to do so, they must import alien labour legally for their
operations.

The committee was formed by Labour and Social Welfare Minister Trairong
Suwankhiri and headed by his secretary, Nibhon Boonyamanee

The Employment Department suggested that the government adhere to its
policy of repatriating illegal alien labour, saying that actually, millers
would he able to recruit Thai workers in place of alien ones.

The department made the suggestion as the secretariat for a subcommittee
studying alien labour problems. The committee was set up by Prime Minister
Chuan Leekpai and headed by his deputy, Bhichai Rattakul.

The subcommittee will meet at the Labour and Social Welfare Ministry today
to decide whether millers should be allowed to continue employing alien
workers.

Phan Chantraparn, permanent secretary of the ministry, said yesterday that
the alien labour repatriation policy had caused rice millers to be short of
only about 11,000 workers, and that they should be able to find Thai
replacements.

The ministry could issue a new ministerial regulation soon to limit the
weight of each rice sack at 55 kg so that the career could attract Thais,
he said.

The government started cracking, down on illegal alien labour on May 1 and
about 260,000 alien workers have been repatriated. Most of them, about
200,000, were Burmese.

So far, Mr Phan said, there are about 230,000 jobs in 39 fields left vacant
in 53 provinces as no Thai replacements could be found. They include, about
11,000 jobs in the rice sack carrying field.

Apart from millers, rubber planters, pig farmers and jar producers were
asking for government permission to continue employing alien labour, Mr
Phan said.

****************************************************************

REUTERS: UNOCAL SAYS YADANA START-UP DELAYED 4-6 MONTHS 
14 July, 1998 

LOS ANGELES, July 14 (Reuters) - Unocal Corp. said Tuesday a power plant
construction delay will push back the start-up of the Yadana natural gas
pipeline in Myanmar (Burma) by four to six months from mid-1998.

The $1.2 billion project will carry natural gas from offshore Myanmar to
the Ratchaburi power plant in Thailand.

"The power plant is behind schedule," Brian Marcotte, president of Unocal
Thailand Ltd., said at presentation to analysts here.

The power plant, run by state-owned Electricity Generating Authority of
Thailand (EGAT), will be fueled by the Myanmar gas, which will travel from
offshore into Thailand.

Marcotte said the delay of the installation of major gas turbine held up
the plant's construction.

The plant will be ready for start-up in late 1998 and the project will ramp
up to full power in late 1999, he said.

The delay will force the Petroleum Authority of Thailand (PTT), a
part-owner of Yadana, to pay fines into the tens of millions to other
members of the project consortium.

Unocal owns a 28 percent stake in the natural gas project, which is owned
by a consortium that includes Petroleum Authority of Thailand, Total SA of
France, and Myanmar's state-run Myanma Oil and Gas Enterprise.

The company also pushed back the start-up of its Pailin natural gas field
offshore Thailand from late 1998 to June 1999 due to pipeline installation
delays.

The field is expected to produce 165 cubic feet per day of natural gas
initially, then double that output by 2001. Unocal's net working interest
in the field, which has reserve potential of 2 trillion cubic feet, is 35
percent.

Meanwhile, the company forecast a rise in Thailand's natural gas production
to 1.5 billion cubic feet per day by 2001 from 1 billion cubic feet per day
currently. Production will increase to meet rising natural gas demand from
power plants, which are switching to gas-fired turbines from fuel oil ones.

****************************************************************

NRC HANDELSBLAD: PARIS IS BLOCKING SANCTIONS ON BURMA 
15 July, 1998 from <bcn@xxxxxxxxx> 

(Published on the Frontpage - in Dutch - in the NRC Handelsblad, the
biggest business newspaper in the Netherlands; translation by Burma Centre
Netherlands)

Rotterdam, 15 July -- France is blocking more strict economic sanctions by
the European Union against the military regime in the Asian country Burma.
"The large majority of the Council of Ministers is in favor of tougher
measures against Burma. France however has been bought by the economic
interest of Total." So states Hanja Maij-Weggen, chair of the Dutch
Christian Democrats in the European Parliament.

In the United States of America, Dutch company  IHC Caland, that struck a
deal on Monday with Premier to deliver a floating oil-storage tank in
Burma, has been placed on the black list of companies doing business with
the junta. The Investor Responsibility Research Center (IRRC), an
independent information service in Washington, had in a newsletter in May
of this year already noticed that IHC had a representative in Rangoon. In
the United States there is a large group of activists working against
companies with contracts in Burma.

The European Parliament is debating on Thursday on Burma. IHC Caland, a
subcontractor of a British oil company, is going to build an oil storage
tank at the coast of Burma. "Decent companies would not invest in Burma,"
says Maij. Maij is further appalled by a letter of the European Commission
about Burma. European Commissionair Brittan last week has distanced himself
from the Massachusetts Burma law, prohibiting the state from having
contracts with companies doing business in Burma. The position of
Massachusetts, writes Brittan, would inhibit the co-operation between the
USA and the EU.

****************************************************************

ANNOUNCEMENT: NDF JOURNAL AVAILABLE 
15 July, 1998 from <win5@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> 

Dear All Ethnic Nationalities,

The NDF information department will published "Ethnic Nationalities
Journal" in Burmese, by three monthly.

Now Vol.1, No. 1 (June, 1998) is printed, if you want, please let me know
your mailing address.

For the overseas, out of Thailand, if you can provide for postage, it will
be great for us.

In Solidarity,
Information Department, National Democratic Front.

****************************************************************

ANNOUNCEMENT: DEP WELCOMES NEW STUDENTS 
15 July, 1998 from <dep@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> 

DEP Distance Education Proramme

Welcome New Students

We Want You to Improve Your Education

Special Call for Women Students!

Would you like to join the NHEC Distance Education Programme?  The NHEC
would like you to!

The Burma Distance Education Programme (DEP) has been developed by the
National Health and Education Committee (Burma) in conjunction with a
number of  funding agencies. It includes the distance English Language
Instruction courses (dELI) and the Certificate in Community Management
(Burma).

About that special invitation to women:
In January 1998 we held an English test and according to the results of the
test students were invited to join dELI 1, dELI 2 or Community Management.

Altogether  852 applications were received for the first test and 656
students actually sat for the test.  139 achieved levels high enough to
begin the Community Management course (104 males, 35 females). 337 students
qualified for the higher level English course, dELI 2,  (237 male, 100
female) and 180 were invited to join the lower level English course dELI 1
(114 males and 66 females).

The NHEC is very keen to be able to enroll more women in the Community
Management course and wants to encourage women to apply for the DEP and do
the English test. If you are a woman who is interested in the DEP
programme, even if you feel you could not yet pass the English test, send
an application to us and we will send you dELI 1 for practice. You can join
in the test when you feel you are ready and you can then continue with dELI
1 or dELI 2 until you reach the level needed for Community Management.
There is no pressure, you can study at your own speed.

dELI 1 and dELI 2 are intended to help students up-grade their reading and
writing skills in English so that they can undertake further study in
English, either the DEP Certificate in Community Management (Burma) course
or some other course of study.

Not sure what Distance Education is?
Distance education is a term used for a system of education in which the
student and teacher are separated by distance. In distance education there
is a teacher, but the teacher is far away.  Distance education can take
many forms. Learning from reading books is really a form of distance
education. You learn from the writer who may be far away, you don't have
direct contact with the writer. The oldest form of organised distance
education is often referred to as learning through correspondence courses
-- courses prepared by a teacher and which are sent to you by mail or some
other form of delivery. The students, respond to the written lessons by
writing back again to the teacher. In many countries, distance education is
also provided by radio programmes, television, and by computers connected
by telephone lines. Sometimes lessons are sent in the form of audio
(cassettes) or video tapes. In some cases, the student can reply to the
teacher using telephone, radio, or computer. Such courses are used to
provide education to people who cannot, for some reason, attend a school or
college.  Some people may not be able to attend classes because they do not
have the money for the school fees, or must work and do not have the time
for classes. They may not be able to attend classes because they are
disabled, or they may live too far away. War, and natural disasters may
also prevent people from attending classes. At present our DEP programme
uses correspondence courses, but we may be able to use other methods in the
future.

How the DEP system works
It is NHEC policy that higher education in Burma should be in English. The
Community Management course is in English and that is why we have also
provided the dELI (distance English Language Instruction) courses to help
you improve your reading and writing in English.

The dELI courses
dELI 1 is a preparatory  English course which covers what you learned at
school and gives you some practice.

dELI 2 is a more advanced course which aims to bring your English reading
and writing skills up to the level needed to pass the DEP English test and
for studying the Community Management course.

The Community Management course
The Community Management course has been adapted for the DEP from course
materials developed in Australia for use by Aboriginal students training to
work as managers of community organisations in remote parts of Australia.
The course has been adapted to try to make it interesting and useful for
people from Burma.

Students who complete the course will have become competent to work as
community administrators, managers of local health clinics, educational
administrators -- in fact to effectively manage any organisation in a way
which emphasises the responsibility of managers to the community.

Progress so far:
We have begun the Community Management and dELI programmes in Thailand and
in India and are now beginning to plan for a second English test later in
1998.

The second DEP English test
If you missed out on doing the first test and  would like to join the DEP
programme, please fill in the application form or write to us.

If you did the first test and did not achieve the level necessary to join
the Community Management Programme, and if you believe your English has
improved since then, you are welcome to do the second test.

Fill in the application form or write to us. What we need to know is where
you are (so that we can make sure there is an English test held near you)
and how to contact you so that we can send our DEP course material to you.

When we receive your application, if you are not already registered with us
we will happily send you the dELI 1 course materials so that you can
practise your English while you are waiting to do the test. After the test
we will offer you a place in the course which is appropriate for your level
of English.

Application form
Please TEAR off and RETURN to
Distance Education Programme
PO Box 59
Chiang Mai University Post Office
Chiang Mai 50202
Thailand

1.	Name__________________________

2.	Place of birth_____________________

3.	Nationality_______________________

4.	Place where you live________________

5.	Contact address___________________

            ______________________________

            ______________________________

6.	Telephone/fax contact if you have one

       ______________________________

Signature___________________________

Date ______________________________

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ANNOUNCEMENT: RALLY ON MARTYR'S DAY, JULY 19, 1998 
15 July, 1998 from <pyonecho@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> 

We, the undersigned democracy and human rights organisations are planning
to organize a peaceful demonstration in Tokyo, on July 19, which is the
51st anniversary of MARTYR'S DAY.   Burma's national hero, Bogyoke Aung San
(General Aung San ), father of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi,  Burmese pro-democracy
leader and Nobel Peace Laureate, and other national independence heroes
were assassinated on July 19 of 1947, just before Burma gained the
independence to which they had dedicated their lives.

As Daw Aung San Suu Kyi said, "When I honour my father, I honour all those
who stand for political integrity in Burma." Our purpose through this rally
is to show our deepest respect for those reverend monks and people who have
lost their lives for the struggle for national independence and, even more
in order to share the merit of their deeds among all of us.

We would like to stage a peaceful protest to be alarmed that Burma's brutal
junta has threatened to assassinate our beloved leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi
and is arresting elected representatives, and that the international
community must act quickly to safeguard Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and members of
parliament or it could be too late.

SCHEDULE AND DIRECTIONS:
Date : 19 July 1998
Time : 12:30 afternoon time
Place : Gotanda Minami Kooen, two minutes walk from East Exit of Gotanda
station
We welcome all supporters of democracy and human rights to join us in our
activities.

Thanks again for your support for Burmese democracy.

For details, Please call or fax to:
The National League for Democracy (Liberated Area) Japan Branch:
Tel/Fax:813-5974-1981
Burmese Youth Volunteer Association (Japan) Tel/Fax:813-3916-4996
Students' Organization for Liberation of Burma (Burma): Tel/Fax:813-5396-1242
Burmese Women Union (Japan Branch) Tel/Fax:813-3917-6748
People's Forum on Burma Tel/Fax:813-3263-3881
The Movement for Vietnam's Freedom and Democracy Chapter in Japan
Tel/Fax:813-3768-6104
International Peace Fleet

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