[A-M] Burma

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AUDREY'S MISSILES
A newsletter dedicated to the peaceful 
reform of the United States government.
PARADISE REVISITED
          
          	Living in Burma today must be almost like living in paradise. 
This is how Burma's ambassador to Japan, Kin Maung Thein describes it: "Of 
the little that is known [government controlled press] almost half of all the 
information ... in all foreign media tends to be distorted, exaggerated, 
sometimes made up...," he said, adding  "Now our people are happily engaged 
in their daily lives without repression, without fear and anxiety.   I wish 
also to state categorically that allegations about human rights violations in 
Myanmar [Burma] are completely groundless."  It must be that the rest of the 
world is all wrong about Burma.  According to a report in  "Agence France 
Presse," 27 May & 21 May, The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) 
has reached a "verbal agreement" with Burma's army junta to allow it access 
to all prisons and detention centers in Burma. . The ICRC's first prison 
visit under the new agreement was reportedly to be to Insein Prison, near 
Rangoon, where the United Nations and human rights groups say political 
prisoners are detained and tortured. 

	And the International Labor Organization must be wrong too.  They say 
that Burma's army junta has shown a "flagrant and persistent failure to 
comply" with its treaty obligations to prevent forced labor in the country, 
that forced labor continues on a large scale in Burma, and that the ruling 
junta has taken "no action ... to punish those exacting forced labor."   
Further, the Chin Human Rights Organization reported on 29 May new instances 
of forced labor and murder and brutality by soldiers conscripting laborers in 
the northwestern Chin State.  An August, 1998, International Labor 
Organization report said forced laborers "are frequently beaten or otherwise 
physically abused," adding, "Some are killed, and women performing compulsory 
labor are raped or otherwise sexually abused by soldiers."    The 
International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) must surely be 

mistaken when they estimate that EIGHT HUNDRED THOUSAND people are forced 
laborers in Burma.

	This military government in Burma is so benevolent that Burma News 
Update reported that one of the government leaders,  Daw Aung San Suu Kyi,  
has said that he was willing to discuss  amnesty for  military leaders 
involved in mass killings in 1988.  So there were mass killings in 1988?  
Well, that must be an exception to the good treatment of citizens since that 
time.   Burma must be an open and kindly society even though Burma's army has 
explicitly rejected any foreign aid that includes conditions for reform or  
reconciliation in the country.  A regime spokesman said no official offer, 
which reportedly  included up to $1 billion in development aid, has been 
made, but warned, "We will never take anything if there are strings 
attached."  Many countries, organizations, and corporations are boycotting 
Burma.   It must be that the world is wrong and the Burmese government is 
right!

Bangkok, "Financial Times (London)" 08 May, 1999.  Geneva, "International 
Labor Organization," 25 May, 1999, Rangoon, "Agence France Presse," 14 May, 
1999. Bangkok, "Associated Press," 12 May, 1999. Rangoon, "Agence France 
Presse," 14 May, 1999

http:www.soros.org/burma.html 
Brussels, "Reuters," 10 May, 1999
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6/99 Burma
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