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The BurmaNet News: October 8, 1999 (r)



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The BurmaNet News: October 8, 1999
Issue #1375

HEADLINES:
==========
ASSK: EMBASSY SEIZURE, US LOANS AND JAIL SENTENCES FOR WEARING YELLOW
THE NATION: KAREN LEADER DENIES ANY LINKS TO RAID ON EMBASSY
THE NATION: DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH BURMA SOUR
THE NATION: JUNTA REVOKES THAI TRAWLER RIGHTS
THE NATION: EXILED BURMESE FACE IMMIGRATION CURBS
BKK POST: EXILES' MOVE TO THIRD STATE SLAMMED
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER: WTO CHIEF FACES OPPONENTS IN SEATTLE
AP: THAIS RALLY AGAINST DRUG TRADE
*****************************************************

AUNG SAN SUU KYI: ON EMBASSY SEIZURE, US LOANS, AND JAIL SENTENCE FOR
WEARING YELLOW
8 October, 1999 from Alternative Asean Network on Burma (Altsean)

"TO USE GUNS TO OPPRESS YOUR FELLOW MEN IS SOMETHING WE CANNOT ACCEPT"

Transcript: Part Two of Aung San Suu Kyi interview, October 5, 1999

Q: The NLD has disassociated itself from the group responsible for the siege
in the embassy in Bangkok. What is your message to activists who maybe
considering similar actions in the near future or in the future?

A: As we said in the official statement of the Committee Representing the
People's Parliament we understand why these young students felt that they
had to do something like this. It's because of some sense of frustration,
it's because they have been subjected to great injustice, it's because they
want democracy to come to Burma quickly.

But what we want to say to them, is that what we are fighting is the use of
arms to bring about political change. So we cannot support such acts where
people with arms force people without arms into a particular situation We
have to face this kind of situation from day to day in Burma.

Our people are arrested, our people are harassed, they are oppressed, they
are bullied, they are tortured. Why, why are they putting up with it-
because the people who are doing it have guns in their hands. And they are
fighting with their guns, and it is because of the guns that they are forced
to submit to acts of injustice. So we don't want the system whereby the gun
rules man. Whereas it's man who should rule the gun. After all the gun was
invented by men. It's men who make guns so man should have power over guns.
And to use guns to oppress your fellow men is something we cannot accept.

" WE WANT TO SHOW THAT THE HUMAN SPIRIT CAN PREVAIL OVER THE MIGHT OF ARMS
 ... THROUGH THE STRENGTH OF OUR CONVICTIONS AND THROUGH OUR PERSEVERANCE"

This is why we are against acts of violence. This is why we have decided
that we want to choose the non-violent way. Because we want to show that the
human spirit can prevail over the might of arms and that we can bring about
the change that we want through the strength of our convictions and through
our perseverance. And we are convinced that we will able to do it.

We are absolutely confident that democracy will come to Burma. and it will
come through non-violent means. And we are confident that we will be able to
persuade those who are now using violence to oppress Burma, to see our point
of view and to understand that they would be much happier, as well as, of
course, the rest of the country if it were justice that ruled rather than
weapons.

Q: Do you think that resentment is growing against the military regime? Are
you concerned that the resentment may explode into violence. If so, why?

A: I think resentment is growing for a number of reasons. Of course the one
that everybody feels is the economic reason. Prices have been rising, the
people's living standards have been coming down. And then social reasons -
the universities have been closed for about 3 years now, young people are
not getting a proper education, and then of course, a combination of
economic and social factors. They see that the elite live a very different
life from the ordinary people.

The common people have difficulty making ends meet. Their children cannot
complete their education. Whereas (among) the elite who are close to the
regime or who in fact belong to the regime, their children can go to study
abroad, their families are very well-off. They have become very wealthy,
they are the ones who are raking in the economic benefits of whatever
openings there have been in the past decade. So there are these social
factors.

And then of course there are the political factors. There is no freedom,
people cannot say what they want; people cannot do what they want, people
cannot wear what they want. I think we'll be coming to that later. There is
no free press, there is no freedom of information. I don't know whether
you've had the chance to look at the newspapers here. But the newspapers are
generally full of abuse of the National League for Democracy.

And you know, it's a nice trait of human beings that they get fed up of the
abuse after sometime. If somebody keeps on abusing somebody else, especially
from a position of power, people don't like it. This is the good thing about
human beings. And of course other things about human beings perhaps are not
so wonderful. But they have this instinct against bullying and against
injustice.

" WE DON'T WANT CHANGE TO COME ABOUT THROUGH VIOLENCE"

So I think we can say that resentment is growing all the time. And will it
explode into violence? That's a possibility. And of course we are concerned
about this, we don't want change to come about through violence. We don't
want that to become a precedent, that if you want to bring about change you
have to resolve to violent tactics. That will be a very, very bad precedent.
And we hope that the authorities will see that for the good of our country
we should establish a precedent whereby change is brought about through
peaceful dialogue and exchange of views.

Q: Would the junta view the NLD as a safer alternative to groups prepared to
use violence to overthrow them as opposed to violent groups? Would the junta
view the NLD as a safer option?

"THEY LOOK ON THE NLD AS THE MOST DANGEROUS THING IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD"

A: I don't know how they look at these things. From reading the newspapers
you get the idea they look on the NLD as the most dangerous thing in the
whole wide world! We are not at all violent. And they may well think that we
are lot more dangerous than violent groups. But this of course all based on
misperception of what we stand for and I think it's based on fear. I think
this military regime is frightened of losing power.

They are frightened of the emergence of a democratic government because they
don't understand what a democratic government really is. They don't
understand that we're not out for revenge, we're not out to crush them or
the army. We only want to establish a system whereby there can be a balance
between justice and security and freedom for all our people.

Q: Would you feel that the military regime could work hand in hand with the
NLD if ever it came into power?

A: We said that we don't see why we can't work with anybody for the good of
the country, in the right way.

Q: What do you think governments should do to stem the potential for
violence in Burma?

A: As I said earlier, I think they should resort to peaceful methods. They
should think of exchange of views and dialogue as an honorable and dignified
way of bringing about change. Sometimes I think that this regime thinks that
if they accept idea of dialogue with the opposition, of negotiations, they
will be losing face, that this would be a disgraceful road to take. In fact,
(it is) not.

What they don't understand is that they would greatly enhance their standing
with the whole world, not just with Burma. And they would be doing something
so honorable that they would win a lot of approval and they have a lot more
to gain than to lose. I think they've got to understand this.

Q: The United States government has announced that they may forgive debts of
poor countries. Do you think that Burma should have its loans forgiven or
written off?

A: I think once there's a democratic government in power, we should have all
our loans written off.

But on the other hand I would like to say that we want our country to be a
responsible one. We have always said that we don't want our country to be
one which lives on handouts. And if possible, I think we would prefer to
repay our loans than to have them written off because there must be a sense
of responsibility. We would like to teach our people a sense of
responsibility.

But of course on the other hand we have to be practical as well.
(Especially) if the conditions of the country are such that the writing off
of certain debts would greatly help the situation and help us to help
ourselves in the future. This is something that should be considered
seriously. We want our people to be proud in the right way. We want them to
be proud of working for themselves or working for progress; not just sitting
back and enjoy the goods of life because of the charity of others.

Q: In order to rebuild the country of Burma do you feel that you would need
to take further loans?

A: I think, practically speaking, we will have to take certain loans, we
will have to accept certain aid but the NLD has produced our views on how we
would handle the economy. And one of our basic principles is that we want to
take out loans and accept aid in a responsible way. We don't want to take
more aid than we can handle efficiently.

"THE GOVERNMENT AND THE PEOPLE MUST UNDERSTAND THAT IF WE WANT RIGHTS, THEN
WE HAVE TO DISCHARGE OUR RESPONSIBILITIES"

I think you probably know that in some countries the money that is given in
aid just goes into waste because they are given so much, and it's not
properly coordinated, they get paid from different sources. We keep
repeating, what we want is a transparent, responsible government, an
accountable government. And we also want a responsible people. We've got to
work together. The government and the people must understand that if we want
rights, then we have to discharge our responsibilities. So that goes hand in
hand.

Q: Concerning the court case taken up by the chairman of the NLD and three
MPs against the authorities what are your views on it and what is the
current situation?

A: Well the current situation is that there has been one hearing. ...I'm
sure you know I can't talk about the details of the case. But I can just say
that the second hearing is going to be on the 29th of October. Our chairman
has filed a suit against the National Investigation Bureau because of
injustices to which our MPs and members of our party have been subjected.
The 3 MPs have filed suits to do with slander. There were public meetings
orchestrated by the authorities in which our MPs were slandered. So there
are two separate cases.

Q: You may not be able to comment on this next question also because it's a
court ruling. The ruling recently on a case passed a decision that 7 people
 ...

A: 4 people

Q: ...four Burmese citizens who were caught wearing yellow were sentenced
to time in jail, imprisonment..

" PRISON SENTENCES OF SEVEN YEARS BECAUSE THEY WERE WEARING YELLOW ON THE
9TH NIGHT OF SEPTEMBER"

A: Well that case is finished so I can talk about it ... that was totally
unjust. It was an arbitrary decision, the defendants were not allowed any
counsel of any kind They were each given prison sentences of seven years
because they were wearing yellow on the 9th night of September and I think
this was taken to be incitement to unrest or something like that.

This is ridiculous. I'm wearing yellow and I'm not inciting anybody to
unrest. And I don't see why people should not be able to wear what color
they please And there is no law which says you cannot wear yellow. So I hope
people will come out wearing yellow one of these days.

Q: Final words from you.

A: I always say that you cannot hope without endeavor, you've got to work.
You have no right to hope unless you are prepared to struggle for what you
want. But I do believe that justice will prevail in the end. But don't
forget that justice has always have to be tempered by mercy. So when your
side prevails don't be unmerciful to your opponents because there's none of
us who could do without mercy.

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

THE NATION: KAREN LEADER DENIES ANY LINKS TO RAID ON EMBASSY
7 October, 1999 by Yindee Lertcharoenchok

AN exiled Karen leader yesterday denied that his organisation was involved
in the armed raid on the Burmese Embassy last Friday.

Mahn Robert Ba Zan, president of the Karen Solidarity Organisation (KSO),
told The Nation in an interview that he did not know the five Burmese
assailants whose identity the Thai authorities are still trying to
establish.

The assailants were flown to southern Burma opposite Thailands Suan Phung
district in western Ratchaburi province in a deal with the Thai government
which secured the release of 89 hostages.

Mahn Robert Ba Zan, 58, said the KSO was a non-violent political
organisation which had no territorial control in Kamaplaw area where the
Burmese attackers were believed to have been dropped off, or anywhere else
along the Thai-Burmese frontier.

Moreover, the KSO had been forbidden by the Karen National Union (KNU) to
mobilise mass political support in the frontier area it controlled, he
added.

A former military trainer and frontier commander, Mahn Robert Ba Zan quit
the Karen National Union after a clash with its leadership and formed the
KSO on Aug 31, 1997.

''I don't know these five students, but they may know me because I used to
train students when they fled to the border after the 1988 popular uprising
in Burma'' he said.

Mahn Robert Ba Zan, who is the son of late Karen revolutionary movement
lader Mahn Ba Zan, said he was shocked when he heard of the attack on the
embassy. He added that he was also surprised by the ''small number'' of
people involved in the raid.

He believed the seizure of hostages was ''well planned'', saying that the
attackers appeared to have achieved their objectives by winning the sympathy
of both the Thai and foreign hostages and publicising their political
demands.

''If they did have only five people, it means that they must have had very
good planning,'' he said.

He said he was also ''very shocked'' that Burmese Embassy officials and
intelligence officers, who were well trained and experienced in intelligence
gathering and security, had completely failed to foil the raid, especially
as it came at a time when there were calls for demonstrations and protests
against the Burmese regime in and outside the country.

''How could the embassy rely only on the Thai guards to protect their
security?'' he asked.

Mahn Robert Ba Zan said he could not confirm that the assailants were flown
to Kamaplaw, which is under the control of the Christian-dominated God Army.
The God Army, believed to have about 300 men under arms, was formed by
former KNU troops and Karen villagers after the fall of the KNU's 4th
Brigade headquarters to the Burmese Army in 1997.

Other rebel groups said they were afraid that the armed raid on the embassy
could have a detrimental effect on their activities.

A number of the dissident groups are armed. Others, like the KSO, have
employed political and diplomatic means to inform the outside world about
the atrocities committed by the military government in Rangoon.

The KNU is the biggest armed ethnic group fighting the military government
of Burma. The organisation was formed 50 years ago shortly after Burma
gained independence from Britain. Its current leader is Gen Bo Mya.

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

THE NATION: DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH BURMA SOUR
8 October, 1999

DIPLOMATIC tension between Thailand and Burma grew yesterday following
theclosure of border checkpoints and suspension of concessions for Thai
fishermen by Burma and a strong response by Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai to
Rangoon's criticism of Bangkok's handling of last week's hostage crisis.

The military government in Rangoon has yet to reopen the border checkpoints
or allow Thai fishermen into its waters, bringing cross-border trade to a
standstill over the past five days.

Chuan, in what is considered the strongest remarks on the situation by a
senior Thai official so far, accused Rangoon of sending mixed signals.

''On the one hand Burma sends an official letter to thank us. But on the
other, its officials have been issuing critical statements,'' Chuan said.

He insisted that the Thai authorities had done their best to peacefully
solve a problem which had its roots in Burma.

''They cannot escape anywhere,'' Chuan said, referring to Burma's
pro-democracy students in general. ''So they come to our country, which is
helping to solve the problem. So, in fact, Burma cannot criticise us.''

Burma should understand that Thailand had to put the safety of embassy staff
and other hostages first, he added.

A state-run newspaper in Burma on Wednesday attacked Thailand's handling of
the hostage crisis. It said that bilateral relations could be harmed if
Bangkok did not tighten security over ''terrorist'' refugees from Burma
residing on Thai soil.

Col Thein Swe, former military attache at the Burmese Embassy in Bangkok,
went on government radio on Tuesday to accuse the Thai intelligence service
of being a sham for not being able to anticipate the embassy takeover.

Thein Swe is a leading member of the Office of Strategic Studies, a powerful
think-tank under the command of security chief Lt Gen Khin Nyunt.

But the statements made by the state-run media contradicted those made by
the Burmese head of state.

Chairman of the ruling State Peace and Development Council Gen Than Shwe had
sent a letter thanking Chuan for his efforts in solving the crisis
peacefully.

He also praised Deputy Foreign Minister Sukhumbhand Paribatra for his
courage. Sukhumbhand volunteered to travel with the rebels when they flew by
helicopter to the Thai-Burmese border in exchange for the release of the
hostages.

The five attackers, who called themselves the Vigorous Burmese Student
Warriors, stormed the Burmese Embassy last Friday, taking 38 people hostage
at gunpoint, while holding 51 others in a different section.

Interior Minister Sanan Kachornprasart had earlier referred to the five
gunmen as ''students fighting for democracy'', instead of ''terrorists''.

Infuriated by the statement, Rangoon issued a reply on Monday saying: ''One
wonders if at any point during the entire siege of the embassy, the
trigger-happy gunmen's ... activity had resulted in the death of not only
the embassy staff but families including children, can they still be
regarded as 'not terrorists, but students who are fighting for democracy',''
the statement said.

Speaking at the Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand, Sukhumbhand tried
to clarify Sanan's statement, saying that although the five armed attackers
were not ''international terrorists'', nevertheless, what they did
constituted a ''terrorist act''.

''We will proceed legally because they have committed a crime under Thai
law,'' he said. ''However, there is a void in the Thai legal system in
giving a legal definition of international terrorist.''

Although the Thai security agencies has vowed to restrict the movement of
dissident groups operating in and around the Thai border, it was
nevertheless understood that these students had escaped persecution and
sought refuge here, Chuan said.

In a separate interview, Sukhumbhand reaffirmed the National Security
Council's decision to impose stricter controls on the movement of Burmese
dissident groups in Thailand.

However, the country's policy towards refugees residing on Thai soil would
not be changed.

Thailand must continue its present policy of providing temporary refuge for
the Burmese, he said.

The security council has said that the raid on the Burmese Embassy
constituted a threat to national security.

But Sukhumbhand emphasised that the Burmese had not requested more security
measures despite numerous reports last month saying that Burmese dissidents
throughout the world were planning a series of protests against the military
government.

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

THE NATION: JUNTA REVOKES THAI TRAWLER RIGHTS
8 October, 1999

BURMA has temporarily closed its waters to Thai fishing boats operating out
of southern Thailand following the dramatic hostage crisis at the Burmese
Embassy last Friday.

Thai trawlers licensed to fish in Burmese waters under the Burmese flag had
been asked to stop fishing and report to Burmese authorities within 20 hours
from Oct 6, Wanchai Sangsukiam, the Thai Overseas Fisheries Association,
said.

A Rangoon military spokesman was quoted by The Associated Press as
confirming that fishing concessions granted to Thais had been ''suspended
for the time being for security reasons''.

About 400 Thai fishing boats operate under Burmese flags in Burmese waters.

In addition, the Burmese authorities asked 300 Thai boats with Thai flags
operating in the Burmese territorial waters to report to Burmese authorities
within five days.

Bancherd Viphakkit-anan, chairman of Ranong Fisheries Association, said that
several Thai trawlers have already paid the advance payment worth several
hundred thousand baht to Burmese authorities. ''I estimate that the damage
would be Bt200 million,'' he said.

In a separate development, an official source on the Thai-Burmese border in
Tak province said Burmese troops had rounded up 60 of its nationals and
placed them under detention for trying to cross over to the Thai side. The
move reflected the seriousness of the Burmese authorities towards the order
to close the border, according to the source.

The decision to shut down the border came after five armed students stormed
the Burmese Embassy last Friday, taking 38 people hostage at gunpoint and
preventing 51 others from leaving the compound.

A deal to release all the hostges was struck 25 hours later when Thai
authories agreed to give the five gunmen a safe passage by helicopter to the
Burmese border.

Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai said he had ordered the Agriculture Ministry to
examine the impact behind closing Burmese waters to Thai fishermen who were
earlier granted concessions by Rangoon to work there.

Chuan said he has instructed the Foreign Ministry to check if the initiative
to ban Thai boats had came from the central government or local authorities.

''We have to admit that the central government and the local authotiries in
Burma implement double-standard policies,'' the premier said, suggesting
that the action taken may not have come from Rangoon.

There was no indication how long Burma's waters would be closed to Thai
fishermen.

Wanchai is hopeful that the suspension would be temporary, considering the
mutual benefit to Burma in businesses with Thai partners.

At present, about 400 Thai trawlers pay between US$8,000 and US$10,000
(Bt304,000-Bt380,000) in monthly licence fees to the Burmese authorities,
which also collected taxes on every fish as the catch has to be exported
from a Burmese port.

Wanchai said he was not certain whether the fishing licence would be valid
after the ban. ''We will wait for a week to see if the Burmese authorities
lift the ban on Thai boats,'' Wanchai said.

Wanchai said the move would not only affect about 1,000 Thai trawlers but
also a higher number of migrant workers from Burma who have jobs aboard the
vessels.

Bancherd said Thai trawlers have urged the association to file a petition to
the Foreign Ministry to solve the problem quickly.

Thamrong Prakobboon, director general of the Fisheries Department, said that
so far about 120 Thai boats have reported to Burmese authorities to
acknowledge the revocation of fishing rights. The licence would be extended
on the year-on-year basis. Thamrong indicated that Burmese authorities would
refund the licence fee for licences which have not yet expired.

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

THE NATION: EXILED BURMESE FACE IMMIGRATION CURBS
7 October, 1999

THE Thai government will impose stricter immigration controls over the
movement of exiled Burmese students in Thailand and send those who are
eligible to third countries as soon as possible in the aftermath of the
Burmese Embassy siege in which five gunmen took 89 people hostage last
Friday.

Meanwhile, a government source said that a two-hour meeting of the national
anti international terrorism committee yesterday agreed that a similar
incident could happen in the future, since there are many other political
groups in Thailand which have been watching the Thai government's handling
of the siege.

In what is seen as a knee-jerk reaction to the hostage crisis, the National
Security Council (NSC) also threatened to revoke its long-standing policy of
leniency in not sending exiled Burmese students back home.

The NSC and Interior Ministry have informed the United Nations High
Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) of the moves and urged them to help speed
up the resettlement process of the Burmese students.

Khachadpai Burusapatana, NSC chief, said the UNHCR has agreed to cooperate
and will first help check the exact number of Burmese students in Bangkok
and along the Thai-Burmese border.

Khachadpai said 811 Burmese students are waiting at the Interior
Ministry-controlled Maneeloy camp in Ratchaburi province to be sent to third
countries. About 2,000 students are in Bangkok under the supervision of
UNHCR.

A significant number could disguise themselves among the 100,000 Burmese
refugees sheltered in camps along the Thai-Burmese border.

Khachadpai said the next step would be to consult with third countries, such
as the United States, Australia and Canada, on their readiness to accept
them.

''It's time to implement the policy [of resettlement]. We have been paying
lip-service but have never taken action, not until trouble landed on us,''
he said.

The move was among the measures agreed upon at yesterday's meeting of the
anti-international terrorism committee in response to the siege which has
embarrassed the whole Thai intelligence network.

The 25-hour hostage crisis ended peacefully with the gunmen fleeing Bangkok
by helicopter on Saturday in return for the release of the 89 hostages.

Two of the gunmen were identified, as students from the Maneeloy centre
while the identities of the three others, suspected to be members of Burmese
ethnic armed rebels, have not been verified yet.

The captors claimed to be members of the anti-Rangoon Vigorous Burmese
Student Warriors, a splinter group of the All Burmese Students' Democratic
Front.

Other measures included more frequent joint exercises involving
anti-international terrorist activities, and improvement of the intelligence
process and overall immigration control. A committee will be set up to study
several guidelines for the implementation of the anti-terrorism measures.

Speaking after chairing the meeting, Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai said the
Friday embassy siege had served as a lesson for all parties concerned to be
more vigilant so that they can prevent similar incidents.

''It could happen again unless we are careful,'' Chuan said.

The prime minister pointed out there was a great need to improve the
efficiency of personnel and intelligence units themselves as well as the
system of coordination. ''Good intelligence is not enough,'' he said.

''Thailand is an open country. Therefore, this incident will serve as a
lesson for Thai authorities to place more stringent immigration control on
not only students but also on foreign nationals entering the country,'' he
said.

Chuan said responsible authorities yesterday admitted their deficiency in
intelligence gathering and coordination for the failure to detect the
incident before it happened.

Phummaraj Taksathipongse, director of the National Intelligence Bureau, the
government's highest intelligence supervisory agency, yesterday said his
agency's deficiency partly contributed to the failure to prevent the
incident.

According to Chuan, security had been tightened to cope with a possible
Burmese student demonstration on Sept 9, the numerically auspicious date to
follow along the lines of the Aug 8, 1988, demonstration when Rangoon
cracked down on the democracy movement. However, security became lax when
the date passed with no violent incidents.

The prime minister denied any responsible official had been singled out for
blame for the failure to prevent the incident.

''The fact that all parties were in the dark about the incident is a self-
admission of mistake. I am satisfied with that,'' Chuan said.

He said he understood that it was hard to keep track of the students'
movement.

''A large number of Thai people and Burmese students in Thailand have
developed a strong feeling against the Burmese government,'' he said.

''I want to see all the intelligence units sit and talk frankly about the
incident to find out the loopholes in our operation and what to do next to
improve their coordination,'' he said.

The meeting also concluded that the assailants were not linked to any
terrorist group, as alleged by Rangoon, and that they resorted to violent
means just to bring the attention back to their struggle for democracy in
Burma, a government source said.

The source also admitted that the captors belonged to a very new group,
whose impact was difficult to gauge. The so-called Vigorous Burmese Student
Warriors was reportedly formed on Aug 29.

Khachadpai, meanwhile, said that the NSC would round up exiled students
inside Thailand, check their status, and prosecute those found to have
entered the country illegally.

He said all students would then be transferred to the Maneeloy holding
centre near the Thai-Burma border, and he UNHCR would be asked to quickly
transfer them to a third country.

Veerachai Naewboonian, deputy permanent secretary of Interior Ministry, said
students who were not accepted by a third country would be given temporary
shelter in Thailand.

Veerachai said Thailand had already moved to ensure students were confined
to the Maneeloy centre.

''Authorities will step up rules and regulations at the Maneeloy holding
centre,'' Veerachai said.

Despite the crackdown on exiled students, Bangkok denied claims by Rangoon
that refugee camps inside Thailand were being used as terrorist bases.

''On this issue Thailand has a clear-cut policy that we will not allow any
groups of terrorists to operate against neighbouring countries from inside
our country,'' Khachadpai said.

He said Thailand's policy of sheltering 100,000 refugees along the
Thai-Burmese border would remain unchanged, but all illegal Burmese workers
would be repatriated.

''We have extended permission for 80,000 to 90,000 Burmese workers, but
those who are not granted an extension will be prosecuted for violating
immigration laws,'' he said.

Police chief Pol Gen Pracha Promnok said that the police department has set
up a
committee to investigate the hostage incident.

''We have to admit that the students hid their weapons in a guitar bag and
came to Thailand in a pick-up truck from Ratchaburi. Well, we have
checkpoints but we cannot check all vehicles. We only check vehicles which
we suspect of having illegal items.''

He said that the police would tighten security at embassies.

Chuan has instructed police to work with the Foreign Ministry to strengthen
security at 65 embassies and 10 consulates in Bangkok.

Special Branch police deputy commissioner Maj Gen Yothin Matthayanun said
his agency would focus on improving security for diplomatic missions of
neighbouring countries and nations embroiled in political disputes, such as
Indonesia.

He said that he has instructed the Foreign Ministry and the national police
office to coordinate with all embassies in Bangkok to prevent a repetition
of the incident.

According to Chuan, the Burmese ambassador admitted that the security
problem at the Burmese Embassy was caused partially due to space allocation.
The visa section is located in the same compound as the embassy building.
This arrangement makes it easier to gain access to the embassy.

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

BANGKOK POST: EXILES' MOVE TO THIRD STATE IS SLAMMED
7 October,1999 by Ampa Santimetaneedol

A regional human rights organization has voiced disagreement with the
government's decision to relocate exiled Burmese students from here to third
countries.

Criticising the resettlement programme as impractical and improbable,
Somchai Hom-alor, coordinator for Forum Asia, warned it was likely to
backfire. He said the relocation to third countries would encourage more
Burmese students to flee to Thailand especially when crackdowns on
pro-democracy movements occur in Burma.

"Since the third countries would be the United States or European countries,
tens of thousands of Burmese students would seek exile here hoping to be
resettled in foreign countries," he said.

Mr Somchai said the government should not let its policy be affected by the
action of radical Burmese students who have chosen violent means, whereas
several others have conducted political activities within the law.

He also urged the government to consider the matter in every aspect instead
of security alone-and come up with a clear-cut policy for authorities
concerned to implement.

Mr Somchai said the students should have a chance to study at colleges in
Thailand while they remain under care of the United Nations High
Commissioner for Refugees.

He said: "This will help them develop. Getting funding from foreign
countries shouldn't be a problem either, " he added.

As for Maneeloy detention centre where 800 Burmese seek shelter, the
coordinator of Forum Asia also suggested that authorities concerned should
change strategies to get more cooperation from the Burmese students.

He added that the Thai government should also help promote democracy in
Burma as a long term solution to the problems there.

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SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER: WTO CHIEF FACES OPPONENTS IN SEATTLE
2 October, 1999 by Bruce Ramsey

Organization is not a tool for the wealthy, Moore says

Michael Moore, the New Zealand politician who now heads the World Trade
Organization, had a taste of Seattle yesterday -- from dignitaries to
protesters.

"You come to our town, we're going to shut you down," chanted about 25
protesters at the University of Washington's HUB Ballroom.

"Who elected you?" shouted a protester as Moore showed up for a breakfast
meeting.

Moore was selected after long politicking among the WTO's 134 member
governments which make decisions by consensus rather than majority vote. "I
would have liked to have been called 'the New Zealand candidate,'" he said.
In the eyes of the Asian and European press, "I was always, 'the American
candidate.'"

Moore visited Seattle yesterday in preparation for the WTO conference, which
will be held in the city from Nov. 30 to Dec. 3.

While in town yesterday, Moore disputed the opponents' image of the WTO as a
shadow government in Geneva overruling national laws.

"We are an organization of sovereign governments," he said.

He repeated many times that he has no independent power. At breakfast he
said, "People say, 'You've got too much power.' I'm still looking for this
power. I can't find it."

In negotiations to create WTO rules, he said, "Any country has veto power.
The United States puts its hand up, and things stop. Japan puts its hand up,
and things stop. The little guys put their hands up, and things stop."

The Washington Council on International Trade, which arranged Moore's
schedule, gave critics several chances to question him. The largest was a
two-hour session at the UW.

Richard Feldman, executive director of The Workers' Center, AFL-CIO, asked
why the WTO objects if a country subsidized its exports, but not if it
suppresses labor unions. Suppressing unions, he said, "is as much a subsidy
as giving cash."

Moore said labor was the responsibility of the International Labor
Organization in Geneva. The ILO, a legacy of Woodrow Wilson, does not have
WTO-like power to authorize members to penalize rule-breakers.

Larry Dohrs, a labor-rights activist for Myanmar, said that at least the ILO
had kicked out the nation, also known as Burma, for forced labor. The WTO
has not. How could the WTO justify treating such a renegade "as a normal
country?" he asked.

"You'd have to get a consensus to throw anybody out -- and you wouldn't get
it," Moore said.

Someone asked: What would the WTO have done if Hitler's Germany or Pol Pot's
Cambodia had been members?

"We would have had trouble," Moore said. But he said it was better to face
that than to live in a world in which trade was left without any rules.

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AP: THAIS RALLY AGAINST DRUG TRADE
6 October, 1999

BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) - Thousands of Thai villagers rallied near the
northern border with Myanmar against the drug trade in their communities,
officials said Wednesday.

It was a show of support for Thai authorities trying to stem the flood of
methamphetamines from neighboring Myanmar, also known as Burma, following
the release last week of a major drug trafficking suspect.

As many as 5,000 villagers gathered on Tuesday outside the government
district office in Mae Ai, 400 miles north of Bangkok, newspaper reports
said.

Kritsada Boomraj, the district chief, told The Associated Press the
villagers were upset that a court approved bail for Laota Saenli, 62, an
influential Lisu tribesman who was arrested at his home near the
Thai-Myanmar border in late July.

Laota is allegedly linked to Wei Hsueh-kang of the United Wa State Army,
reputed head of the biggest drug trafficking ring in Southeast Asia's
infamous Golden Triangle.

Assault rifles and ammunition but no drugs were found at the house of Laota.
The court granted bail of $25,300.
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