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BurmaNet News: December 17, 1999
- Subject: BurmaNet News: December 17, 1999
- From: strider@xxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Fri, 17 Dec 1999 15:18:00
---------------- The BurmaNet News ----------------
December 17, 1999
Issue # 1415
----------------------------------------------------
==========
HEADLINES:
==========
International?
REUTERS: NOBEL ECONOMIST SAYS SANCTIONS GOOD FOR MYANMAR, NOT CHINA
BCN: NETHERLANDS IN FAVOR OF MULTILATERAL BURMA SANCTIONS
NEW YORK TIMES: BUCHANAN, IN CHANGE, CALLS FOR END TO SANCTIONS
PATRICK BUCHANAN: BURMA RELATED EXCERPTS FROM SANCTIONS SPEECH
REUTERS: HK DELEGATIONS SEEKS MYANMAR OPPORTUNITIES
ASIAWEEK: INTELLIGENCE--ONCE BURNT, TWICE CAUTIOUS
BURMANET: ASIAWEEK--COUNTERINTELLIGENCE
Inside Burma-
SHAN: BURMA ARMY COUNTERATTACKS SHANS
ANO: MOSQUE ORDERED TO BE DEMOLISHED
*******************************************************
REUTERS: NOBEL ECONOMIST SAYS SANCTIONS GOOD FOR MYANMAR, NOT CHINA
INTERVIEW-Sanctions good for
Myanmar, not China
03:05 a.m. Dec 17, 1999 Eastern
By David Brunnstrom
BANGKOK, Dec 17 (Reuters) - Nobel prize winning economist Amartya Sen
says economic sanctions are probably a good way to push military-ruled
Myanmar to democracy, but doubts their effectiveness in China.
``It's a difficult issue as to which way it works,'' the 1998 Nobel
laureate told Reuters in an interview. ``I think it probably can be
quite effective against Burma (Myanmar). Whether it can be equally
effective against China, I don't know.
``If you are dealing with a country which is as large and has such a
well-developed philosophy as China has, chances are that sanctions
probably won't be that effective.
``Burma, on the other hand, where the situation is much more marginal
and they are much more dependent on the world market and indeed world
goodwill, I think it may be much more effective.''
Washington imposed economic sanctions barring U.S. investment in
Myanmar in 1997 for its failure to democratise and rights abuses. The
European Union bars visits by top Myanmar officials.
Washington has recently imposed fresh economic sanctions on China,
including restrictions on certain high technology transfers, as a
punishment for alleged religious persecution.
Myanmar's opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, whose National League for
Democracy won the country's last election in 1990 but was never allowed
to govern, has called for more countries to impose sanctions and
criticised Asian nations for pursuing a policy of engagement with the
generals. Suu Kyi is the 1991 Nobel Peace laureate.
Sen, from India, and the first Asian ever to win the economics prize,
said decisions on whether to impose sanctions had to be based on
whether or not they would be effective.
SANCTIONS SHOULD NOT BE USED AS PUNISHMENT
``I've never believed in punishments...I don't think punishment should
be given on grounds that somebody deserves it. It has to be that it
will do some good in the future. In a country like Myanmar, where
there was a lot of discontent and a well-developed opposition movement
``pressure may well be effective,'' he said.
However, he added:
``Ultimately, I don't think other countries can give you democracy. It
has to come from inside the country.'' China was far less susceptible
to pressure, he said.
``China is a very large country and in many ways a very advanced
economy
and very self-dependent. It's not easy to pressure around and it
strongly resents
being pressured around.
``Also, the Chinese economy, unlike the Burmese has on the whole been
very successful. It's not like the country's seething with rebellion,
so I don't really think that by putting on sanctions you will make
opposition groups come out and be more successful. I don't thing that's
likely to happen.'' Sen said he was sceptical about China's line that
increased local democracy would bring overall democracy.
``But it's not entirely dismissable. There are voices within their
administration which would like to see a more democratic structure, so
it's a question of whether sanctions will strengthen rather than weaken
it.
``So China is a much more difficult case than South Africa was earlier
or Burma is right now.''
Sen said China was one of the most successful cases of development in
the world, although it's lack of democracy was ``a great defect that
they have to cure.''
``I think foreign investment in Burma is a bad thing because I think it
bolsters the regime and because the regime doesn't have anything like
the positive record China has. China has had a lot of success and Burma
has always had very little success.''
*******************************************************
BCN: NETHERLANDS IN FAVOR OF MULTILATERAL BURMA SANCTIONS
Dec. 15, 1999
This is a summary by the BCN press office of the reply by the Dutch
minister of Foreign Affairs and the underminster of Economic Affairs
to question regarding IHC Caland second business deal with Burma.
Included below it is the full Dutch press release from the ministry of
Economics. This inlcudes the questions from the Dutch parliament.
The Netherlands in favor of multilateral sanctions towards Burma
Amsterdam (BCN, 15 Dec, '99) - The Dutch government is in favor of
multilateral sanctions towards Burma, underminister G. Ybema of
Economics said today. "In no way we encourage trade and investment with
Burma as long as human rights continue to be violated at the present
scale and while the return of democracy is being blocked."
Ybema reacted in a written statement on question raised by the Dutch
parliament a fortnight ago. The press statement from Ybema explained
that the Dutch government continues to work towards measures taken by
the European Union as a whole. "We actively strive towards consensus on
taking more economic sanctions in the EU's common position".
Ybema, speaking also on behalf of the minister for Foreign Affairs J.
Van Aartsen: "I regularly speak with Dutch companies on the ethical
aspects of international businesses. I have made clear to IHC Caland
what the position is of the Dutch government towards trade and
investments in Burma." During such discussion, Ybema pointed out to IHC
that the Dutch government is in favort of multilateral economic
sanctions.
For more information, tel. BCN: 31-20-6716952
*******************************************************
NEW YORK TIMES: BUCHANAN, IN CHANGE, CALLS FOR END TO SANCTIONS
The New York Times, December 17, 1999
December 17, 1999, Friday, Late Edition - Final
Section A; Page 24; Column 1; National Desk
By FRANCIS X. CLINES
WASHINGTON, Dec. 16
Conceding "a dramatic departure from what I've argued and believed,"
Patrick J. Buchanan today called for an end to economic sanctions by the
White House as a "sword that slaughters children" and entrenches
dictators.
"Our sanctions are sowing seeds of hatred that will one day flower in
acts of terrorism against us," Mr. Buchanan said in a speech at the
Center for Strategic and International Studies.
Mr. Buchanan, who is courting independent voters and the Reform
Party for its nomination for president, said his decision to oppose
sanctions grew out of recent reporting on the effects of sanctions in
aggravating the health and nutrition problems of rogue nations like
Iraq.
"When Arab terrorists murder Israeli children," Mr. Buchanan said,
"we Americans are rightly filled with horror and disgust. But what do
Arab peoples think of us when U.S. sanctions bring death to literally
thousands of Iraqi children every month?"
A supporter of sanctions in the past against Cuba, Mr. Buchanan said
conditions had changed with the fall of Soviet Communism.
"Because of the siege mentality our embargo has created inside Cuba,"
he said, "our sanctions may today be the main pillar of Castro's power."
Sanctions, he continued, "may fairly be called America's silent
weapon of mass destruction whose victims are almost always the weak, the
sick, the women and the young."
In his address, Mr. Buchanan cited what he called counterproductive
sanctions by the Clinton administration in a dozen countries, including
Iran, Libya, Afghanistan, Haiti, Myanmar, India, Pakistan and Serbia.
He vowed that as president he would end all sanctions depriving food,
medicine and other basic necessities to the suffering subjects of rogue
nations.
"Embargoes and blockades are weapons of war," Mr. Buchanan said.
They must be designed, he continued, "so that innocent people are not
the
principal casualties."
Speaking of Serbia, Mr. Buchanan criticized the administration for
first
"smashing" the country with a 78-day bombing campaign, and then denying
Serbs
heating oil and aid in removing the debris of war.
"This immoral policy shames us as a people," Mr. Buchanan said. "We
are
putting old men, women, and children under a sentence of death for
failing to do
what NATO itself could not do: overthrow Slobodan Milosevic."
Dictatorial governments do not justify sanctions, Mr. Buchanan said,
adding,
"No one has deputized America to play Wyatt Earp to the world."
He denounced "all this Beltway braying" about the United States being
the
world's indispensable super power. "Have we, too, succumbed to the
hubris of
hegemony?" he asked.
There are better ways to punish rogue states, Mr. Buchanan said,
including
cutting off overseas assets of dictators, denying them international
loans and
levying tariffs to deny them hard currency.
*******************************************************
PATRICK BUCHANAN: BURMA RELATED EXCERPTS FROM SANCTIONS SPEECH
December 16, 1999, Thursday
PATRICK BUCHANAN (REFORM PARTY) DELIVERS REMARKS ON FOREIGN POLICY;
WASHINGTON, D.C.
PAT BUCHANAN DELIVERS REMARKS ON FOREIGN POLICY
DECEMBER 16, 1999
BUCHANAN: Thank you very much. Back there in those early '60s, John
was with Time Magazine. And those of us who invented the new Nixon,
we've got to remind you, John, that it did work for a while, didn't it?
We had a good talk in the room back there, and I reminded John that I
could tell him some of the stories about those days and Dick Whalen (ph)
and some of the other things because by now the statute of limitations
has pretty much run on all those days.
But let me talk now about the issue that I've come to speak to you
about, and that is this issue of sanctions. After seven years, it's
clear the Clinton administration has yet to find the right formula for
dealing with what we call the rogue nations. Five years of bribes to
North Korea seem only to have whetted the hermit kingdom's appetite for
still more bribes.
On the other hand, U.S. sanctions have failed to dislodge or to weaken
the grip of hostile regimes in Iran, Iraq, Cuba or Serbia. But they
have enraged our allies who defy them and spread resentment. These
sanctions spread resentment against America all over the world.
In our desire to punish old enemies, we seem only to be creating new
ones. Indeed, sanctions have become the feel good but ineffectual
foreign policy of the self-righteous....
Last May, nuclear tests by India and Pakistan triggered a U.S. law
imposing sanctions. India has since increased defense spending by 14
percent, Pakistan by nine percent. Has either given up its nuclear
arsenal?
As for Myanmar next door, Mr. Clinton declared in 1997, quote, "The
actions of the government there in Myanmar constitute and unusual and
extraordinary threat to the security of the United States."
He then banned all American investment in that country. And what was
the extraordinary threat? The ruling junta in Rangoon had refused to
recognize an opposition victory in May of 1990 and was holding Nobel
Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi under house arrest.
And how effective was our policy of isolating Myanmar? The
Philippines and Thailand quickly dropped their opposition to Myanmar's
application for membership in the Southeast Asian -- Association of
Southeast Asian Nations, ASEAN, and to defy Uncle Sam they invited
Myanmar, and Laos and Cambodia as well, to join ASEAN....
And there is monumental hypocrisy in how President Clinton applies
his sanctions policy. He blockaded, starved, and invaded tiny Haiti for
human rights violations. But he proudly chaperones mighty China into
the WTO. He imposes sanctions on Myanmar as a threat to the security
of the United States but shovels billions in aid to a North Korea that
is building missiles to target the United States.
...Among my first acts as president, will be to declare an end to all
sanctions on the sale or transfer of U.S. food, medicine or good
essential to a decent life or a civilian economy now in force against
Cuba, North Korea, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Myanmar, Sudan, Afghanistan, and
all the other targeted nations of U.S. sanctions policy.
*******************************************************
REUTERS: HK DELEGATIONS SEEKS MYANMAR OPPORTUNITIES
Hong Kong delegation seeks Myanmar opportunities
YANGON, Dec 17 (Reuters) - A group of entrepreneurs from Hong Kong led
by pro-Beijing politician Tsui Sze-Man is seeking investment
opportunities in timber and real estate in military ruled Myanmar,
official media reported on Friday.
Tsui Sze Man and his delegation met senior officials of the ruling
military council, including the powerful head of military intelligence
Lieutenant-General Khin Nyunt, officials said.
They also met representatives of the Myanmar chamber of commerce and
Foreign Minister Win Aung.
A chamber official said the delegation showed keen interest in
investing in timber and real estate during a meeting in Yangon on
Thursday.
Tsui Sze-Man, an ethnic Chinese businessman and publisher who was born
in Myanmar, is a member of the Standing Committee of the Chinese
People's Political and Cultural Conference who has called for greater
control on the media in Hong Kong.
With approved Foreign Direct Investment of $125.32 million for 21
projects, Hong Kong ranks 11th on a list of 24 foreign investor
countries in Myanmar. Most Hong Kong investments in Myanmar are in the
garment industry.
Myanmar is subject to U.S. sanctions because of its human rights
records and its recent record on securing foreign investment has been
dismal.
It approved just $29.5 million of foreign direct investment in the
fiscal year to March, down from $777.4 million a year earlier and $2.8
billion the year before that.
The visit of the Chinese delegation follows one earlier this month by
the Federation of Economic Organisations, or Keidanren, Japan's largest
big-business group.
Japanese diplomats and analysts say Japan is concerned about losing
business and political influence in Myanmar to China.
In its most recent report on Myanmar, the World Bank said the country
needed to improve its rights record, reform its two-tier exchange rate
system, lift wide-ranging restrictions on private-sector activity and
reform its inefficient state enterprise sector if it wanted to attract
more foreign investment.
*******************************************************
ASIAWEEK: Intelligence--Once Burnt, Twice Cautious
Asiaweek December 17, 1999
Intelligence; Pg. 12
Once Burnt, Twice Cautious
Opponents of Myanmar's military regime were almost certainly behind
the November leak of a World Bank report that revealed, to no one's
surprise, the bleak state of the country's economy. It blamed the mess
on internal ineptitude as much as on Western sanctions. So why even
bother revealing the document? The hope was that, as in 1998 -- when
reports of a possible $ 1 billion going to the regime from the Bank and
the U.N. in exchange for political concessions were divulged -- dealings
with the Bank would flounder under public disclosure. This time the
regime, while condemning the leak (see Khin Nyunt interview, THE
NATIONS, page 35), refused to rise to the bait. Instead, it invited
World Bank officials back to Yangon for more talks.
*******************************************************
BURMANET: ASIAWEEK--COUNTERINTELLIGENCE
December 17, 1999
AsiaWeek reports today that "opponents of Myanmar's military regime
were almost certainly behind the leak of a World Bank report" revealing
the regime's economic mismanagement? Really? When the International
Herald Tribune ran with the leak in mid-December, it was followed a day
later by an op/ed by David Steinberg--not exactly an opponent of the
regime--condemning Aung San Suu Kyi for supposedly objecting to the fact
the report was even being drafted. The leak, followed immediately after
with an op/ed by a peer reviewer who had access to the confidential and
still unpublished report came as more of a surprise to the regime's
"opponents" than to those who support constructive engagement.
AsiaWeek's coverage of Burma, generally characterized by error and
animus to Aung San Suu Kyi is sometimes brilliant. Roger Mitton's
extended interview with Aung San Suu Kyi (AsiaWeek: "We Have
Compromised" June 11, 1999), was valuable largely because his loathing
of her was barely concealed and so he cut right to the chase. He wasn't
terribly civil but at least he wasn't boring.
*******************************************************
SHAN: BURMA ARMY COUNTERATTACKS SHANS
17 December 1999
No: 12 - 17
Burma Army Counter-Attacks Shans
Commander of the Kengtung Front reported Burma Army had resumed their
attacks against Shan positions after the latter's ambush which led to
the seizure of 400,000 amphetamine tablets on Monday.
IB 331 of Tachilek, reinforced by IB 316 of Ta-lerh, reopened its
attacks on the Shan State Army's positions at Loi Maemaw, opposite Mae
Faluang District, Chiangrai Province, at 17:00 until 20:30. "Their
casualties are not known", said Maj. Kham Hpamong a.k.a Kornzuen,
Commander of the Kengtung Front, in a telephone interview. "For us, the
only losses we have sustained so far were on Monday (13 December) when
Sergeant-Major Pi was killed and one private was wounded".
The battle began when Black Panther's Claws Column 1, commanded by
Capt. Liangzuen, ambushed a drug convoy escorted by elements from IB
331 and the Nampoong militia unit, on 13 December, when they killed 5,
wounded 1, and captured 1.
Among the loot, apart from the arms and ammo, were 4 haversacks, each
containing 100,000 amphetamine tablets, which were handed over to the
Thai officials two days later.
The Burmese army then shelled and charged the Shans' fire bases in Loi
Maemaw, beginning 14:30 on Wednesday, 15 December, until 18:00. "But
the attack was repulsed", he said.
"If S.H.A.N.'s reporters are not afraid, they should be with us like
those from Channel 3, Channel 7 and ITV", he challenged mockingly.
Two other mobile columns, Black Panther's Claws 2 and Black Panther's
Claws 3, are commanded by Capt. Kham Khawng and Capt. Khamsa
respectively.
"The SSA's campaign against drugs has been styled 'Operation White
Tiger'", he explained.
"We expect another attack at dawn", he added. "But I'm not worried,
because all of us are in high spirits".
///END\\\
For further information, please contact S.H.A.N. at:
Shan Herald Agency for News.
P.O. Box. 15, Nonghoi P.O., 50007, Chiangmai, Thailand
Ph/Fax: (053) 807 121
e-mail: <shan@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
ANO: MOSQUE ORDERED TO BE DEMOLISHED
ARAKAN NATIONAL ORGANIZATION
Mosque ordered to be demolished
On 19. 11 99, Mr. U Myint Tun, Director of Buddhist Religious
Association of Arakan State accompanied by director and
assistant director of Buddhist religious centre of Maungdaw township
visited the village of lower Purma about 18 miles north of Maungdaw
township. They summoned village head and religious personalities and
ordered them to demolish the main congregation mosque which is a very
old and historic mosque in the area. The Buddhist religious authorities
gave no reason for their order. The villagers and religious
personalities do not know what to do. They neither agreed nor denied to
follow the order.
They are anxiously awaiting what would be the next step of military
authorities. The military regime in Burma is trying to erase the entity
of Muslims in Arakan by demolishing mosques and building Buddhist
monasteries and pagodas.
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