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BurmaNet News: Thursday, August 25, 1994

Contents:

1: BKK POST: THAI COPS `HELD FOR TRYING TO RAPE REFUGEES'
2: BKK POST: US AID CUT PLAN ANGERS [THAI] MILITARY
3: KYODO: SUU KYI IN 9TH FAMILY REUNION
4: REUTERS:  RANGOON FREES TWO PROMINENT MON POLITICIANS
5: BURMANET: BBC REPORTS THREE CHINESE BOATS SIEZED FLYING BURMESE FLAG
6: CPPSM: HUMANITARIAN SUPPORT FOR THE 6000 MON REFUGEES

**************************************************************
BKK POST: THAI COPS `HELD FOR TRYING TO RAPE REFUGEES'
August 25, 1994

Two Thai policemen are under detention after attempting to rape two Burmese
refugees and shooting a third in an attack at a camp on the Thai border, AFP
reported yesterday, quoting unidentified sources.

The sources said, Thai authorities had threatened to "take action" against
some 6,000 Burmese refugees at the makeshift New Halockhani camp in Thailand
if the attack was publicised.

International aid groups confirmed they had heard about the August 13 attack
and said Thai authorities had arrested the police and apologised to the
refugees.  The refugee who was shot was hospitalised with chest wounds.

About 6,000 Mon refugees fled into Thailand on July 22, when Burmese soldiers
torched their original Halockhani camp.  Nobody was hurt and Thai
authorities--who maintain good relations with Burma's junta--have said the
refugees must return home.  The refugees have so far refused.

Thai authorities have blocked access to the camp in an effort to force the
refugees back.

An interior ministry official responsible for the border area stated that
nobody in his office had heard about the attack.  The official refused to
identify himself.  The Border Patrol Police did not answer prepared question
they requested be faced to their office.

The sources said the Thai police were drunk, when they attempted to rape the
two women of the ethnic Karen minority, and shot an ethnic Mon man who
witnessed the attack.

The man was undergoing treatment for chest wounds at a Thai hospital
yesterday and the two police officers were being held in a nearby jail, the
sources said.

"This is the first time something bad like this has happened," said one of
the sources.  "Thai authorities don't want us to publicise this or they will
take action.  We got some pressure from them." 

The Karen Relief Committee said it knew nothing about the attack and the Mon
National Relief Committee declined comment.

Both ethnic groups are at war with the Burmese junta and need to maintain
good relations with Thai authorities for when they seek shelter in this
country.

Kasuah Mon, a member of the Mon National Relief Committee said in a telephone
interview from the border that Thai authorities in the past few weeks had
dumped 1,600 illegal Burmese immigrants arrested throughout Thailand at the
border camp.

He charged they were being manipulated to eat up the refugees limited food
supplies.

"If they send any more refugees here our rice will run out and we will face
problems," Kasuah said.  He said the Mon were too afraid to return to Burma
to forage for food because they "firmly believe there is no security, no
safety on the Burmese side of the border."

**************************************************************
BKK POST: US AID CUT PLAN ANGERS MILITARY
August 24, 1994
[abridged]

The military yesterday threatened to retaliate against the United States if
its Congress continues with a bid to cut US$10 million financial aid to the
Thai armed forces.

Armed forces spokesman Anusorn Krisanaserani said there were signs the US
Congress would initiate the bill early next month to slash the aid money
because it doubted Thai soldiers had stopped supporting the Khmer Rouge.

Lt-Gen Anusorn said if money was cut, the Supreme Command would propose that
the Government cut support to JUSMAG [Joint US Military Advisory Group-
Thailand].

He said the issue was raised for lengthy debate during yesterday's monthly
meeting of armed forces commanders at the Army Headquarters chaired by
Supreme Commander ACM Voranart Aphichart.

The US Government provides yearly financial assistance to the International
Military Education Training Programme in which about 100 Thai military
personnel would be sent to train and study in the US.

"This move is initiated by some members in the Congress and not the US
Government with whom we have good bilateral understanding," stressed Lt Gen
Anusorn.

However, he said, the meeting agreed in principle that if the aid was cut it
would propose that the Government cut annual financial support to JUSMAG and
spend the money instead on education programmes for military personnel.

"We just mapped out possible solutions to counter the move and tackle the
problem which might occur if aid is cut.  "The armed forces is in its
development process and it is important for military personnel to get
education and training abroad," he said.  

He said members of the US Congress alleged the Thai military was continuing
support to the Khmer Rouge.

He added that the US Congress was also dissatisfied with the Thai Government
as it had not followed guidelines set by Congress members, especially on
Burma, where isolation was sought by the legislators.

"Our policy on the related issues might dissatisfy a group of people in the
US," said LT Gen Anusorn who did not elaborate.

However, he said key armed forces commander with the exception of Navy
Commander Adm Prajet Siridet who is currently abroad, stated clearly during
the meeting that it had closely followed the Government's policy to deny
military support to the Khmer Rouge....

Lt Gen Anusorn said the commander agreed that about 6,000 Mon refugees in
Kanchanaburi Province should be repatriated to Burma, saying problems would
be more complicated if the refugees were allowed to stay longer....



**************************************************************
KYODO: SUU KYI IN 9TH FAMILY REUNION
August 25, 1994

Rangoon-- Michael Aris, British husband of opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi
under house arrest, and her son Kim visited Rangoon's famous Buddhist temple
Shwedagon, on Monday morning, eyewitnesses said.

Aris arrived in Rangoon on July 9 and Kim arrived on Aug 10 for a family
reunion with Suu Kyi.  It is the ninth family reunion since she was placed
under house arrest on July 20, 1989.

Aris was present when Burmese Buddhist missionary Rev. U Revata Dhamma, from
Birmingham, England visited Suu Kyi on Aug. 5.  The Buddhist monk was the
second person after US congressman Bill Richardson to see her during her
house arrest, apart from family members.

The Rev. Revata Dhamma, who knew Suu Kyi's family well in England, visited
Burma Aug 4-10.  Besides Suu Kyi, he saw Senior Gen Than Shwe, chairman of
the ruling State Law and Order Restoration Council and SLORC Secretary Lt Gen
Khin Nyunt separately.

He met with Suu Kyi twice in the course of his shuttle visiting between the
two sides during his stay in Rangoon.

Both Suu Kyi and the SLORC are eager for national reconciliation and agreed
to sit for dialogue to settle the political stalemate in the country, the
monk said in interviews with BBC and VOA.

**************************************************************
REUTERS:  RANGOON FREES TWO PROMINENT MON POLITICIANS
August 25, 1994

Burmese military authorities have released two prominent politicians from the
Mon ethnic minority in a move Mon guerrillas said was aimed at encouraging
ceasefire talks.

"I think the Burmese released them because they want to encourage us to
continue negotiations," a guerrilla source said yesterday.

Burmese television, in a broadcast monitored in Thailand late on Tuesday,
said Nai Tun Thien, an elected member of parliament from the Mon Democratic
Party, and Nai Ngwe Thien, a party executive committee member, were released
from prison in the southern city of Moulmein.

The report said they were released under a 1992 order offering amnesty to
political prisoners deemed to be no longer a threat to the state.

The guerrilla source said the two had been sentenced to 20-year prison terms
three years ago on charges of having contacts with the banned Mon guerrilla
group.

The guerrilla group, the New Mon State Party has been battling Rangoon for
greater autonomy for decades.  It has had several rounds of ceasefire talks
with the military junta since late last year.

The talks have become deadlocked over Mon demands for a self-administered
zone in southeast Burma and conditions of movement of Mon guerrillas within
that zone.

"The release is a positive sign but we still have to wait and see before
resuming talks," the guerrilla source said.

At least eight other prominent Mon political prisoners remain in jail, he
said.

Since 1989 the Burmese junta has reached ceasefire agreement with 12
guerrilla groups, including the powerful minority Kachin Independence
Organisation and the fragmented military wing of the now defunct Communist
Party of Burma.

The Mon and their more powerful allies from the Karen minority group are the
two main ethnic minority groups still fighting the junta.

Burma has been plagued by rebellious autonomy-seeking ethnic minorities along
its borders since independence from Britain in 1948.


**************************************************************
BURMANET: TWO CHINESE BOATS SIEZED FLYING BURMESE FLAG

BBC reported three days ago that three Chinese boats were siezed by the
Indian navy while flying Burmese flags.  The report has apparantly not yet
been picked up by any wire services.

**************************************************************
CPPSM: HUMANITARIAN SUPPORT FOR THE 6000 MON REFUGEES

[CPPSM=Committee for the Publicity of the People's Struggle in Monland.
This report is from the forthcoming issue of the CPPSM Newsletter.-editor]

In fear of further attacks of SLORC troops, the 6000 Mon refugees 
dare not go back and live in Burma soil. They are currently 
staying at the Thai side of the border and urgently busy with 
constructing new makeshift shelters to survive the monsoon 
season. The Mon National Relief Committee (MNRC), the Burma 
Border Consortium (BBC) and the Medicines Sans Frontiers (MSF) 
have been taking care of these refugees. The Mon National Relief 
Committee (MNRC) and the Burma Border Consortium (BBC) have 
also appealed to the Thai government to allow these 6000 Mon 
refugees to settle and take refuge in the Thai territory until it is 
safe for them to return to Burma. 

Two representatives from the Bangkok-based branch office of the 
UN High Commissioner for Refugees visitted to the troubled spot 
on 28th July to inspect the situation of the 6000 Mon refugees. 
Following this visit of its two representatives, the UNHCR agrees 
that it is no longer safe for the 6000 Mon refugees to return to 
and stay in the Halockhani camp, which is in Burma side of the 
border. The UNHCR office has also officially appealed to the Thai 
government to allow the refugees to take refuge in the Thai 
territory. 

A representative group of the Association of the Mons in Thiland, 
together with the Mon refugees, staged a demonstration at their 
present makeshift shelter on the Thai side of the border on 30th 
July, demanding the Thai government to allow the 6000 Mon 
refugees to take refuge in the Thai territory until it is safe for 
them to return to Burma.

The two independent English-language newspapers in Thailand, 
The Bangkok Post and The Nation, have respectively given much 
publicity on the developments of the situation of the 6000 Mon 
refugees since the Halockhani refugee camp was attacked by the 
SLORC troops on 21st July.



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