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BurmaNet News: December 9-11, 1994
- Subject: BurmaNet News: December 9-11, 1994
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************************** BurmaNet **************************
"Appropriate Information Technologies, Practical Strategies"
**************************************************************
BurmaNet News: December 9-11, 1994
Issue #78
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Contents:
1 BURMANET:COMMENT-"WAR ON DRUGS" DRIVING U.S. BURMA POLICY?
2 REG.BURMA: SLORC AND NARCOTICS
3 REG.BURMA: ABOUT KHUN SA
4 SEASIA-L: ASIA ON INTERNET
5 SEASIA-L: IS THERE ANY JUSTICE TO THAILAND?
6 BKK POST: RETIRED GENERAL LINKED TO ILLEGAL LOGGING RACKET
7 SEASIA-L: BURMA-MYANMAR
8 SEASIA-L BURMA-MYANMAR RESPONSE 1 OF 1
9 REG.BURMA: BLACK MARKET KYAT
10 BURMANET: PAGING MR. DALPINO
11 REUTERS: MYANMAR AIRWAYS EXPANDS INTERNATIONAL ROUTES
12 BKK POST: TFB IN RANGOON
13 BKK POST: BURMESE STUDENTS TO RALLY IN SUU KYI'S HONOUR
**************************************************************
BURMANET: GUEST COMMENTARY---"WAR ON DRUGS" DRIVING U.S. BURMA
POLICY?
By G.A. Donovan
7 December 1994
[This article by G.A. Donovan is the first in what should become
a regular series of commentaries written for BurmaNet. Other
commentators are invited to write guest commentaries for BurmaNet
as well. Commentators in this series are of course, speaking for
themselves. --Editor]
GA Donovan
DONOVA@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Wed Dec 7 23:19:53 1994
At a news conference in Washington on November 30, President
Clinton's Drug Control Policy Director, Lee Brown, announced that
he will visit China in December. Enlisting the cooperation of
governments in and around Southeast Asia will be a major
component of the international heroin control strategy Brown is
developing for the administration, as an estimated 60% of the
heroin that enters the U.S. originates in that region.
Brown, who will be in China from the eighteenth to the
twenty-second of December, will meet mith Chinese leaders to
discuss sharing information about international narcotics
trafficking. In his announcement, Brown noted that "Burma
continues to be the major area that grows the opium poppy that
results in heroin on the streets of the United States." He also
claimed that opium poppies are now being grown on the Chinese
side of the Burma-China border, and that there has been an
increase in heroin addiction in China.
Besides establishing channels to share information about the drug
trade, Brown will offer law enforcement equipment to Chinese drug
enforcement personnel. Radios were cited as an example;
presumably no tactical materiel will be provided. The Chinese
government needs little prodding to enforce its draconic
anti-drug measures. In Kunming, Yunnan province, fourteen drug
peddlers were executed at a public rally in late October, while
earlier in the month a Burmese convicted of importing more than
500 pounds of heroin into China over a four-year period was also
put to death.
As part of his policy proposal, Brown will suggest bringing
pressure for political reform to bear on the Burmese junta while
at the same time encouraging counter-narcotics measures -- and
all without undermining human rights concerns. The rulers in
Rangoon are sure to embrace the anti-drug posturing -- on the
first of December a Bangladeshi delegation to Burma signed an
agreement to cooperate with SLORC in anti-narcotics trafficking
efforts -- but what kind of fruit Brown's policy suggestions will
bear may not be known for a long, long time.
That sixty percent of the opium coming into the U.S. originates
in Southeast Asia, and most of it in Burma, is an oft-repeated
factoid in Washington. But in 1972 Alfred McCoy, in his book THE
POLITICS OF HEROIN IN SOUTHEAST ASIA, wrote that seventy percent
of the world's heroin supply came from the "Golden Triangle." And
fifty percent of it from Burma. In that work, McCoy conclusively
demonstrated how heroin production flourishes in conditions of
political instability, and how the Cold War policies of the
United States had succeeded in creating precisely those
conditions. More than twenty years later the world is a very
different place. Yet little has changed in Burma's poppy fields.
**************************************************************
REG.BURMA: SLORC AND NARCOTICS
tun
reg.burma
7:54 AM Dec 9, 1994
(at macpsy.ucsf.EDU)
Dear Coban Tun, Will you help me posting this article on
soc.culture.burma? I have been having some trouble posting it on
SCB. This article was sent to DVB (Democratic Voice of Burma)
radio station based in Norway along with a personal letter from
the author. As it was originally written in English, we have
translated it into Burmese in order to be aired on anti-narcotic
program of the DVB. The authour's name was given as "Thura Aung".
It may not be a real one since this letter was sent directly
from Keng Tung, Shan State, Burma.
Narco-SLORC
SLORC & Wa SLORC had been attacking Khun Sa since October
1993. Before that time, SLORC did not directly fight with Khun
Sa. Instead, Wa troops were put on the front line. "Wa"s were
transported from Wa state to the front by army vehicle. As we
have noted at least eight major operations by Wa troops had been
staged in Dri Lang area, since about 1988. The losses on both
sides were enormous. "Wa"s had to give a lot of their lives.
Evidently on a good promise of rewards, SLORC & Wa joined into a
pack to wrestle narcotic traffic routes into Thailand.
Failing to secure the planned routes, "Wa"s are now complaining
for their loss of lives. They look forward to compensations from
SLORC. With a lot of money & materials aids already given to
"Wa"s, SLORC is being unable to comply with. Last summer, with
disagreements rising, Wa in mainland Burma, were all summoned
back to their native state and tensions mounted. Suspecting
revolt, SLORC secretly smuggled truckloads of arms in an effort
to make ready for its troops, into Wa state. These were caught by
the Wa army. Then SLORC tried to disarm the Wa, and this lead to
more suspicions. In this (3rd) week of September for example,
miners, in Muang Shu area where gems digging is very much wide
spread, are leaving because of a possible fight between SLORC &
Wa. ("Wa"s has been working in Mines business.)
New cultivations
SLORC is ignoring or supporting new opium cultivation in Northern
Chin hills and Nagaland land. It was repeatedly mentioned by
foreign medias and international narcotic agencies. It is also
confirmed by local people. A police officer, joining No.8 police
station, Mandalay, on transfer from Northern chill division in
1991 assured me - that the whole of Northern Chin Hills are
beautifully covered with opium flowers in season. VOA & BBC
insisted existence of Heroin labs, "always" close to a SLORC army
battalion base - in border areas close to India. Later news tell
of other new cultivations being started in Southern Chin Hills.
There are also possibilities of new cultivations in Putao Area
and other northernmost part of Burma. Gen. Khin Nyunt makes
assurances publicly again that there will be no more opium
cultivation in coming few years in and around golden triangle.
He is absolutely right - because the opium cultivation will be
shifted from golden triangle to Western and Northern high lands
of Burma. However, opium produced in Chin areas are "Watery"
liquid and refuses into a solid mass, and it is evidently of low
quality to bring high price in the market, The watery opium is
blotted with a gauge, when collected and it is marketed as such.
the quality of those Chin Hill products are yet to ascertained.
More heroin labs are expected to be established in border areas
close to India, because the supply of Acetic Anhydride, a major
chemical used to purify heroin into best marketable quality 8
Di- hydroxy morphine) is easily available from India, with no
additional transport charges. Nagaland and Assam on the other
hand are now already being used as transit areas and a "new
golden triangle" is surly expected to be established west of
Chindwin River in a few decades. For this, India might have
anticipated it and before the trouble has escalated to an
international problem, it tries to stop this by making
agreements to take bilateral anti-narcotic measures in early
1994. However, India`s "unilateral" efforts to stop this
narcotic business is very much doubtful to success.
Relation with Kokant.
Kokant was never been part of Burma. In about 1895 China gave
part of Keng Cheng (south east of Keng Tung, situating on both
sides of Mekong) to French Laos. Before this it was part of
Burma by convention of 1894. Burma handed over these Keng Cheng
area to China, with a promise that it must not be transferred to
any other 3rd country, without the knowledge of British Burma.
When British govt. pointed out this fact to China, the later to
settle the matter, gave back Kokant area to Burma by 1896
convention. This Kokant came permanently into Burma. It had been
a poorly developed area until opium became a much demanded
merchandise. One leader after another rose and gone with opium
politics. Still latest developments in these areas are less
promising and confusing barring the progress of the areas.
The world is still ignorant that only Khun Sa is the single drug
lord. There are, I believe, few other equal or superior to Khun
Sa in opium business. People do not notice them. They are
collaborating with SLORC. They all are, including SLORC; as
great as Khun Sa.
Li Min Cheng ( Lee Meng Xiang? ) was purely a Chinese from main
land China. BCP sent 134 selected ones to be trained as Cadres
in 1960s. When they came back, LMCh, was one of the Chinese
cadres sent in along with BCP cadres. He was given in charge, as
political commissar, of "area 815"; The area was named in
commemoration of August 15, 1947 when BCP was founded. When
Kokant and Wa revolted in 1988 against BCP, LMCh became more
dominant and came to the front lines. He was married to Phone
Kyar Shin`s daughter. He collaborates both with Khun Sa and
SLORC. He is now recognised by SLORC , as a local leader,
representing "area 815", (?)east of Keng Tung. He earned a lot
of profits from narcotic business. He even stores opium in huge
warehouses. Kokant leader, Phone Kyar Shin took refuge in him
after his defeat in a quarrel with Yang Mo Hliang, a commander
of Kokant army. Phone Kyar Shin had collected opium packets from
cultivators- with a return promise, to contribute to SLORC;
SLORC burned them publicly; SLORC, for this, gave rewards or
compensation to Kokant leader. Phone Kyar Shin put all into his
pocket. Not getting back any promised amount, people
(cultivators) whispered complaints; Yet, Phone Kyar Shin had not
given his lot to the SLORC; when his hidden opium were secretly
transported to Thailand, Yang Mo Hliang intercepted and handed
over all to SLORC. This drama had been staged in about 1992,
leading a severe fights between the two, latest news suggests
that Phone Kyar Shin and Yang Mo Hliang are now making
compromises again.
Relations with Khun Sa
He was, on the other hand, successful both politically and
militarily. Politically he could consolidate his power by a
successful compromise with Lahu & Mo Hing. Joining together
these 3 areas, he could make a strong belt, strategically
guarding a monopolised narcotic traffic route into Thailand. It
also put Ko Kant and Wa, both had signed a wolf pact with SLORC-
in a very difficult position for narcotic trafficking. Mo
Hein had been a Shan tribal leader in BCP. Once he has punished
by Ba Thein Tin, discouraged and disappointed he surrendered to
Burma Army. Discontented, he went back into the jungle. Defiant,
he raised his own army. Khun Sa cleverly shared power with him,
making him an administrative leader, or the president of "Muang
Tai" nation. Few years ago, he died of cancer of the tongue in
Ching Mai. Then, formerly acting head of army, Khun Sa assumed
now president. Like SLORC, Khun Sa made a national convention in
1993 attended by Shan deputies. He made a Shan government
representing the Shan states; Shan parliament, Shan laws etc.
Then Khun Sa emerged as "national leader" evidently trying to
win Shan mass and to erase his position as a drug lord. When
Peter Borne, a U.S. officer, returned from a visit to Khun Sa,
SLORC decided it was ripe time to attack Khun Sa. Unlike other
drug lords of Ko Kant, Wa, and Pa-O, Khun Sa acts too much
smartly and independently, and evidently - that SLORC, cannot
tolerate. SLORC itself is the supreme drug lord.
So far, neither Khun Sa nor SLORC were on the rock. All the
insurgents, except Karen, are unable to stand against SLORC and
are ready to accept any terms with SLORC. Even Karen, which
cannot turn a successful defensive strategy into an offensive
one, is now sending "SOS" to make peace terms with SLORC. In
such a situation like this, Khun Sa is the only force - for good
or not - worthy of an insurgent capable of any defiance to SLORC,
with "we-will-never-negotiate" attitude.
Intellectuals outlook to the present conflict between SLORC and
Khun Sa is a war of attrition to wrestle the traffic route.
SLORC, the supreme drug lord, had tried to win this route- using
first Wa troops, then failed to launch direct attacks against
Khun Sa. Every body believes that Khun Sa or Wa or SLORC will
never win or lose. Of course Khun Sa is not strong enough to
defeat the SLORC army. But the army's moral individually is
lowest at this time. The Burmese soldiers have no provisions,
(and they loot food in every villages for their survival), no
medicines (medicines are sold out to black markets before going
to the front line), no enough immunitions, no good morale, and
no public support (village folks no more give them enemy's
position). So there are every reasons to believe that our
glorious army is incapable of accomplishing a complete victory
over Drug Warlord Khun Sa. If UN's economic and arms embargoes
come, the top generals will have to maintain military unity by
sacrificing its power to the people. And Khun Sa may come out
still a victor. Then, if Khun Sa refuses against the peoples'
welfare - the victor will become a vanquished.
End of the text.
**************************************************************
REG.BURMA: ABOUT KHUN SA
Date: 08 Dec 1994 15:20:52 (LOCAL)
To: Recipients of conference <reg.burma@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: BurmaNet News: 1st Week of Dec. 199
Subject: Re: BurmaNet News: 1st Week of Dec. 199
I feel compelled to reply to your report on Khun Sa. It has been
clear to me for some time that US policy on the Burma-Thai border
is largely run by the DEA. Khun Sa and the Mong Tai Army has been
in recent months the most consistent opponent of SLORC and the
horrors perpetrated by the government in Rangoon. The drug
problem is essentially one for user-countries to solve
and its seems decriminalization is the surest way to remove the
profit motive from trading. Tai peasants in Shan state have
little to support themselves and opium growing is a rational
choice. That MTA has used the trade to support its fight for
independence must be understood by the world community.
The liberation of Mong Tai is more important than the
preoccupations of DEA.
Good on you, Khun Sa.
Gehan Wijeyewardene, gew400@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
**************************************************************
SEASIA-L: ASIA ON INTERNET
by KHENG@xxxxxxxxxxxx)
bit.listserv.seasia-l
1:37 AM Dec 9, 1994
(at VMS1.BBN.COM)
(From News system)
Content-type: TEXT/PLAIN; CHARSET=US-ASCII
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7BIT
FREE SPEECH IN ASIA ON INTERNET
Asia now has more than 110,000 Internet users (more than 3.4% of
the worldwide total), and many of them are enjoying the new
freedom of expression available to them on the network and using
it to criticize each other and their governments. Some
governments don't like it much: in Singapore 80,000 user files
were searched in response to an "urgent" request from
high-ranking officials to find digitized pornographic images.
(Wall Street Journal 12/8/94 B4)
**************************************************************
SEASIA-L: IS THERE ANY JUSTICE TO THAILAND?
SXCST10@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
bit.listserv.seasia-l 12:35 AM
Dec 9, 1994
(at VMS.CIS.PITT.EDU) (From News system)
I want to make sure that you get all the massage I sent.
Kay
Dear Friends and Burmanet Readers,
It is quite disturbing to find a lot of accusation and
many complains about how
Thailand dealing with the refugees issue. Are we doing any
justice for Thailand and the people in Thailand at all?
First, instead of looking at the government of Thailand
as wrong doer, violating international law (whoever standard is
that), I think we need to understand the politic of the refugees
and politics of the Thai borders. Burma, Laos, and
Cambodia have been giving so much attention by international
community, especially Burma. UNHCR and UNBRO (UN Border Relief
Organization) are the major and the largest organizations
managing in and along the border camps in Thailand soil.
There are full of politics, let accepted that. Thai Government
have no, almost none, power in what is going on in the camp. The
camps are basically managed and control by the UNHCR and UNBRO
administration. Thai military are only control the
boundary of the camp site. Thai personnel in the camps are
mostly employee of UN organizations and other foreign
organization. The soldiers in camps are not
train for welfare, but warfare (as any where else in the world).
When there are incident of abuse or mistreats of the refugees in
the camps, we have to investigate closely who did it? and why did
they do it? I agree that mentality of soldiers may be different
from social worker, but all of them are not bad people. Yes,
Thailand has no such refugee laws and trained personnel for the
problem. [That may be the real problem because they treated all
asylum-seekers as illegal-immigrants by law.]
Question that we need to asked here is who has the benefit from
the refugees and the work along the border camps in Thailand?
Thailand?? I don't see that.
The government of Thailand certainly has problems of its
own, internal and external. Thailand has been trying and trying
to promote good relationship with every countries in the world.
They do everything to be on the democratic side withmajor
alliance. But what would you think when the acts of the
international organization such as Amnesty International, UN
organization and others are forcing them, imposing on them, and
dictating them what to do with the problem which is not
directly their problem? Is that the act of democracy? Can we
impose our believes and ideas to other countries? They are doing
the best they can, why don't supportingthem, and giving them
some credit instead discourage their effort and blame Thailand
and Thai government for everything, even bad food in the camps.
Thailand should not be the only country in the region to adapted
to thisproblem. There is a need for adaptation from both the
refugees and Thai Government. Thailand should be blame for other
people unhappiness when it did not create the problem. Should
Thailand be blame just because she is doing better than other
neighboring countries?
Secondly, we need to understand socio-cultural as well as
mentality of the refugees, themselves. Particularly in case of
Burma, Most asylum-seekers in Thailand are intellectuals and
elites of their society. They have freedom to communicate and
talk about their lives and politic of their countries [perhaps
even more than an average Thai]. They are socio-culturally not
prepare for accepting the change of their status in camps. They
are not ready to be treated as common people.
That's why there are so much complain about food and live in
camps. Do you think any Thai personnel will be able to give them
a royal treatment when they are illegal immigrants of the
country? May be it is a royal treatment for Thai standard,
but not for the Burmese intellectuals. Beside there is also a
complain that "when they were in Bangkok, the UNHCR gave them
2,500 baht a month. Now in the safe area, we are given only 800
baht with food and accommodation." Mind you, an average Thai
citizens do not earn that much money a month. You have to have
at least a bachelor degree to earn 2,500 baht and work real hard
to get a job. Is this fare for thecomplain.
Thailand, to them [refugees], is only a transit place to
somewhere else. I remember those day when I work in camps for
Laotians and Cambodians, I always feel sorry for them and have a
lot of anxiety how to get them to live in a better place.
Many of them, especially old and middle age, want to go home.
They are afraid of being in other strange country where people
don't speak their language and don't understand their culture.
They hate to feel inferior. Many of people I know in the
camps express their feeling for Thai and sorry that we have to do
the job that nobody want to. They only feel sorry for Thai
workers that have to work in these camps for a long if they don't
find other jobs in the area. For them, this is a transit point
where they are going to find a new hope and better lives in the
third country. Many people were refuges to other third countries,
mostly America.
What do you think? Imagine if you are a Thai, you have to work
so hard do very thing to come to other develop countries. Sell
their land, body, and soul? There is no special provision for
Thai to go abroad and have better life.
I am devoted my self for helping the refugees and the Burmese
students in Thailand for sometimes. I feel and see it first
hand. Everyday, we go to the camps with luxury UN van, pick-up
trucks, nice car, passing by the villagers of Thailand as if
they are not exist in our eyes. We know at heart that these
people are so poor and no support. Their life are worse than
that of the refugees in the camps. Their land have been robbed
and captured by unknown agents and foreigners. Their lives are
in dangers of being bomb from the other side. Women are raped by
both side of people.
They were not given any respect by any foreign invaders. Whole
towns, near the camps are full of strangers. These foreign
relief workers for the refugee get the best housing, food, and
restaurant that only relief workers can go [though there is no
rule,the place is too intimidating for any local people, even for
me], and good salary.
They are probably a foreigner in their own land. I remember
overheard people complain about their hardship and how lives has
been turn away from any kind of help from these philanthropists
who are so preoccupied with their work. Are we doing justice for
people in Thailand?
For Burmese asylum-seekers in Thailand, they are more
active and politically involve than Laos and Cambodia. They used
Thailand as a based to fight with their government at the same
time complain about Thailand and Thai government. Mentally, I
believe there are anti-authority, just like many students
everywhere in the world. They never trust any government if any
things go wrong with them, the government is to be blame. They
get a lot of support from Thai NGOs and students as well as
international organization. But when Thai people want to have
active group to promote democracy in Thailand where can they get
help? Again, are we doing justice here?
Even other foreign workers, who want to help Burma,
Cambodia, and Laos, are also participating in taking advantage of
Thailand and use the Thai soil for their activities, to transit
to other countries without giving much help to it, and end up
accusing Thailand for any thing that they don't like or unhappy
about. Some even illegally passing Thai-borders to do their
human right jobs. When they are caught of wrong doing, they
blame Thailand. Is it fair?
Third, I think we need to see this whole problem in a more
objective way. I agree Thailand have not done the best job in
providing care for refugees and not the best job of monitoring
human rights issues in the camps as well as in the country. In
stead of being hostile toward Thailand and force them to accept
the rules of the international community, we have to give them
also enough support, even the government, encourage them to do
better job. Thailand have so many other problems
in the countries. Sometimes, I feel media and journalists over
emphasis the issue which will create conflicts and hatred, rather
harmonious between the Thais and neighbors. I don't think any
Thais will appreciate that. It is easier to put the blame
than does something for a change. I think, it is also time that
the Thais should express their opinion and do not allow to be
abuse by anybody.
I don't see any country in the world doing excellent job on
immigration issue, not even countries that have resources to help
their neighbor, such as US to Cuba.
Why blame Thailand who doesn't even enough resources for their
own people!!!
Kay
**************************************************************
BKK POST: RETIRED GENERAL LINKED TO ILLEGAL LOGGING RACKET
8 December 1994
A retired military officer is suspected of masterminding a
racket which laundered illegal Thai logs, Assistant Police
Chief Lt-Gen Salang Bunnag said.
Pol Lt-Gen Salang did not identify the officer but said he
was a retired general.
He said the general was suspected of being behind illegal
logging in Thai forest. Logs were delivered to Burma before
they were imported back to Thailand as Burmese logs with
proper documents.
A senior official in the Forest Industry Organisation
conspired with the general, Pol Lt-Gen Salang said. (BP)
**************************************************************
SEASIA-L: BURMA-MYANMAR
1 response
lintner bit.listserv.seasia-l 11:28 PM Dec 9, 1994
(at KSC.AU.AC.TH) (From News system)
Content-type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII
I have noted on Burmanet and other listings about Burma that
there seems to be some confusion regarding the use of "Burma" or
"Myanmar" in regard to the name of the country. Historical
records suggest the following: When the Burmese nationalist
movement, or the Dohbama Asiayone, was established in the 1930s,
there was actually for the first time a debate among the
young Burman nationalists as to what name should be used for the
country: the formal, old royal term myanmar or the more
colloquial bama, which the British had corrupted into "Burma" and
made the official name of their colony.
The nationalists concluded: "Since the Dohbama was set up,
the movement always paid attention to the unity of all the
nationalities of the country...and the thakins [the first Burmese
nationalists] noted that myanmar naingngan [the myanmar state]...
meant only the part of the country where the myanmars lived.
This was the name given by the Burmese kings to their country.
But this is not correct usage. Bama naingngan [the burmese state]
is not the country where only the myanmar people live. It is the
country where different nationalities such as the Kachins,
Karens, Kayahs, Chins, Pa-Os, Palaungs, Mons, Myanmars,
Rakhines, Shans reside. Therefore, the nationalists did not use
the term myanma naingngan or myanmapyi [myanma country], but bama
naingngan or bamapyi. That would be the correct term. There is no
other term than bama naingngan or bamapyi. All the
nationalities who live in bama naingngan are called bama." (see A
Brief History of the Dohbama Asiayone, Rangoon: Sarpay Beikman,
1976, p. 215. See also The Guardian monthly (in Burmese),
Rangoon, Feb. 1971: "The word myanmar signifies only the Burmans,
whereas bama embraces all indigenous nationalities."Thus, the
movement became the Dohbama instead of the Dohmyanma.
Half a century later, Burma's new rulers decided that the
opposite was true and renamed the country "Myanmar". According to
the Working People's Daily of 27 May 1989: "Bama...is one of the
national groups of the Union only...myanma means all the national
racial groups who are resident of the union such as Kachin,
Kayah, Karen, Chin, Mon, Rakhine, Bama and Shan." A similar
confusion exists in English where some scholars maintain that
"Burman" refers to the majority people who inhabit thecentral
plains whereas the term "Burmese" covers the language of the
"Burmans" as well as all citizens of the country, including the
minorities.
All these contradictions reflect an inescapable fact which many
people in Burma are still reluctant to acknowledge: there is no
term in any language that covers both the Burmans and the
minority peoples as no such entity ever existed before the
arrival of the British in the 19th century. Burma, as we know
it with its present boundaries, is a colonial creation rife with
internal contradictions and divisions.
The problem is further compounded by the fact the "name
change" in 989 was followed by changes of a number of local
place names as well, and some of these changes are extremely
controversial. For intance, indigenous place names in Burma's
Shan State such as Kengtung, Hsipaw and Hsenwi (which have a
meaning in the local Shan language) have been Burmanised into
Kyaing Tone, Thibaw and Theinli whch are the Burmese corruptions
of these place names with no meaning in any language. By using
these "new" names also in English texts, we open a pandora's box
of possible ethnic conflicts which this troubled country
can ill afford.
**************************************************************
SEASIA-L BURMA-MYANMAR RESPONSE 1 OF 1
flehman@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
bit.listserv.seasia-l 10:58 AM Dec 8, 1994
(at UX1.CSO.UIUC.EDU) (From News system)
>Beril Lintner writes:
>I have noted on Burmanet and other listings about Burma that
there seems
>to be
>some confusion regarding the use of "Burma" or "Myanmar" in
regard to the
>name
>of the country. ...
Let us get some fact right, quite apart from political posturing.
THere are not two words involved here. 'Myanma' is not an 'old
royal word', it is just the full name of the people and the
country, and this goes back as far as history refers clearly to
these people. The earliest Chinese reference is to 'Mian', which
is still what Chinese calls them and their country. As for
'bama', it is neither more nor lesss than a quite standardly
productive contraction form of 'myanmar'. For the ordinariness
of this form of contraction, by which a word whose first syllable
begins with /m/ (possibly followed by a medial semivowel in
cluster with the /m/) ends us with a first syllable with a /b/
initial and a reduced ('schwa') vowel /a/, consider, say, the
Shan town of Mongmaw, which comes, in Burmese, to be Bhamo
(Kachin State). The argument about which is the right name for
the people and the country has about the same logic as a
possible argument about which is THE correct English word,
'cannot' or 'can't'.
The Dobama movement simply chose the contraction form because,
after all, contraction forms are mor explicitly colloquial, and
hence arguably
*****************************************************************
REG.BURMA: BLACK MARKET KYAT
>From mbeer@xxxxxxxxxxx
Fri Dec 9 08:32:30 1994
Date: Fri, 9 Dec 1994 11:18:26 -0500 (EST)
From: Michael Beer <mbeer@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: black market kyat To: burma usenet
<soc.culture.burma@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, strider
<strider@xxxxxxxxxxx>
By most accounts the inflation rate in Burma is about %40-%50 per
year. The black market rate for kyat however has remained stable
for about two years. The lastest rate I saw this week in a german
economics articles was 115 kyat to the dollar.
Given the fact that the government has been printing money like
crazy (and new denominations), why is the kyat not devaluing?
Given the tremendous pressure exerted by foriegn investors, the
printing of new demoninations the increasing foriegn debt
payments the preparation for a stock market the sluggish pace of
foriegn investment, demonitisation of old currency and or
devaluation of the offical kyat rate may be imminent. Should we
be warning our friends in Burma? Can anyone explain the flat rate
for the the black market kyat? Take Care, Michael Beer
mbeer@xxxxxxxxxxx
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BURMANET: PAGING MR. DALPINO
Sorry, I've lost your email address and am hoping you are still
tuned in to BurmaNet. Please send me a note if you are around.
Thanks,
Strider
**************************************************************
REUTERS: MYANMAR AIRWAYS EXPANDS INTERNATIONAL ROUTES
RANGOON, Dec 8 (Reuter) - Burma's state-controlled Myanmar
Airways International has said it will increase the number of
flights to Thailand and Singapore, and start a service to
Bangladesh.
Airline chairman Colonel Tun Aung told a news conference on
Wednesday that the airline, established in August 1993, had
broken even by March 31 this year and showed a $800,000 profit
for the first half of fiscal 1994-95 (April-March).
Tun Aung gave no details of the airline's ongoing aircraft
lease agreement with Malaysian Airline System (MAS), or other
financial data.
Starting December 21, Myanmar will start a service from Rangoon
to Dhaka in Bangladesh, Tun Aung said, but did not give details
about its frequency. Flights from Rangoon to Bangkok will be
increased to 10 per week from seven, and Rangoon-Singapore
flights to four per week from three, the airline
said.
A second Boeing 737-400 which Myanmar is leasing from MAS
arrived on Wednesday.
Tun Aung also said Myanmar was considering a cooperation
agreement with Air India and expanding its network to China.
REUTER
Transmitted: 94-12-08 05:30:35 EST
**************************************************************
BKK POST: TFB IN RANGOON
8 Deceber 1994
Thai Farmer Bank has set up its representative office in
Rangoon to provide advisory services to investors and to
susport Thai businesspeople in Burma.
Pol Gen Pow Sarasin, the bank's vice-chairman, will preside
over the opining cerenony tomorrow.
The Rangoon office is the bank's 11th overseas operation. The
chief representative in Wintra Kaosumang and assistant
representative is Somchai Srisampan. The office is located at
52 U Wisara Road, Dagon Township, Rangoon.
Pol Gen Pow said that this year has been very sucessful for
the bank's overseas network expansion in East Asia, nothing
that it has opened a branch in Singapore and representative
office in Hanoi and Shenzhen.
The bank plans to set up three more representative offices in
China - in Beijing, Shanghai and Kunming - next year. (BP)
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BKK POST: BURMESE STUDENTS TO RALLY IN SUU KYI'S HONOUR
December 8, 1994
A group of Burmes students who fled a military crackdown in
their homeland pland to stage a rally in Bangkok on Saturday
to mark tthe the third anniversary of former opppsition leader
Aung San Suu Kyi being awwarded Nobel Peace Prize.
An informed source in the Police Department said the All Burma
Basic Education Student Union (SBBSU) will rally in front of
the Burmese Embassy in honour of Aung San Suu Kyi, who won the
Nobel prize for peacefully fighting military rule.
The Nobel laureate has been under house arrest for more than
five years following political upheaval by pro-democratic
forces, which ended in a bloody crackdown by the Burmese
military junta.
The source said Burmes students willl use the rally to
denounce human rights viollations in Burma. They will also
call for the Burmes junta to return democratic rule to the
Burmese people.
ABBSU is one of the 12Burmesee groups who fled the country
following the pro=democracy uprising in 1987. But it is
expected that the rally will not involve other ghroups who
reportedly have different ideas over the move against the
Burmese ruling junta, said the source. (BP)
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END OF ISSUE