[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index
][Thread Index
]
BurmaNet News: March 23, 1995
- Subject: BurmaNet News: March 23, 1995
- From: strider@xxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Thu, 23 Mar 1995 14:01:00
Received: (from strider) by igc2.igc.apc.org (8.6.11/Revision: 1.10 ) id NAA05367 for conf:reg.burma; Thu, 23 Mar 1995 13:57:01 -0800
Date: Thu, 23 Mar 1995 13:57:01 -0800
**************************BurmaNet***************************
"Appropriate Information Technologies, Practical Strategies"
*************************************************************
The BurmaNet News:23 March 1995
Issue #128
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
NOTED IN PASSING:
Contents:
***********************IRRAWADDY*************************
BBC, VOA AND THE ROYAL DRUM
*************************THAILAND************************
BKK POST: KRASAE:BURMESE DEMOCRACY IMPROVING
NATION : 120 'LUCKY' THAI FISHERMEN RELEASED FROM BURMA PRISON
*************************************SHAN********************
BKK POST: RUMOURS OF NEW FIGHT WORRY SHAN REFUGEES
BKK POST: SHAN LEADER SAYS BATTLE THREATENING QUADRANGLE
***********************INSIDE BURMA*************************
BPP POST: BURMA SAYS ANOTHER REBEL GROUP SURRENDERS
**************************************************************
The BurmaNet News is an *********************************
electronic newspaper * Iti *
covering Burma. Articles * snotpo *
from newspapers, magazines, * werthatcor *
newsletters, the wire * ruptsbutfea *
services and the Internet as * r.Fearoflos *
well as original material * ingpowercor *
are published. * ruptsthosewhoare *
The BurmaNet News is * subjecttoit...Theef *
e-mailed directly to * fortnecessarytoremain *
subscribers and is * uncorruptedinanenvironm *
also distributed via * entwherefearisanintegralpar *
the soc.culture.burma * tofeverydayexistenceisnoti *
and seasia-l mailing * mmediatelyapparentto *
lists and is also * thosefortunate *
available via the * enoughtolivein *
reg.burma conference on * statesgovern *
the APC networks. For a * edbytherule *
free subscription to * oflaw...fear *
the BurmaNet News, send * is ahab it. *
an e-mail message to: * Iam *
* no *
majordomo@xxxxxxxxxxx * taf *
* ra *
In the body of the message, * id. *
type "subscribe burmanet-l" * Aun *
(without quotation marks) * gSa *
* nS *
Letters to the editor, * uu *
comments or contributions * Ky *
of articles should be * i. *
sent to the editor at: *********************************
strider@xxxxxxxxxxx
In Washington:
Attention to BurmaNet
c/o National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma
(NCGUB)
Information Office
815 15th Street NW, Suite 609
Washington D.C. 20005
Tel: (202) 393-7342, Fax: (202) 393-7343
In Bangkok:
Attention to BurmaNet
c/o Burma Issues
PO Box 1076, Silom Post Office
Bangkok 10504 Thailand
Tel: (066) (02) 234-6674, Fax: (066) (02) 631 0133
[The NCGUB is the government-in-exile, made up of the people
who won the election in 1990. Burma Issues is a Bangkok-based
non-governmental organization that documents human rights
conditions in Burma and maintains an archive of Burma-related
documents. Views expressed in The BurmaNet News do not
necessarily reflect those of either NCGUB or Burma Issues]
**************************************************************
NEWS SOURCES REGULARLY COVERED/ABBREVIATIONS USED BY BURMANET:
ABSDF: ALL BURMA STUDENT'S DEMOCRATIC FRONT
AMNESTY: AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
AP: ASSOCIATED PRESS
AFP: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
AW: ASIAWEEK
Bt.: THAI BAHT; 25 Bt. EQUALS US$1 (APPROX),
BBC: BRITISH BROADCASTING CORPORATION
BF: BURMA FORUM
BKK POST: BANGKOK POST (DAILY NEWSPAPER, BANGKOK)
BRC-CM: BURMESE RELIEF CENTER-CHIANG MAI
BRC-J: BURMESE RELIEF CENTER-JAPAN
CPPSM:C'TEE FOR PUBLICITY OF THE PEOPLE'S STRUGGLE IN MONLAND
FEER: FAR EAST ECONOMIC REVIEW
GOA: GOVERNMENT OF AUSTRALIA
IRRAWADDY: NEWSLETTER PUBLISHED BY BURMA INFORMATION GROUP
KHRG: KAREN HUMAN RIGHTS GROUP
KNU: KAREN NATIONAL UNION
Kt. BURMESE KYAT; UP TO 150 KYAT-US$1 BLACK MARKET
106 KYAT US$1-SEMI-OFFICIAL
6 KYAT-US$1 OFFICIAL
MOA: MIRROR OF ARAKAN
MNA: MYANMAR NEWS AGENCY (SLORC)
THE NATION: A DAILY NEWSPAPER IN BANGKOK
NCGUB: NATIONAL COALITION GOVERNMENT OF THE UNION OF BURMA
NLM: NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR (DAILY STATE-RUN NEWSPAPER,RANGOON)
NMSP: NEW MON STATE PARTY
RTA:REC.TRAVEL.ASIA NEWSGROUP
RTG: ROYAL THAI GOVERNMENT
SCB:SOC.CULTURE.BURMA NEWSGROUP
SCT:SOC.CULTURE.THAI NEWSGROUP
SEASIA-L: S.E.ASIA BITNET MAILING LIST
SLORC: STATE LAW AND ORDER RESTORATION COUNCIL
TAWSJ: THE ASIAN WALL STREET JOURNAL
UPI: UNITED PRESS INTERNATIONAL
USG: UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT
XNA: XINHUA NEWS AGENCY
**************************************************************
BBC, VOA AND THE ROYAL DRUM
MAUNG KHINE HTUN
Burma's ruling junta, likes to find a scapegoat for all their
mistakes. For each disaster they cause they put the blame on
someone, a general or an official or, most of the time, academics
and school teachers. Though teaching was traditionally regarded
as one of the most prestigious professions, the military
dictators in Burma always told contemplators look towards them
whenever there is a chance, the generals pointed their fingers at
the teachers.
On the 18th of Feb, the closing ceremony of a reorientation
course for the teachers was held at the central Civil Services,
Institute, Paunggyi, north of Rangoon. It was the fourteenth such
meeting of teachers, forcing them to control their students so
that there could never be a repetition of the students uprising
that occurred in the past, especially in 1988 which escalated
into a general uprising.
The ceremony was attended by Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt, military
intelligence chief, who concurrently holds quite a number of top
positions, the chairmanship of the National Education Committee
among them.
As usual, Khin Nyunt gave the teachers many sorts of instructions
together with grave warnings.
Abrutly, he diverted from the subject and focussed his speech the
western media, giving particular attention to the BBC and the
VOA. He attacked the radio services saying that the two are
disseminating false information.
Since 1962, all form of media were under the strict control of
the junta. The reports in all organs were always synonymous,
constantly defending the policies and deeds of the regime.
Every kind of expression of resentment against the junta as
labelled unruly behaviour and critics were accused of being as
spies of the western imperialists, and if not that, of the
communists. Even when good-hearted persons among the junta braved
themselves to show their disagreement with the oppressive
measures, they would be hit with various kinds of ridiculous
allegations.
In June 1974 when commodity prices soared up beyond the reach of
the population, workers of almost all factories organised a
strike demanding an increase of wages and salaries. The junta
accused the workers of being communist infiltrators who attempted
to disrupt law and order, and incite unrest among the peaceful
population. More than a hundred were gunned down in their own
factories.
Gen Tin Oo, who was the army chief at that time, expressed his
indignation at such atrocities.
Sometime later the general was dismissed and imprisoned. The case
put forward against him was that his wife, a medical doctor,
failed to pay custom duties when they brought an organ from
abroad for her son.
When a group of influential colonel, among the BSPP leadership
tried to demote Gen Ne Win by voting against him in the BSPP
congress in 1977, all involved were dismissed and some of them
imprisoned. The reason given was that the colonels had sold their
surplus rations such as sugar and condensed milk.
All these events were printed in the junta's newspaper journals
and magazines in exaggerated lengthy reports. The state radio
used to cover those reports, sometimes taking a couple of hours.
Thus doing whatever they wanted to and covering all forms of
media in their favour, the handful of hard-core dictators were
enjoying privileges no one from the outside world could imagine.
Even the prestigious UNESCO was fooled by the regime so that the
world body awarded for to accomplishing the best implementation
of adult education in the world. Then Burma was acclaimed to
posses and of the higher literacy rates in the world (more than
90%). (But in 1987 when the junta applied for LDC status in the
UN, they said there had been some mistake with their figures. The
actual literacy rate, they claimed then, was a less than 20%.)
Eventually some citizens were able to establish contact with the
outside world particularly the BBC and VOA.
Since then much of the misbehaviour of the regime, together with
the unthinkable sufferings of the population, were frequently
reported by the two media giants.
For the hard core dictators, the two Services were considered to
be the most dangerous enemies of their regime. It is no wonder
that Khin Nyunt attacked the two agencies, centre branding them
as the biggest listeners. In fact, the two radios are just
echoing the truth as the royal drum did in a famous Burmese
fable.
The fable goes like this. Once there lived a monarch. Being an
absolute monarch he was feared by everybody in his country. No
one dared to say a thing though they knew the king was doing
numerous absurd things.
One day the king conceived an awful desire. He wished to eat
chaff which as meant for farm animals.
The king ordered a minister to bring a plateful of chaff into his
room. The minister brought in. Then the king said ?my trusted
minister you are the only person who knows that I have done.
Don't tell this to anyone. If there is a leak, you will certainly
be beheaded.?
>From that day on the minister wanted to disclose the truth to
somebody. Because of fear of death, he had to control himself.
But the minister found it very difficult to keep such a peculiar
story to himself. He even began to feel sick. One day he went
into the forest alone and looked for a place where he could tell
the story without being heard by anyone.
Fortunately, he found a big hollow tree. Happily, he
inserted his head into the hallow as much as possible then
shouted with much contentment. ?The king eats chaff! The king
eats chaff!.? Relaxed, the minister went back home and continued
his duty as before.
The Burmese king used to keep a big drum on the top of a tower
and beat it every hour to let the city dwellers know the time. As
the royal drum of the King was very old, he ordered his servants
to find a new drum.
Then they went to the forest to find a tree to make a drum.
Coincidently, they came across the above-mentioned tree. Seeing
that the ready made whole would help them to save energy and
time, they felled the tree and turned it into a big drum.
After installing it on top of the royal tower, the opening
ceremony was held. When a strong-muscle drummer beat the drum,
instead of emitting the sound ?boom,' it echoed ?The king eats
chaff! The king eats chaff.? Instantly the entire population
learned the truth about what had happened behind the curtain.
Similarly, the BBC and the VOA are just reverberating the events
that had actually happened.(FROM IRRAWADDY INDEPENDENCE NEW &
INFORMATION VOL3 NO.12)
RUMOURS OF NEW FIGHT WORRY SHAN REFUGEES
23 March 1995
SHAN refugees taking shelter in Thailand fear being repatriated
in the wake of rumours of a new round of clashes between Burmese
troops ops and Khun Sa's MTA next week. They have been told a
battle could occur in Tachilek opposite. Thailand's northernomst
border district, Mae Sai, between March 25 and 27. About 300 Shan
minority people are taking refuge at Wat Phasukaran in Mae Sai
after fierce fighting in Tachilek last week forced the m to flee
across the border. Some Shan refugees went to Burma during the
day to resume trading and look after their houses, but at night
they returned to the Ma e Sai temple. Sammanen Jai, a Shan novice
of Khunthun Temple in a Tachilek, who is now taking refuge at Wat
Phasukaram, said he and 30 novices fled the fighting, leaving the
abbot alone in the Shan temple. The novice said he has heard that
fighting would break out again on March 27, which is the 50th
anniversary of Burma's Army Day. "To be safe, we must remain in
Thailand until that day passes," he said. Meanwhile, other refu-
gees who have taken shelter at Tham Pajom Temple opposite Ban
Kong Kum were reportedly told to return to Burma.
A Monk said he feared the temple, which is close to the border,
might be a target of sabotage by Burmese soldiers. Some refugees,
whose house were torched during previous attacks by Burmese
troops, we were forced to return to Ban Kong Kum while so me
moved to Wat Phasukaram. About 70 Shan refugees from Maung Paeng
and Kengyung were yesterday sent back to the Burmese side of the
common border. At the end of yesterday. more than 200 Shan refu-
gees were sent back to Burma. Thai official earlier asked local
Burmese officials to prepared shelters for refugees to be repa-
triated. Burma agreed to allow those whose houses were burned
down in the attacks to stay at temples but that seemed to be not
enough to convince refugees to again c ross the border. Chaing
Rai Governor Khanron Baunched said there were two group of refu-
gees - those wounded and those who fear returning to Burma. Offi-
cials have already provide humanitarian aid to them, Mr Khamron
said. Trading at the border remained sluggish but Mr Khamron told
venders that tourists should return in the next few days. (BP)
SHAN LEADER SAYS BATTLE THREATENING QUADRANGLE 23 March 1995
Shan State National Congress chairman Zao Gan Gede yesterday
warned that Rangoon's continuing suppression drive against
the Shan forces would disrupt development of the so-called
Growth Quadrangle region which encompasses the borders of
Thialnd, Laos, Burma and C China. "If Burmese government
comes to our home with violent means, we will respond in
kind to protect ourselves. We are sorry for Thailand , China
and Laos that they will also suffer as a result," said the
chairman in an interview. He disclosed that the MTA soldiers
commondo-style attack against Burmese soldiers at Tachilek
on Monday had three purpose. 1- To retaliate against Burmese
government troops who attacked the Shan village of Tambon
Phu Luang on March 16, which left across of
civilians dead and wounded. 2- To warn the Burmese Govern-
ment that the MTA fighters have a capability to strike at
Burmese forces any time and any where they want nt. 3- To
demonstrate to KNU rebels that they are not alone in the
struggle against the military junta in Rangoon known as
Slorc. At least 3 MTA fighters and more than 10 Burmese
soldiers were killed in action in Tachilek township. The gun
battle lasted more than n four hours and also claimed the
lives of civilians caught in the cease-fire. The Shanleader
said the bulk of the Burmese troops in the area did not rush
to the battle to engage the Shan rebels, staying where t hey
were because they expected another surprise attack from a
different direction. " We are also waiting for them," he
added. Echoing Thialand's offer to help coordinate peace
talks between the warring factions in Burma, Zao Gan said
the mta and the Shan STATE e National Congress are ready to
hold talks with Slorc. He said peace talk with the Slorc
would be possible if China and Laos also helped in the mis-
dating. Meanwhile;e yesterday, about 200 Burmese refugees,
mostly Shan, were driven back into Tachilek by Thai authori-
ties. The refugees, with their belonging, were truck to the
border where they were told to wade across the Mae Sia River
to Tachilek. Bangkok Post reporters who were at the scene
reported that after the departure of Thai security forces,
many of the refugees return d to Thailand by wading across
the river. More than 1,000 refugees fled to Mae Sai District
during and after Monday's fighting. Several refugees
expressed reluctance to return home fearing that MTA troops
would strike again. "No one is going back," said Michoo who
swam across the Mae Sai River with her three year-old son on
her back during Monday's battle . (BP)
KRASAE:BURMESE DEMOCRACY IMPROVING
23 March 1995
FOREIGN Minister Krasaer Chanawong told US Ambassador David
Lambertson yesterday that Thailand sees Burma as having made
improvement toward democracy. Dr Keasae cited Rangoon's
preparation of a new constitution of improvements. He also
said them military regime in Burma had set more exact terms
for the detention of Aung San Suu Kyi. According to a report
by UN special rapporteur on Human Rights Yozo Yokotas, Suu
Kyi should be released on July 21, 1995. Dr Krasae also
reiterated merits of the Association of Southeast Asian
Nations' constructive engagement policy towards Burma. The
US is a harsh critic of the Slorc that rules Burma. After a
courtesy call by Mr Lambertson, Dr Krasae also told report-
ers Thailand wanted a Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty to be
20-25
years rather than indefinitely as proposed by some
countries, including the US. Dr Krasae said a fixed period
was good because time would be enough for any country to
father study changes in nuclear science and technology. Mr
Lamberton reiterated US suport for an "indefinite" extension
of the treaty. (BP)
BURMA SAYS ANOTHER REBEL GROUP SURRENDERS
23 March 1995
Ethnic minority rebels in Burma's eastern Kayah state have laid
down their arms and surrendered to the government, Burma's offi-
cial media reported yesterday.
A total of 7,790 members of the karenni National Progressive Par-
ty (KNPP) "returned to the legal fold" on Tuesday at a ceremony
in
Loikaw, the Kayah state capital.
They brought with them almost 9,000 weapons including mortar,
recoilless rifles, machine guns and automatic rifles, the media
said.
Burma's powerful military intelligence chief Lieutenant-General
Khin Nyunt attended the ceremony.
The KNPP has been fighting Rangoon for the independence of Kayah
state since Burma's independence from Britain in 1948.
The karenni people are ethnic cousins of the Karen who live to
the
south and the KNPP is the 14th rebel army to reach a ceasefire
agreement with the Burmese military. (BP)
120 'LUCKY' THAI FISHERMEN RELEASED FROM BURMA PRISON
23 March 1995
A total of 120 Thai fishermen detained in Burma for illegal
fishing
in that country's water were released from a Rangoon prison and
return to Bangkok yesterday.
They were greeted at the Air Force Airport by Assistant Army Com-
mander Chettha Thanajaro and their families who presented them
with garlands.
About the same number of Thai fishermen remain in Burmese pris-
ons, either still on trial or serving prison terms following
convic-
tions for poaching in Burma's territorial waters.
Gen Chettha said the Burmese government released the fishermen
from Insein Prison without conditions to commemorate the 50th
anniversary of His Majesty the King's ascension to the throne
next
year.
He said the Burmese government freed only 120 of the incarcerat-
ed fishermen because they regarded that as a lucky number, while
the method used to select who would be freed gave priority to
those who had been detained for a certain period of time, or were
sick or old.
The released was the result of conversations between Burmese
Army Commander in Chief Gen Maung Aye and Chettha, who visited
Rangoon on March 3.
Chettha praised the "sincerity" of the Burmese government, and
said
it had agreed to free the fishermen only after a five-minute talk
on
March 3.
Gen Chettha warned the released fishermen not to enter Burmese
waters illegally again, and said the government and the Army
could
not always be expected to help negotiate for their release.
"Don't think that you can do wrong again. We can't help you if
you do
so. You should know that every country loves its territory," he
told the fishermen.
Pradaya Devi Tavethikut, the deputy permanent secretary of the
Foreign Ministry, said the ministry began negotiations for the
re-
lease of the fishermen when Thaksin Shinawatra was still foreign
minister.
However, he praised Chettha for playing a leading role in the
nego-
tiations for their release. He said about 190 Thai fishermen were
still detained in Burma and the Foreign Ministry would continue
to
try to help them.
Chan Thepyos, 27, one of those released, said he was sentenced to
15 years in jail but had served only 11 months. he said the
prison
gave them only two meals a day, consisting of boiled nuts and
vege-
tables. (TN)