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BurmaNet News: April 2, 1995 [#138]
- Subject: BurmaNet News: April 2, 1995 [#138]
- From: strider@xxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Mon, 03 Apr 1995 06:20:00
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**************************BurmaNet***************************
"Appropriate Information Technologies, Practical Strategies"
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The BurmaNet News: 2 April 1995
Issue #138
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
NOTED IN PASSING:
"This is a moral universe. Right and wrong matter.
There is no way that injustice and oppression will
prevail forever over their counterparts. The
perpetrators of evil have already lost."
Archbishop Desmond Tutu comparing Burma now to
the Apartheid years in South Africa <See DAILY
YOMIURI: TUTU URGES SANCTIONS AGAINST BURMA>
Contents:
************************TECHNICAL*****************************
BURMANET: GROWING PAINS AND A WEB PAGE
************************ARAKAN********************************
OPIRG: "STOP THE REPATRIATION: JUSTICE NOW FOR ROHINGYAS."
********************KAREN STATE/KAWTHOOLEI********************
BURMANET: A LETTER FROM A KAREN IN AMERICA
**************************SHAN STATE**************************
SHAN: MTA COMMANDOS RAID TAKHILEK
**********************INTERNATIONAL**************************
BURMA FORUM: OCC TO HOST FORUM ON BURMA
SCB: LION'S LETTER TO AUNG SAN SUU KYI
SCB: NO MORE SMUT, PLEASE! -- THAUNG KHI
DAILY YOMIURI: TUTU URGES SANCTIONS AGAINST BURMA
SCB: ABOUT BURMA PRO-DEMOCRACY GROUPS IN AUSTRALIA
**************************************************************
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Tel: (202) 393-7342, Fax: (202) 393-7343
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conditions in Burma and maintains an archive of Burma-related
documents. Views expressed in The BurmaNet News do not
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**************************************************************
*************THE BURMANET NEWS--APRIL 2, 1995*****************
**************************************************************
************************TECHNICAL*****************************
BURMANET: GROWING PAINS AND A WEB PAGE
April 2, 1995
If the formatting and numbering of the BurmaNet News has seemed
a bit out of sync, chalk it up to growing pains. The News is
produced as a collaborative effort by people working at different
sites, which can sometimes lead to variations in formatting and
numbering. Please bear with us.
The News is now available on an experimental basis as WorldWide
Web formatted document at:
http://taygate.au.ac.th/~web/michael/bnn/bnn.htm
This has been done courtesy of javaman@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Please try it out and let us know how to improve it.
************************ARAKAN********************************
OPIRG: "STOP THE REPATRIATION: JUSTICE NOW FOR ROHINGYAS."
2 April 1995
Ontario Public Interest Research Group
>From the Burma-Tibet Group, OPIRG-Carleton, Ottawa CANADA:
Time is short: please adapt this letter to your needs and copy
as widely as possible. (You may want to change the "ALL CAS" to
underline) This letter only scratches the surface of the situ-
ation. It is the first in a series of actions. We are pushing
this campaign forward through meetings, phone calls, faxes and
letters like this, aiming to promote dialogue and positive
pressure between refugee/human rights groups, and government/UN
agencies.
We urge you to do the same. GET THE REPORT referred to in the
letter from the US Committee for Refugees. It is well-documented
and comprehensive, with excellent photos. It may be on E-mail
soon, or you can write USCR at 1717 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Suite
701, Washington DC 20036, USA. tel 202-347-3507, fax 202-347-
3418.
Thank you for your efforts. In the long run, we see the need for
an "Urgent Action Network" (UAN) targetting Burma and other
repressive Asian countries, along the lines of the UAN created
by church groups in Canada targetting Central America. Your
comments are
welcome.
---------------------------------------------------
The Burma-Tibet Group
OPIRG-Carleton
326 Unicentre, 1125 Colonel By Dr.
Carleton University
Ottawa ON K1S 5B6
25 March 1995
The Honourable Andr Ouellet
Minister for Foreign Affairs
Rm 312, West Block
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A6
BY FAX: 613-996-3443
Dear Mr. Ouellet:
We urge Canada to speak out immediately and forcefully against
the coercion and abuses committed against the Rohingya refugees
that fled to Bangladesh from Burma (Myanmar), under the "volun-
tary repatriation" program run by the UN High Commissioner for
Refugees (UNHCR).
We have mailed to you the recently released report by the US
Committee for Refugees. USCR supports the Sep 94 report by
Medecins sans Frontieres - France (MSF-F) that the UNHCR and
Bangladesh government engage in "refoulement" of the refugees.
As recent as Feb 95, MSF-Holland said, "few refugees seemed to
be aware of the possibility and the right to say no to repatri-
ation."
MSF-F added that the Bangladesh authorities are using less
coercion now, but only because the refugees think they have no
choice but to repatriate. Since last August, when the abuses
reached their peak, just the threat of brutality from the
Bangladesh government has proved enough to gain the submission
of the Rohingyas. A more subtle pattern of coercion remains.
Should refugee protests escalate, undoubtedly so would physical
retali- ation from camp authorities.
Before last July, all refugees could count on receiving an
interview with the UNHCR. Then UNHCR abandoned this practice
under pressure from Bangladesh, and commenced "repatriation
promotion" seminars and mass registration. At the time, USCR
consultant Curt Lambrecht interviewed 49 refugees, who expressed
"feelings of frustration and betrayal at what they viewed as
UNHCR officials' indifference" to the beatings, torture and
threats occurring regularly in the camps. At that point, the rate
of repatriation rocketed; it has now reached some 4,000 weekly.
By July 1995, all may be repatriated.
Both the UNHCR and the Bangladesh government have resisted
attempts by NGOs to inspect the camps and gauge the real situ-
ation. This has served to stymie action until this very late
date, when most of the Rohingyas have been sent back to Burma.
Former Bangladesh Foreign Secretary M. R. Osmany, now Bangladesh
High Commissioner to Canada, brands this program a "foreign
policy success." UNHCR asserts the "excellent cooperation" by
SLORC - but at what price?
UNHCR offers no evidence that the massive human rights abuses in
Burma have abated, except that SLORC is now willing to accept
refugees back, and allows a UNHCR presence. According to USCR,
"IT SEEMS UNLIKELY THAT ANY ORGANIZATION COULD ENSURE THE SAFETY
OF THE RETURNEES, GIVEN THE SLORC'S RECORD." SLORC reportedly
targets returnees for further mistreatment. For instance, UNHCR
mentioned a "tailoring course for 50 returnee girls" as part of
its reintegration program. USCR reports that such courses separ-
ate girls from their families, "placing them under the control
of military forces that are notorious for rape."
Canada has a special responsibility since it contributed $1.5M
to this program. But your staff at CIDA [Canada's bilateral aid
agency] and Foreign Affairs inform us that there can be no
bilateral involvement in monitoring the situation inside Burma.
Yet the credibility of both UNHCR and the UN Commission on Human
Rights (which recently commended the "free and voluntary"
Rohingya repatriation) depend on havin another witnessing party
sympathetic to refugees. The UNHCR should never have signed
Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) with the two host governments,
BOTH WITH A LONG HISTORY OF ABUSING THE ROHINGYAS, unless they
provided for independent monitoring agencies in the refugee camps
in Bangladesh, and among returnees back in Arakan State in Burma.
We applaud CIDA's decision to maintain funds to UNHCR for "care
and maintenance" in the refugee camps. But we urge CIDA to
continue to withhold funds for UNHCR's repatriation program until
it is proven "voluntary" by international standards. Canada must
go public with these decisions.
We further urge your government to support USCR's recommenda-
tions, including that "donor governments insist that repatriation
be fully voluntary." Our immediate concern is that Canada:
a) CALL ON THE BANGLADESH AND SLORC REGIMES to reaffirm the
Rohingyas' rights, and permit independent monitoring to ensure
their rights are respected.
b) CALL ON UNHCR to cease its "repatriation promotion" sessions,
and mass registration of refugees, and return to its former
practice of individual interviews with ALL refugees, not just
those who speak out against repatriation.
We ask you to respond as soon as possible. We are informing our
counterparts in other donor countries, with the firm intent of
gaining the international support so long denied the Rohingyas.
Sincerely,
Corinne Baumgarten, Reid Cooper, Terry Cottam, Mike Buckthought
Burma-Tibet Group, OPIRG-Carleton
cc. Dr. Sein Win, Prime Minister, National Coalition Government
of the Union of Burma
M. R. Osmany, Bangladesh High Commissioner to Canada
Mrs. Sadako Ogata, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees
Len Legault, Permanent Mission of Canada to the UN Office
in Geneva
US Committee for Refugees, and other refugee groups
Dave Todd, Southam News, and other media contacts
**************************SHAN STATE**************************
SHAN: MTA COMMANDOS RAID TAKHILEK
SHAN HERALD AGENCY FOR NEWS (S.H.A.N)
P.O. Box 41 MaeHongSon 58000 Thailand
--------------------------------------------------------------
--------
Battle News from Shan State
For Immediate Release Monday, March 26, 1995
Contact:
Hseng Jern Fax: 66 53 278 152 (Thailand)
Fax: (301) 208-8012 (United States)
March 18, 1995 -- The Moung Tai Army continues to inflict heavy
casualties on the SLORC troops that had come to attack the people
in the Shan State.
MTA ground forces reported three clashes taking place within a
10-mile range from Takhilek on March 18 -- at Mak O, Phak Koot
and Mong Long.
A total of 47 SLORC soldiers were killed and 70 were wounded. The
MTA also captured nine mules.
Seven MTA soldiers lost their lives while 18 others were wounded
in the three clashes.
The MTA also destroyed the bridges at Nam Ton and Nam Mae Hok
and destroyed two trucks about 9 km northeast of Takhilek.
March 19:
At 1630 today, an MTA defense unit clashed with the intruding
SLORC troops at a place 7 kilometers northeast of Takhilek. In
this engagement, the MTA killed 29 SLORC soldiers, wounded 41
others and captured a 60mm mortar.
The MTA suffered four killed and eight wounded.
At 1900, the MTA launched an attack on a platoon from the 5th
Kachin Rifles Regiment that was guarding the Yang Hka bridge.
Three soldiers were killed and the bridge was destroyed in the
attack.
March 20:
A 70-strong MTA commando unit today launched a raid on the SLORC
Army camp of Lieutenant General Saw Tun, Tactical Operations
commander of the Eastern Command, in Takhilek. The MTA attack
which caught the SLORC Army by surprise killed 12 soldiers and
wounded 36 others, including a captain and a sergeant.
The MTA lost three men while five others were wounded.
Twelve MTA soldiers who mistakenly entered Thai territory were
disarmed and released by the Thai troops.
Two MTA commandos -- warrant officer Aik Khaung and Private Aik
Pauk -- who took part in the raid on the Takhilek base were
surrounded by 300 SLORC troops at a village. They fought
courageously for nine hours before being killed.
The SLORC accusing the village of harboring the MTA soldiers
burned down 35 houses.
Five villagers -- three men and two women -- were tortured. The
three men had their ears cut off and the corners of their mouths
slashed open during the interrogation.
Six other villagers taken in for further interrogation were all
shot and killed.
A total of 110 villagers were left homeless and more than 2,000
people fled to the Thai side of the border. Thai authorities
are feeding and housing the refugees before they can be sent
back.
March 21:
Around 1800 today, the MTA clashed three times with the intruding
forces at Loi Phak Koot, Loi Hai and Loi Mong.
The SLORC Army suffered 36 dead and over 70 wounded. The MTA
lost two men while 21 others were wounded.
March 22:
Lull in fighting.
March 23:
A fierce battle broke out at Ton village today. Five MTA
soldiers were killed and 19 were wounded in the two-hour battle.
The SLORC lost 41 soldiers while 65 others were wounded.
********************KAREN STATE/KAWTHOOLEI********************
BURMANET: A LETTER FROM A KAREN IN AMERICA
3 April 1995
It is a lengthy process to obtain peace in any country where
there is civil war and Burma is no exception. Civil war has been
raging in Burma for more than four decades and there is no sign
of ending it yet. It may or may not happen during my life time,
but I strongly feel that the SLORC can turn
things arround if they have the will and the heart to do it.
Due to oppressive and inhumane treatment of it's own citizen,
SLORC has been condemmed by the world all over, but due to greed
of power and wealth, they will not care and will continue to do
the same of ill treating the population of Burma.
As a Karen, let me mention how the Karen people feel about the
SLORC. More than two decades ago there were two group of Karen
insurgents. One led by Bo Lin Htin and the other led by Bo Mya.
When Burmese military regime declared ammnesty to the insurgents,
the group led by Bo Lin Htin and some KNU officials came back
from the jungle and some given few cabinet position
in Karen state for a few years. One unfortunate thing happened
at that time was the regime killed the group leader Bo Lin Htin.
What ever the reason for killing given by the military regime,
it is very hard for the Karen people to trust them again.
A few years ago one of the SLORC commander in the Kayin state
mentioned and suggested in a meeting that if you want to see
Karen, you will have to go down to Yangon (Rangoon) and see them
in the MUSEUM. Quite a chilling remark!. May be that is why SLORC
attemped to wipe out the Karen people and force them to flee
their home land. More than seventy thousands Karen ended up in
refugee camps in Thailand without any future at all.
Furthermore, whenever the SLORC commander or their media refer
anything about Bo Mya, they never say simply Bo Mya or KNU
president Saw Bo Mya but will mention "Nga Mya". Here, let me
explain about the Burmese word "Nga". It is the prefix name used
only exclusively for the criminals. Bo Mya might have killed his
opponent or enemy, but we never heard of him killing innocent
villagers. In my point of view, he is not a criminal. On the
other hand, the SLORC commanders and their troops destroyed Mon
and Karen villges, tortured and raped the villagers, sent them
to the front line to clear land mines and enslaved them to hard
labor.
The SLORC tried to deceive the world and say that there is peace
and harmony in the liberated areas and tell refugees to come
back. When the SLORC fail to convince the refugee to come back,
they kidnap the refugees. There may be time when the refugees
have no choice but to come back, but at present, the pain and
agony that have been engraved in their hearts and mind still
persist and they are so scare of coming back and live under the
reign of terror. Even one time Apatheid Government of South
Africa did not treat it's people as the SLORC treat the people
of Burma. Besides the pain and agony the people of Burma go
through,
physically and mentally, there is no freedom at all to express
one's thought and wishes and the news media is heavily sensored.
When you pause for a short moment and think about the physical
and mental suffering of the people of Burma as a whole you come
to the conclusion that the SLORC is reducing the status of the
people of Burma to sub-human species which is no better than
bullocks and buffaloes ploughing the field and pulling the carts.
Well by the grace of God I am fortunate to be living in the
United States of America where I can express my thoughts and
fellings. This is the land of Liberty where evey citizen enjoy
equal opprotunity. If I am still living in Burma and have this
kind of notion and express it, I am certain I will be awarded one
way ticket to Insein Jail where I might have to spend the rest
of my living life. I salute to all the people of Burma who
perished by the oppressive regime and extend my deep heartfelt
sympathy for who still survive.
Well, those mentioned above are the dark side of the SLORC. But
they can turn things arround if they choose to do so. The Karen
leadership has expressed willingness to negotiate and Thai
Government hinted it's willingness to mediate if SLORC make a
move. There has been no better time than this time. By making
peace with the opposition and minority groups the SLORC will save
alot of resorces as well as human lives and sufferings.
The SLORC will not have to spend a great deal on the military
hardwares. The ethnic and opposition troops can be integrated
into Burma Army without seeking new conscripts. Then Burma will
have the most battle harden and experienced army in the world.
The young conscripts can go home and seek further education and
their future if they choose to do so. Money earned from foreign
investment can be used to develop the country to catch up
with the rest of the advanced world. The highly educated people
will not leave the country and there will be no brain drainage.
Look at Malaysia which also has diverse ethnic groups like Burma.
There has also been one time tension between different ethnic
groups and turmoils occured. Once they learned their mistakes,
they correct it and the the country has become prosperous. At
present, Malaysia enjoy peace and harmony with diverse
ethnic culture.
One thing the SLORC needs to do is not be too proud to negotiate
with the
opposition and ethnic groups to explore the possibility of peace.
Even the
Berlin wall could crumble down and Isreal could negotiate with
PLO, there
is nothing that SLORC can not negotiate with the opposition and
ethnic
groups. Once peace prevailed and military bdget is reduced, we
can divert our attentions and energy into improving the standard
of living just like Germany and Japan after the end of World War
Two. After all every one in Burma share the same destiny. If the
country prosper we all enjoy it and if the country degredate, we
all suffer. If we all really reconciled, I'm very sure that
nothing can stop Burma from becoming prosperous nation. The
country is rich in natural resources and with modern technology
we will be able to catch up with the advanced world very soon.
In conclusion, I ernestly and sincerely pray that the SLORC will
take the best opportunity at hand and turn the situation arround
for the betterment of the people of burma.
Saw Aung Khin
"Simon M. Khin" <skhin@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
**********************INTERNATIONAL**************************
BURMA FORUM: OCC TO HOST FORUM ON BURMA
ORANGE COAST COLLEGE
NEWS Community Relations Office
______________________________________________________________
__________
2701 Fairview Road, P.O. Box 5005 Contact: Jim
Carnett Costa Mesa, CA 92628-5005
(714) 432-5725
March
29, 1995
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
OCC TO HOST FORUM ON BURMA
Orange Coast College will host a day-long forum that
focuses on the Southeast Asian nation of Burma on Saturday, April
29.
Titled "Burma: Source of Heroin; Land of AIDS and
Terror," the forum will run from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. in OCC's Fine
Arts Hall 119.
Attendance is by pre-registration only. Tickets are
priced at $20 for adults and $10 for full-time students. The fee
includes lunch.
The event is being coordinated by OCC professor of
counseling services, Dr. U Kyaw Win. A graduate of Arizona State
University, The American University and the University of
Southern California, Win is a native of Burma. He's an outspoken
critic of the military tyranny that has taken place in that
nation for more than two decades.
Win edits a bi-monthly newsletter, The Burma Bulletin,
that is distributed internationally. The publication reflects
his pro-freedom and pro-democracy views. He was founding
president of The Burma Association, established in 1973, and has
been banned from returning to his native land because of his
political beliefs.
Forum speakers include actor Mike Farrell; Boston College
economist, U Mya Maung; director of the Burma Project, Maureen
Aung-Thwin; anthropologist, Carol Richards; Rutgers University
political scientist, Josef Silverstein; and BBC reporter, U Oung
Myint Tun.
Burma -- now called Myanmar by its government -- is
mainland Southeast Asia's largest nation, with a population of
42 million people. The outside world knows little of what goes
on there because a military dictatorship overthrew its
parliametary democracy in 1962 and slammed the doors shut.
"The people, led by students, rose up in 1988 to
peacefully demand an end to military rule," says Win. "The armed
forces responded by killing thousands and sending more than a
million people fleeing into neighboring Thailand, India,
Bangladesh and China."
Win says the nation's ruling generals are now strapped
for cash and making deals with foreign companies to exploit the
country's rich natural resources. Resources include oil, natural
gas, teak and other hardwoods, jade and rubies.
"Heroin, which is extracted from raw opium, comes from
the 'Golden Triangle' of Laos, Thailand and Burma," Win says.
"The U.S. government estimates that 70 to 80 percent of the
heroin coming into America originates in the Burmese sector of
the triangle."
For information about the forum, phone (714) 432-5860 or
831-2000.
OCC
**********************INTERNATIONAL**************************
SCB: LION'S LETTER TO AUNG SAN SUU KYI
*****
[Note: The soc.culture.burma newsgroup is currently the scene of
a far amount of flaming, baiting and name calling. The current
round of flames involves a gentleman with the userid of
lion@xxxxxxxxxxxx and his detractors. The following letter is
one lion posted to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. In the unlikely event
that she is able to or inclined to respond, her letter will be
posted too---Strider]
*******
lion soc.culture.burma 2:29 AM Mar 28, 1995
(at dircon.co.uk) (From News system)
Dear Madam,
How should I address you?
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi or Mrs. Aris or Madam Aris or her excellency
? May I wish you very good health and immensely successful life
with your family.
I am a Burmese who has intense desire to know about the democracy
and human right, and never saitsfied exploring the truth of
Burma.Thanks to the Internet.I can write to you now. Your beloved
husband will pass this message to you, as he issues some
statement on your behalf, before. At least you have right to see
your husband. My dear madam ,your beloved husband can publish
your impression and felling to the whole world and vis-a-vis. I
think you are free.I never had a chance like that while I was
in Burma.For ordinary Burmese ,this opportunity is beyound any
dream.
Assuming Dr.Aris is interested in the classified information of
Burma such as foreign investment,natural resources, high
technology, arms dealing, secret agreement with foreign country
and joint military operation with other country, would you be
able to prevent him from leaking while you are
asleep? He is very intelligent and loyal to his mother land. I
admire him very much. I wish all Burmese were similarly
intelligent.
I do appreciate your sacrifice in the struggle for the
democracy and human right of Burmese.
But I strongly condemn you for fighting for crucial political
seat in Burma.You have never ever issued a statement for denying
the status of the in-charge of the nation. May I ask. why?
Is it to fulfill the will of 85% of 45 millions Burmese. In a way
YES. But how ? Nobel peace prize winners Bishop Tutu,mother
Tresa,Dilalamar are also fighting f or human right but not for
the political seat. How are you going to draw a line my dear
Madam.?
Your knowledge in politics is second to none. Your expertise will
be invaluable to Burma. You probably know more than I do how to
build a strong nation. If your conscious is not clear with
Dr.Aris, are you physically and emotionally fit to make
political decision for Burma? Would it be fair for Burmese? SLORC
has very good excuse for propaganda.They are absolutely right.
They may be criminals but they follow the simple rule to defend
the nation. Do you sincerely think Dr.Aris would win the MP post
in the UK ,by virtue of your marriage? You know about British
better than anybody else does. That is why they are superpower.
Crystal clear. I am sure you are the worshiper of the prestige
and the dignity of the BRITISH which your father
respects very highly.So do I. Having known all the basic
principle of the politic ,I do not understand the fac t that you
are fighting for the democracy as well as for the political seat.
Actually, you are prolonging the agony of Burma by increasing the
tension betwee n the politically
ignorant poor Burmese and dedicated true simple soldiers. That
is why SLORC is winning.
You are the most responsible person for this agonizing deadlock
scenario. Some experienced NLD members advised you not to
threaten the integrity of the armed forces.You failed to listen
and led the campaign in a very arrogant way.Because you are very
popular. The army will never shoot you dead. They know your
father's work. If I were in your place I would not be talking
today. Burmese love you ,respect you ,trust you .They want you
to save the country. They do not understand the politic,
constituition, immigration law ,citizenship,national secur
ity,industrialization
and changing pattern of sociology as you studied in Oxford.
I must say with due respect,you really did take advantage of the
weakness of Burmese and enjoy the glory.
Dr.Aris why can you not edit your wife's strategy to save
millions of Burmese.? You did not pull the trigger but your wife
gave the image to the Army that she is the only legitimate
leader., who is going to command the army. In other
words,"surrender uncondition ally to me and
to my wife.We ,couple know how to run a nation. like Burma , a
piece of cake." Would you point out the majority vote ?
Do you think British Government will be unanimously elected in
the British Empire? Royal family can veto in theory.
Now Burma is battle ground. between the SLORC supported by China
and Nobel laureate supported by the West bloc Who will pay this
price for the suffering of Burmese . Will you ? living abroad.
getting busy in the media warfare.
I think we had enough. I am speaking for ordinary Burmese and
loyal soldiers.and anonymous political prisoners languishing in
the agony.
My dear madam,if you truly love Burma and Burmese ,declare to the
world that you will never ever take political seat in Burma but
continue to fight for democracy and human right . Burmese Army
will respect you and listen to the opposition. They need human
right too.There are loyal soldiers and officers in the Army who
are born to defend the nation with chivalry.They w ill salute you
as a patriotic Burmese, the daughter of national hero who can
share and bare the pain of Burmese.
THEY WILL NEVER EVER SALUTE YOU AS A COMMANDER IN CHIEF WHILE
STANDING TO GETHER WITH YOUR HUSBAND,foreign citizen.
Self appointed King General Ne win did once. We are fed up with
monochary. Why do you want to copy this image?
In that case you have gone too far and throw away the dignity
of Burmese Army, founded by your father before he was
assassinated by so called rival Burmese.
Burmese Army will probably award you a medal if you can find out
who or which was behind the scene in your father 's assassination
by digging up classified files of M I 5 [British secret
intelligence organization.] It will be another stimulating story
like JFK.
BE A MODEL IN BUILDING A STRONG NATION .
WE DO NOT WANT TO SUFFER ANYMORE.
Please please educate Burmese, in stead of taking advantage. We
want to be leveled with British, the dream of your father. One
day it will come true.
SCB: NO MORE SMUT, PLEASE! -- THAUNG KHI
NSFS58C soc.culture.burma 1:41 PM Mar 31, 1995
(at prodigy.com) (From News system)
As an elder in the Burmese community, in the United States,
who supports and works for the causes of freedom, justice,
decency and democracy in our homeland, I would plead with all
those who struggle for same values to do so with reason and
dignity.
Although we are sickned by the brutality and duplicity of
the illegal rulers of Burma, a fascist military junta called
SLORC (The State Law and Order Restoration Council), we must take
care that we do not lower ourselves to their level by the use of
smut. I believe our cause is so just that we can do more good
and better achieve our objectives by taking the high road. After
all, we are the supporters of truth, liberty and democracy and
we should act accordingly.
Think of what Aung San Suu Kyi would say!
****************************************
DAILY YOMIURI: TUTU URGES SANCTIONS AGAINST BURMA
Posted by brc-j
By Rev. Desmond Tutu
Special to The Daily Yomiuri
Thursday, March 30, 1995
(Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Aung
San Suu Kyi, the founder and leader of the
National League for Democracy which won
a landslide victory in the Burmese elections
of May 1990, is in the sixth year of house
arrest imposed by the ruling junta. Here, the
Rev. Desmond Tutu, archbishop of Cape
Town and a fellow Nobel laureate, makes a
plea for punitive sanctions against the Burma
regime.)
I have been struck by the fact that the three
women who in recent years have received the
Nobel Peace Prize share yet another attribute
apart from the distinction of the Prize itself.
These three, Mother Theresa, Rigoberto
Menchu and Aung San Suu Kyi, apart from
their gender, are also physically somewhat
petite, and yet of course they have a
formidable moral stature.
Isn't it decidedly odd that someone so very
slender in body as Suu Kyi should fill an
entire military dictatorship and its cohorts,
one that is armed to the teeth, with such
trepidation that they must keep her under
house arrest these many years? For what
reason are they scared of someone so
physically fragile and vulnerable? Were it
not so tragic for Burma it might strike one as
no more than bizarre and ridiculous that a
group sporting so grandiloquent a title as the
State Law and Order Restoration Council
(the ruling junta's name) should transgress
every known canon of the rule of law in their
arbitrary treatment of my sister Nobel
Laureate. One is tempted to ask what "law
and order" and what "restoration"?The same
Alice in Wonderland treatment of language
was our own experience in South Africa
under successive apartheid regimes when
words were wrenched of their normal every
day meaning and twisted to what the users
wanted them to mean. And so in South
Africa they had an Extension of University
Education Act which actually did the precise
opposite by strictly limiting the admission of
black South Africans to white universities.
The apartheid rulers also tried to foist on our
people those they wanted to be leaders of the
oppressed. They were looking for
unscrupulous pliant collaborators who would
assist the apartheid government implement
their vicious and evil policies. Mercifully, the
people always knew who their leaders were,
despite all the efforts of the authorities to
vilify and discredit them. Despite harassment
and banning orders, the people always knew
that their real leaders were either in jail,
under house arrest, or somewhere in exile.
The SLORC tried to hoodwink the world
with their May 1990 election in Burma,
hoping that the opposition would be too
fragmented to pose any real threat. They
were certain that they or their surrogates
would emerge victorious. Mercifully, the
people are not nearly as stupid as some
politicians and generals would think. The
people knew who their leaders were and they
gave Suu Kyi and her National League for
Democracy a landslide victory. The SLORC
was completely confounded and showed
their true colors when they did not step
down, free Suu Kyi and let her take over the
rains of government as was her democratic
right. She was thereby prevented from
assuming the mantle of her illustrious father,
the indomitable Aung San, the people's hero
and leader of their liberation struggle.
We used to say to our people in the dark days
of apartheid's repression: "This is a moral
universe. Right and wrong matter. There is
no way that injustice and oppression will
prevail forever over their counterparts. The
perpetrators of evil have already lost." Our
faith was fully vindicated when Nelson
Mandela became the first democratically
elected president of a new, free and
democratic South Africa. And white South
Africans discovered the truth of what we had
tried to tell them -- that they would never be
truly free until we were free.
Right will prevail in Burma, too. Suu Kyi
will be free and all her people will be free.
The military junta will then be free as well.
Nelson Mandela suffered grievously at the
hands of the apartheid regime, but he
emerged a moral giant, remarkably and
magnanimously working for reconciliation
and forgiveness with his former oppressors.
For this he was honored with the Nobel
Peace Prize. Aung San Suu Kyi is suffering
now and her moral stature has grown. The
1991 Nobel Peace Prize is eloquent
testimony of this.
Former U.S. President Ronald Reagan tried
to be nice to our apartheid rulers and
attempted gentle persuasion in the form of
his "constructive engagement" policy. We
condemned it as quite disastrous for our
people and called for the imposition of
punitive sanctions, especially financial
sanctions. We were proved right.
Constructive engagement was a dismal failure
and sanctions brought us what we had all
worked and suffered and prayed for, the end
of apartheid and a negotiated settlement.
The constructive engagement policies of the
ASEAN countries toward Burma are
doomed to fail. Only the application of
punitive actions will bring about an end to
military rule and usher in the democratic
government the Burma have already voted
for. Suu Kyi will then guide her country as
its democratically elected leader. Two years
ago I was in a group of Nobel Peace
Laureates who were refused entry into
Burma, but we made a call from Thailand for
such sanctions and the release of Suu Kyi
and other political leaders. The international
community acted decisively in the case of
apartheid in South Africa with spectacular
results. It cannot do less in the case of
Burma.
What is the world still waiting for?
**********************INTERNATIONAL**************************
SCB: ABOUT BURMA PRO-DEMOCRACY GROUPS IN AUSTRALIA
uneoo soc.culture.burma 12:00 AM Apr 1, 1995
(at physics.adelaide.edu.au) (From News system)
/* Written Apr 1 16:53:16 CST 1995 by uneoo@ in
soc.culture.burma */
/* ------------" C.R.D.B. in Victoria "----------- */
For those who are not so familiar with the Burmese
pro-democracy/community organizations in Australia, the
Committee for Restoration of Democracy in Burma (vic.) which its
submission posted to the net recently, seems to operate
independently from the mainstream C.R.D.B. (Australian Chapter).
The C.R.D.B.(Australian Chapter) has their partner organizations
throughtout Japan, UK, USA, Germany, Thailand and is a member of
the Democratic Alliance of Burma. The C.R.D.B.(Australian
Chapter) has produced their own publication called "NEWS AND
VIEWS" at every two months. For everyone's information, the
C.R.D.B. in Australia have been in active operation throughout
1992-1994, as I received their publications regularly; and
recently said by its Editor, "We are here to stay in struggle in
1995".
I begin to feel amazement as how such numerous individuals and
organizations - which I have never heard of their names - have
been involved in the movement. Such diversity of views and
strengths have particularly shown in these publications.
With regard to the unity within these prodemocracy groups, these
people themselves admits there are some minor differences within
the groups - a fact often been ridiculed by Burmese military
government and worried by some outsiders. However, from my point
of view, the unity of these organizations must be defined in
terms of their objectives. They have one common objective: to
overthrow the military dictatorship in Burma. Quite apart from
taking part in an organized formal movement, there are numerous
Burmese around who involved in the movement anonymously.
One analyst described this situation of movement as "politics of
fragmentation" (I'll find that article and posted to the net
later). Whilst the precise definition of this term is not known,
it started to make sense when such diversity of groups and
individuals , most often un-coordinated and somewhat in a
chaotic sense, oppose the military dictatorship with whatever
available means and resourses to them - and they simply are good
at that!
As for me, I am very glad to have the opportunity to contacting
these people in the movement and sending their views to the net.
-- With best regards, U Ne Oo.
ENDS\
**************************************************************
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
**************************************************************