News on Indian Paper 23/8/96

[aungsan@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Burma jails 19 for plotting with India-based rebels
The Asian Age, 23/8/96.
 
Bangkok Aug. 22: The military regime has arrested 19 people 
for allegedly plotting with India-based supporters of pro-
democracy leaders Aung San Suu Kyi to destabilized the 
country, state-run media reported on Thursday.
 
"Nineteen people have been sentenced in addition to the other 
group of eleven," an NLD source said on telephone from 
Rangoon, adding that sentencing had taken place some time in 
the past week. It was not clear what kind of prison terms had 
been imposed on the activists, the source said, adding that 
although the NLD had yet to identify all those sentenced, 
most had been in detention for "quite some time."
 
The NLD said on Wednesday that all 11 party activists who 
were detained in May ahead of a key pro-democracy meeting, 
had been handed seven-year jail terms on August 15. The 
group of 11 also included Mr. Win Htein, a close aide to Ms 
Suu Kyi.
 
The NLD source said that many of the group of 19 had also 
been picked up in May when the military authorities rounded 
up more than 260 party activists ahead of the pro-democracy 
meeting at Ms Suu Kyi's house.
 
Analysts here say they expect the number of those sentenced 
to be even higher, pointing to the fact that a handful of those 
detained in May remained in custody, including Mr. Aye Win, 
another close aide to Ms Suu Kyi. "You can never say what 
they are going to do next," The NLD source said when asked 
if she expected other party members to be jailed by the 
military authorities. "There are still about 30 people being 
detained."
 
Analysts say the junta is taking advantage of political 
successes, notably Burma's acceptance as an observer in the 
Association of Southeast Asian Nations, to flex is muscles 
against the Opposition.
 
Burma's official media reported on Thursday that "action had 
been taken against the 19 NLD members for engaging in anti-
government activities and inciting public unrest, but failed to 
mention any jail sentences. The Burmese-language Mirror 
daily said the group was -- led by NLD members Do Daung 
and Khun Myint Tun, successful candidate in the abortive 
1990 elections -- had connived with outside forces to bring 
down the country.
 
The newspaper said the two had been working with a former 
prominent NLD member Tint Swe, who had fled to India, to 
organized anti-government activities and lobby against the 
ruling junta. "Dr. Tint Swe's expatriate group made contact 
with some members of the NLD to create unrest inside 
Burma" the newspaper said. The group was also engaged in 
distributing pamphlets among the general public in Rangoon 
to undermine the government's effort and to cast doubt on the 
constitutional convention, it said. (AFP)
 
Asean support helps junta renew pressure on Opposition
The Asian Age, 23/8/96.
 
Bangkok, Aug. 22: Burma's military rulers have resumed their 
pressure on the Opposition now that Rangoon has been 
accepted as an observer to Association of Southeast Asian 
Nations, diplomats said on Thursday.
 
"They see themselves now with a window of opportunity," 
said one Rangoon-based diplomats "The machine of injustice 
continues now that Asean is out of the way."
 
Military authorities in Rangoon said late on Wednesday they 
had arrested 19 people including two members of Ms. Aung 
San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy party, for 
conspiring to create political unrest. 
 
State-run television said the anti-government group was 
collaborating with exile members of the NLD based on the 
Burma-India border. "The NLD exile group based in India 
made contacts with some NLD members in the country and 
made plans to disrupt peace and stability of the state and 
create unrest," it said. 
 
Thousands of democracy activists fled Burma after military 
crushed are pro-democracy uprising in 1988. Many went to 
neighboring countries like Thailand and India.
 
In a separate case on Wednesday, NLD officials said a total of 
11 democracy activists, who were arrested in sweeping 
crackdown against the Opposition in May, had each been 
sentenced to seven years prison terms. 
 
The arrests and the prison sentences come just one month 
after Asean admitted Burma as an observer, the first step to 
full membership in the group whose members are Brunei, 
Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, The Philippines, Thailand and 
Vietnam.
 
There was little news of activities by the ruling of the State 
Law and Order Restoration Council against the Opposition 
for several weeks before the July meeting. Asean has accepted 
Burma as an observer despite protests from Western nations.
(Reuter)
 
 
'150 Karens died in camp'
The Asian Age, 23/8/96.
 
Bangkok, Aug. 22: Scores of villagers died every month in a 
Burmese government relocation camp where thousands of 
people have been herded under the military's counter-
insurgency plans, Burmese dissidents have said. Most of the 
dead were women and old people, victims of malaria and 
dirrhoea, the All Burma Students' Democratic Front said in a 
statement received on Thursday. The villagers are mostly 
from the Karen ethnic minority and were ordered out of their 
homes in the hills of eastern Burma's Kayah state earlier this 
year as Burmese army battled Karen guerrillas in the area.
 
"At least 150 newly relocated Karen refugees died within the 
month of July at the new relocation site in Shadaw town," the 
student organization said.
(Reuter)
 
19 NLD activists jailed, say Myanmar Opposition
Indian Express, 23/8/96.
 
Bangkok, Aug. 22: Myanmar has jailed another 19 members 
of Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy 
(NLD), bringing the total number of those sentenced in the 
past week to 30, NLD sources said today, report agencies. 
 
"19 people have been sentenced in addition to the other group 
of 11," an NLD source said on the telephone from Yangon.
 
He added that the sentencing had taken place sometime in the 
past week.
 
He further added that although the NLD is yet to identify all 
those sentenced, most had been in detention for "quite 
sometime."
 
The NLD said yesterday that 11 party activists who were 
detained on May ahead of a pro-democracy meeting had been 
handed seven years jailed terms on August 15. 
 
The group of 11 also included Win Htein, a close aide to Suu 
Kyi. 
 
The NLD sources said that many of the group of 19 had also 
been picked up in May when the military authorities rounded 
up more than 260 party activists ahead of pro-democracy 
meeting at Suu Kyi's house.
 
Myanmar official media reported today that "action had been 
taken" against the 19 NLD members for engaging in anti-
government activities and inciting public unrest, but failed to 
mention any jail sentences. 
 
The regional daily called Mirror said the group, which was 
lead by Do Daung and Khun Myint Tun -- both successful 
NLD candidates in the abortive 1990 elections -- had 
connived with outside forces to bring down the country.
 
The newspaper also claims that the India-based expatriate 
wing of the party, led by Tin Soe, was planning to train 
Myanmar activists in "Political Defiance" and to establish a 
clandestine dissidents cell in Monywa, 600 km northwest of 
Rangoon.
 
The suspects were allegedly involved in a plot intended to 
undermined the Government programs to develop the 
country, one of Asia's poorest, and a pro-military convention 
to draft a new constitution, said the newspaper.
 
19 arrested by Myanmar regime
The times of India, 23/8/96.
 
Rangoon, August 22: The military regime has arrested 19 
people for allegedly plotting with India-based supporters of 
pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi to destabilized the 
country, state-run media reported on Thursday.
 
Two of those arrested are members of Suu Kyi's National 
League for Democracy, the New Light of Myanmar 
newspaper said.
 
The newspaper claimed that the India-based expatriate wing 
of the party, led by Tin Soe, was planning to train Burmese 
activists in "political defiance" and to establish a clandestine 
dissident cell in Monywa, 600 km northwest of Rangoon.
 
The suspects were allegedly involved in the plot and also 
distributed leaflets the newspaper said were intended to 
undermined government programs to develop the country and 
pro-military convention to draft a new constitution. (AP)