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Important questions for US Represen



Reply-To: "W. Kesavatana-Dohrs" <dohrs@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Important questions for US Representitives


>
>Activists from (or near!) the districts of Dennis Hastert, Batavia IL
>(708-406-1114), Tom DeLay-R, Stafford TX (713-240-3700), 
>Bill Paxon-R (Husband of Rep. Susan Molinari), 
>Victor NY (716-742-1600), and 
>Deborah Pryce-R Columbus, OH (614-469-5614) should call and (nicely) ask
>several
>questions via phone, fax and then letter:
>
>1)  What was the Rep.'s agenda on the recent trip to Burma?  Why did they
>go?  How long were they there?  Where else did they go on this trip
>besides Burma?  
>
>2)  Did they meet with Aung San Suu Kyi, or other high ranking NLD
>representitives?  Did they discuss US interests in democratization with
>the SLORC representitives?
>
>3)  Who paid for the trip?  Exactly who?  After recent stories about the
>Clinton campaign, this is a legitmate issue.  Get an answer.
>
>4)  Are they aware that the SLORC has refused entry to United Nations
>investigators?  That the Red Cross withdrew in frustration in 1995?  That
>the UN General Assembly last week condemned SLORC's Burma for, among many
>other things, systematic use of forced labour on infrastructure projects?
>That the US State Department has strongly criticized SLORC's drug links,
>saying "From a drug-control point of view, Burma's SLORC has been part of
>the problem"?
>
>5)  Would they like to receive more information on Burma?
>
>Please ask these and any other questions you care to.  Try first to get
>answers from your local office.  If they refer you to a Washington DC
>staffer, then call.  Take notes, then please get back to us with their
>responses.  Email me at dohrs@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx if you like.
>
>Thank you for your concern and assistance.
>
>Free Burma Coalition
>*****************************************************************************
>***
>The New Light of Myanmar: Cover Story on the visit of U.S. Congressional
>Delegates
>
>
>Rangoon, 11 December--Vice Chairman of State Law and Order Restoration
>Council (SLORC) and Deputy Commander in Chief of Defence Services Commander
>in Chief (Army) General Maung Aye and wife Daw Mya Mya San hosted a dinner
>for members of the House of Representatives  of the United States of America,
>currently here at the invitation of General Maung Aye, at Zeya Thiri Beikman
>Dec. 9 evening.
>
>It was attended by Minister for Mines Lt. Gen. Kyaw Min and wife, Minister
>for Foreign Affairs U Ohn Gyaw and wife, Minister at the Deputy Prime
>Minister's Office Brig. General Maung Maung and wife, Minister for Energy U
>Khin Maung Thein and wife, Miniser for Rail Transportation U Win Sein and
>wife, Minister for Science and Technology U Thaung and wife, Attorney General
>U Tha Tun, Commander in Chief (Navy) Vic-Admiral Tin Aye and other Tatmadaw
>(Defence Services) senior officers.
>
>With Mr. J. Dennis Hastert, leader of the US delegation, Representatives Mr.
>Bill Paxon, Mr. Tom DeLay, Mrs. Deborah Pryce and delegation members and
>Charge d'Affaires (ad interim) of US Embassy Mr. Kent M. Wiedemann attended
>the dinner.
>
>Yesterday morning, the US guests left here for Chairman of Mandalay Division
>Law and Order Restoration Council Central Commander Maj. Gen. Ye Myint and
>officials.  Theylater visited Mandalay Hill and palace and observed
>development works in the city.
>
>Commander Maj. Gen. Ye Myint hosted a lunch for the guests at Pyaygyimon
>Berge.  Afterwards they visited Maha Muni Yokeshindawmyat Buddha Image and
>bought souvenirs at Yadanapura Cooperative  Shop.
>
>In the afternoon, they flew on to Bagan (Pagan) by Defence Services Air Force
>special aircraft.
>
>On arrival at Bagan, they were welcomed by Magwe Division Law and Order
>Restoration Council Colonel Thein Nyunt and officials.
>
>They visited U Ba Nyein Lacquerware Shop where they bought Myanmar (Burmese)
>traditional lacquerwares as souvenirs.
>
>Later they visited Lawkananda Pagoda and took in some good views of Bagan at
>sunset.
>
>In the evening, Minister for Science and Technology U Thaung entertained them
>to dinner at River View Restaurant.  
>
>This morning, the guests left Bagan and arrived back here by special Airforce
>aircraft at 9:30 am.
>
>At 11 am, accompanied by Minister U Thaung, the guests visited Myanmar Gems
>Musuem on Kaba Aye Road.  Judge advocate General Brig. Gen. Than Oo, Director
>of Defence Procurement Brig. Gen. Win Hlaing of the MInistry of Defence and
>Managing Director of Myanmar Gems Enterprise U Khin Oo welcomed them and
>conducted round in the musuem.
>
>The guests left here for Singapore by Silk Air in the afternoon.
>
>They were seen off at Yangon International Airport by Minister U Thaung and
>officials.
>
>*****************************************************************************
>***
>U.S. lawmakers visit Burma gas pipeline - media 
>
>RANGOON, Dec 13 (Reuter) - Burmese official media said on Friday that 
>four U.S. congressmen visited the onshore site of the controversial 
>Yadana gas pipeline in southeastern Burma earlier this week. 
>
>The team, led by Congressman Dennis Hastert of Illinois, toured the 
>Kanbauk Base Camp run by France's Total SA, the media reported. 
>
>The visitors were accompanied by Energy Minister U Khin Maung Thein, it 
>said. 
>
>Total manages the project, in which American firm Unocal Corp and the 
>Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise have stakes. 
>
>On Thursday, protesters organised by the ``Free Burma Coalition'' in Los 
>Angeles demonstrated outside Unocal's oil terminal, claiming the $1.2 
>billion pipeline was damaging the environment and that forced labour was 
>being used to build it. 
>
>The onshore pipeline will connect gas from the giant Yadana field in the 
>Andaman Sea to Thailand, which has bought most of the gas. 
>
>U.S. embassy officials said the congressional delegation's visit to 
>Burma was privately organised. It was not known how long the team would 
>stay in the country. 
>
>The state-run media also said the congressmen visited Burma at the 
>invitation of General Maung Aye, vice chairman of the ruling military 
>State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC). 
>
>U.S. President Bill Clinton in early October slapped a visa ban on 
>senior SLORC officials after Rangoon arrested hundreds of pro-democracy 
>activists in late September. 
>
>The U.S. Senate in July passed legislation allowing Clinton to impose 
>economic sanctions if repression in Burma worsened or if opposition 
>leader Aung San Suu Kyi, released from six years' house arrest last 
>year, was rearrested. 
>************************************************************************