The BurmaNet News, September 4, 199

[strider@xxxxxxxxxxx]

------------------------ BurmaNet ------------------------      
"Appropriate Information Technologies, Practical Strategies"      
----------------------------------------------------------      
  
The BurmaNet News: September 4, 1997         
Issue #813
 
Noted in Passing:

Sign on the door of an outpatient clinic which treats almost 200 patients daily:
"Today ? 15 needles are permitted for use".

--see THE IRRAWADDY: INSEIN PRISON: HIV HEADQUARTERS?

HEADLINES:         
==========  
STRAITS TIMES: MYANMAR IN ASEM: NO ASEAN POSITION YET
THE NATION: ASEM BOYCOTT BY ASEAN THREATENED 
BKK POST: RANGOON THREATENS ACTION ON SANCTIONS
PHUCHATKAN: THAI SECURITY INVESTIGATING FOREIGNERS
S.H.A.N : DIRECTIVE FROM THE C-IN-C OF THE SURA
ABSDF-WB: INDO-BURMA BORDER NEWS
KNPP: BATTLE NEWS (4)
SLORC: INFORMATION SHEET NO. A-0112(I) - 0013
THE IRRAWADDY: INSEIN PRISON: HIV HEADQUARTERS?
THE IRRAWADDY: GOING FOR THE GREEN
THE IRRAWADDY: KYAT TURMOIL
ANNOUNCEMENT: NARCO-DRUGS WEBSITE
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

SINGAPORE STRAITS TIMES: MYANMAR IN ASEM: NO FORMAL ASEAN POSITION YET
September 3, 1997
By Luz Baguioro in Manila

ASEAN, anticipating that Myanmar could be barred from a summit of Asian and
European nations next April, has discussed the issue for some months and
mulled over options, including a boycott, Philippine Foreign Affairs
Under-secretary Rodolfo Severino said yesterday. But Asean has yet to adopt
a formal position and its foreign ministers could discuss the matter in New
York this month when they attend the United Nations general assembly
meeting, he said.

Mr Severino, who takes over as Asean secretary-general in January, was
commenting on remarks by Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Mahathir
Mohamad (left) that Asean could boycott the second Asia-Europe meeting (Asem
II) in London next April if Myanmar was barred.

Dr Mahathir, who was, in turn, reacting to a statement by British Foreign
Secretary Robin Cook, warned that discrimination against Myanmar amounted to
"discrimination against Asean".

"You may find other countries in Asean also deciding not to attend," the New
Straits Times yesterday quoted him saying.

Mr Cook said in Singapore on Monday that Myanmar would not be allowed to
attend if its military leaders did not take steps to improve its
human-rights record and curb its drug trade.

He also noted that sanctions against the ruling junta by the European Union,
which denies visas to ministers and officials, would make it impossible for
them to attend.

A Foreign Ministry spokesman in Singapore contacted yesterday said the
ministry's understanding was that the question of Myanmar's attendance "does
not arise".

"There has been no decision taken on new membership for Asem II, which has
to be decided by consensus. Until a decision is taken, the membership of
Asem II in London will be the same as that of Asem I in Bangkok."

Asem now links Brunei, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore,
Thailand, Vietnam, Japan, China and South Korea with the 15-member EU. The
first meeting last year was in Thailand.

Mr Severino said Manila felt that all countries could gain from Asem membership.

The comment echoed those made in Brussels by a spokesman for the European
Commission -- the EU's executive arm -- who yesterday dismissed Dr
Mahathir's Asean boycott threat.

Asean admitted Myanmar as a member in July along with Laos.

Indonesia's Foreign Ministry would study Dr Mahathir's comments "before
making any statement", a spokesman said. But a senior official said as far
as Jakarta was concerned, Asem comprised "individual countries and must not
be seen as being dichotomised by groupings". -- With reports from Brendan
Pereira in Kuala Lumpur and Derwin Pereira in Jakarta.

***************************************

THE NATION: ASEM BOYCOTT BY ASEAN THREATENED OVER BURMA
September 3, 1997
Rita Patiyasevi

THE Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) has yet to reach a
consensus over whether to boycott next year's Asia-Europe Meeting (Asem)
following Britain's refusal to allow Burmese officials to enter the country,
according to a senior Thai official.

The official, who asked not to be named, said that both Burma and Laos have
yet to apply for membership in Asem.

"Mahathir's judgement was a bit premature," the official said, referring to
Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, who said yesterday that some
Asean countries might boycott the second Asem summit because Burma is unable
to attend because of visa restrictions on its government officials imposed
by the UK. Although Burma was admitted as a full member to Asean in July,
the country is not a member of Asem.

Western countries objected to Asean's admission of Burma on the grounds of
political oppression in the country.

Thailand is the coordinator for the Asian side of the summit, while Britain
coordinates the European side.

"Asem is an intergovernmental conference and not a block-to-block meeting.
There has been no consensus reached among Asean about new
members to Asem," said the official, who monitors Asean-EU relations.

Citing the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation as a precedent, the official
said Vietnam, which joined Asean in 1995, was not automatically accepted
into the economic grouping and remains a candidate.

The issue of new members was touched upon at the first Asem foreign
ministers meeting in Singapore last February that brought together the 15 EU
nations and seven members of Asean, plus China, Japan and South Korea, but
did not reach an agreement on criteria for membership.

***************************************************

BKK POST: RANGOON THREATENS ACTION ON SANCTIONS
September 3, 1997
AFP

Rangoon - Burma plans to take the United States to the World Trade
Organisation (WTO) over sanctions imposed by a US state and cities which
blacklist companies investing in Burma, a top official said yesterday.

Noting that the European Union, backed by Japan, was already taking the
United States to the WTO, a State Law and Order Council minister said: "When
we have the next WTO meeting, we will take it up also."

***************************************************

BKK PHUCHATKAN: THAI SECURITY UNITS INVESTIGATING FOREIGNERS
September 2, 1997 [translated from Thai]

Mae Hong Son:  The Thai Security Service has ordered officials of all units
to investigate foreigners who have been helping train minority ethnic groups
to oppose the Burmese government.

The security sources reveal that there is evidence indicating that at least
three American nationals have provided political training for minority
ethnic groups residing along the border.  It also indicated that several
French nationals have also provided military training, including the use of
explosives, for certain minority ethnic groups.

"We have found that certain minority ethnic groups possess and use new types
of American weapons.  However, it is not clear about the source of this
information," the sources said.  

The same sources continued:  One of the three Americans is a retired Colonel
who had served with the US Army's Special Forces.  He took part in combat
operations during the Vietnam War in 1969-70.  He had once served as US
assistant military attache to Rangoon.

The second one is a retired US Air Force officer.  He now serves as officer
attached to the International Republican Institute, or IRI, the institute
which was once accused by Lieutenant General Khin Nyunt, First Secretary of
the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC), of providing support in
form of weapons to an anti-Burmese government group.  On 4 July this year,
this institute denied Lt. Gen. Khin Nyunt's charges, stating that its men
have openly publicized knowledge about democracy and has never given arms
support to any group or interfered in the internal affairs of Burma.  

The third and last one is a retired officer from the US Army's Special
Warfare Unit No. 1 attached to the Infantry under the command of the US
military base in Okinawa, Japan.  This retired officer joined the Thai Armed
Forces in the Cobra Gold military exercises on two occasions.  He has now
carried out movements through a religious organization with the Christian
Karen group.  

Sources close to the ethnic minority groups disclosed that the three
Americans have openly worked in training and publicized political knowledge
in service of the ethnic minority groups for seven to eight years.  

As for the French nationals, they are all mercenaries who have freely worked
for the ethnic minority groups.  They have nothing to do with the French
government.  These men have gained experience in operations in this field in
many areas around the world, such as Algeria and many countries in Africa.

These French combatants hold French passports and travelled through Thailand
to the ethnic minority groups' base.  The sources revealed that the first
batch, comprising of two men, crossed the border 3-4 months ago, while the
second batch, comprising six persons including one woman, entered Burmese
soil on 13-14 August 1997.

The training mainly focuses on how to carry out sabotage, explosives, and
engaging in a movement to wage war at a high level.  Nevertheless, the
ethnic minority groups along the Thai border normally resort to guerrilla
warfare instead of sabotage in fighting the Burmese government.  But, the
Burmese government charged that the ethnic minority groups have conducted
many acts of sabotage against the government, such as the blowing up of a
train in Mandalay some two years ago and the planting of bombs at the Kaba
Aye Stupa in Rangoon on 25 December 1996.  The Burmese authorities have
accused the All Burma Students' Democratic Front -- ABSDF-- and the Karen
National Union --KNU--of backing the incidents.  However, the two
organizations have denied the accusation.

Thai military sources have confirmed that they have been informed of the
above-mentioned incidents.  They have also learned that retired American
officers have served as members of the movements of the ethnic minority
groups.  However, they have received no clear evidence of this.

Burmese officials have all along suspected the Thai government of supporting
or assisting the ethnic minority groups along the Thai border in their fight
against the Burmese government.  Major General Ket Sein, Commander the
Southeastern military region of Burma, raised this issue in discussions with
Lieutenant General Thanom Watcharaphuk, Commander of Thailand's Third Region
at the Provincial Border Committees' meeting in Thailand's Chiang Rai
province last week.

An unidentified official of the Thai National Security Council said Thailand
now maintains a clear-cut policy of not interfering in the internal affairs
of neighboring countries, in particular Burma, and that it will never allow
anyone to use Thai soil as a base for the struggle against the Burmese
government.  If anyone is found using Thai territory as a transit route to
support the ethnic minority groups in their fight against the Burmese
government, the Thai government will promptly take action against the person
to settle the issue.

***************************************

S.H.A.N : DIRECTIVE FROM THE C-IN-C OF THE SURA
August 31, 1997
shan@xxxxxxxxxxxx

(the report from the INDEPENDENCE news paper Vol. 14, N0. 4, June, July 1997)

                                                         Directive
                                                     18 June 1997

To all the officers and the rank and file of SURA

Since its seizure of power (1988 ), Slorc military junta has regarded us the
people of Shan State as its enemies and has been killing and displacing the
civilian population up to the present, causing many people to lose their
homes, their farmland and, thus, their livelihood. In order to survive the
atrocities of the Slorc, it is imperative that the people and the armed
resistance of Shan State should unite in our effort to withstand Slorc's
aggression and protect our livelihood.

Our Shan United Revolutionary Army ( SURA ) is an army which was born of the
people and acts in accordance with the will of the people. Therefore,
wherever we go, it is imperative that we refrain from any act of injustice
towards the people and abstain from any form of racial discrimination. In
the end, justice will certainly prevail. When we meet good and just civilian
Burmese nationals, we should tell them that we are not brutal soldiers as
Slorc troops and that it would be advisable for them to return to Burma
Proper for their own safety while Slorc is brutally oppressing the people,
because the situation has become chaotic and many people are on the verge of
starvation, robbers are rampant and there are several armed groups, some
with no identity, that roam the highways.

We shall strive with unified effort until we achieve our goals and restore
our rights.

Yord Serk   

***************************************                  

ABSDF-WB: INDO-BURMA BORDER NEWS
September 3, 1997

On 3.7.97, local villagers found three corpses with gunshot wound in their
heads in a hut of hillside cultivation field near Zaothe village. Zaothe
village is part of Falam township, in Chin state of Burma. Two bodies are
male and one is female. They are;
 
1. Tun Lin- Sergeant from Burma Regiment No (268)
2. Soe Myint -  Rifleman from Burma Regiment No (268)
3. Ms. Van Lai Pal- Local Villager
 
Details of the events are as follows.
On the night of 30.6.97 between 11 and 12 pm, three people escaped 
from regimental lock-up of Falam based Burma Regiment No (268) 
after removing the iron bar of a ventilation window in the cell. All of them 
were soldiers from Burma Regiment No (268). Sergeant Tun Lin was put 
into the lock-up due to the misuse of money collected from cow smuggling
dealers as tax. Two other riflemen, Soe Myint and  Ko Oo were put into
regimental lock-up because they tried to run away from their regiment.
 
A platoon of Burma Regiment No (268) started the search operation to arrest
the deserters in the same night. That platoon reached Zaothe village on
2.7.97 and platoon commander threatened the village chief and villagers that
the village would be burnt down and all male villagers would be exterminated
unless they disclosed the place where the deserters were hiding. So the
villagers disclosed the place of hiding.
 
The army surrounded the hut inside the hillside cultivation field near
Zaothe village, where the deserters hid the afternoon of the same day. At 
that time three deserters and Ms. Van Lai Pal, a local woman were in the
hut.        
 
Although they tried to escape, the army apprehended all of them except
rifleman Ko Oo. Three arrested people were interrogated the whole day in
that hut. Ms. Van Lai Pal confessed that she agreed to send the deserters to
anti-SLORC revolutionary forces staying at Indo-Burma border.
 
Colonel Ohn Thwin, Commander of Military Tactical Command No (1), North-West
Command ordered Major Khin Maung Wai, Deputy Commander of Burma Regiment No
(268) to terminate all the deserters including the woman and then to report
as death in an encounter.
 
Tun Lin, Soe Myint and Ms. Van Lai Pal were killed at the night of 
2.7.97 in the same hut. 
 
Major Khin Maung Wai brutally beat rifleman Aung Myint Tun unconscious and
put him in the lock-up without giving him any food. 
Rifleman Aung Myint Tun was on guard duty for lock-up when the three
soldiers escaped from there.
 
News and Information Unit
ABSDF (Western-Burma)
 
*******************************************

KNPP: BATTLE NEWS (4)
August 31, 1997

THE GOVERNMENT OF KARENNI
MINISTRY OF PUBLIC RELATIONS AND INFORMATION
KARENNI

AUGUST 31, 1997

BATTLE NEWS (Northern Military Zone)

On August 23, 1997, Karenni Army Battalion No. 2 Company No. 2 led by Cap.
Phre Reh clashed with Slorc troops of LIB No. 425 and 426 at Daw Pe village,
13 miles, west of Thai-Karenni border. In the action, two Karenni soldiers
were wounded. Slorc troops' casualties are unknown.

On August 24, 1997, the Karenni Army of Battalion No. 2 joined companies No.
1 and 2 led by Cap. Nya Reh and Cap. Phre Reh and attacked Slorc troops of
LIB No. 425 stationed at Hsu Leh Hill. One Slorc soldier was killed. No
Karenni Army casualties.

**************************************

SLORC: INFORMATION SHEET NO. A-0112(I) - 0013

 INFORMATION SHEET NO. A-0112(I)                       DATE. 2-9-97

FIVE MORE DOUBLE-DECKERS ADDED TO INLAND WATER TRANSPORT

                Five more double-deckers were transferred to Inland Water
Transport  on 1st. September. They were the last batch of boats to arrive in
Myanmar under the second 40-million-dollar contract signed between Yunnan
Machinery Import and Export Corporation (YMC) of the People?s Republic of
China and IWT. IWT has bought 72 boats from or built under contract of PRC
to date since the present  Government took over the State responsibilities.
It has also built another 31 under the  State?s programme.

--------------------------------------

INFORMATION SHEET NO. A-0113(I)  	  	DATE. 3-9-97

MYANMAR-ASTRA GRAPHIA CO LTD HERALDS NEW CHAPTER IN ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP

                A ceremony to open office of Myanmar-Astra Graphia Co Ltd,
an Indonesian public company and a  subsidiary of Astra International was
held at Traders Hotel on Sule Pagoda Road, on 2 September morning, with an
address by Minister for National Planning and Economic Development Brig-Gen
Abel. Present were Secretary-General of ASEAN Dato Ajit Singh, Ambassadors
of ASEAN member nations, heads of departments and guests. In his address,
the minister stated that, ?Astra Graphia is a public company which is
majority-owned by Astra International, engaged in information technology,
document services, telecommunications systems, consumer electronics,
footwear, leather and garments. Regarding IT business, Astra Graphia is
known as a big provider of solutions in the form of system integration and
services for strategic industries like
manufacturing, telecommunications, finance and banking in Indonesia.
Currently it is the leading systems integration provider in the
telecommunication industry of Indonesia.?

FOR THE RECORD

Culprit and Scapegoat

                The British Foreign Secretary?s statement criticizing
Myanmar on the involvement in Narcotic Drugs is regarded here as the
Century?s Greatest Hypocritical Statement.

                Whether Mr. Cook is ignorant of the facts or just
deliberately trying to cover up the most irresponsible and unforgivable
criminal act Britain had committed by forcefully introducing opium into Asia
is anybody?s guess.

                The drug problem which we are encountering today is the
direct result of Britain colonial strategy of (150) years ago. Today, many
nations in the region are pooling their resources while other countries
outside the region are assisting in many ways to participate in the fight
against the menace of Narcotic Drugs while the No.(1) culprit nation in the
world of narcotic drugs is sitting in  the U.N Security Council and trying
again to victimize countries or a country she has victimized (150) years
ago. Britain should actually be taking the lead in assisting the victim
countries clean up the mess she had originally and intentionally created
instead of pointing fingers at Myanmar to cover up her own fault.

*******************************

THE IRRAWADDY: INSEIN PRISON: HIV HEADQUARTERS?
August 1997

Inside Story

A former political prisoner recalls the tale of HIV horror inside the
notorious Insein prison.  

Slorc used to threaten political prisoners with the cancellation of visiting
rights, beating, transferal to another prison or an unfamiliar cell-block,
solitary confinement and extension of prison-terms. But it was not
successful. Now, they use more effective weapons to threaten prisoners.   

We never paid any attention to Slorc?s torture in prison. We never cared at
all. Before, we continuously demanded that Slorc authorities send anyone
suffering from some disease to the jail hospital for medical care, but Slorc
would reject our demands. As a result, there were many prison-fights between
us and the jail authorities.

All has changed now. All of us in prison demand that they not send any
patient to the prison hospital, but Slorc forces jail authorities to send
the sick there. If you ask me why, I think it is because the needles and the
syringes there are greatly feared by the people in prison. We are all
totally afraid of getting injections in the prison hospital. Nobody wants to
risk contracting HIV as those who administered injections were not qualified
physicians but other prisoners serving sentences for drug violations.

It?s not propaganda. If you were allowed to go and see for yourself, you?d
see clearly. First, you?ll see a small signboard on the entrance of the
O.P.T. (Out Patient Treatment) room which reads; "Today ? 15 needles are
permitted for use". What a funny concept! This is for an O.P.T. which treats
nearly 200 patients daily. In fact, of the Thai prisoners alone three or
four die each month due to HIV/Aids infections. U Hla Than, NLD MP for the
Coco islands, and U Kin Sein (Peoples? Progressive Party) also died of HIV
infection in prison. U Hla Myint, advisor of Nay Pyi Daw Than Tun, who was
sentenced for NaWaTa Padamyagyi (a famous ruby-smuggling case involving
Slorc members and Burma Socialist Programme Party) also died due to HIV
infection.

U Tin Oo, Deputy Chairman of NLD said, "We have evidence that Slorc
authorities used one syringe for many patients without sterilization after
each use."

I have heard that there are never fewer than 10,000 prisoners in Insein. I
wonder how medical officers can use such a small number of needles for
prison patients. Why does Slorc ignore this issue? Are they unaware of the
situation in prison? I think it?s not possible that they don?t know.  Lt-Gen
Khin Nyunt, the Chairman of the National Health Council, should know better.
Nobody except him knows why the medical situation in prison is neglected.

According to a WHO report in April 1996, it was estimated that in Burma
67.1% of injecting drug users were HIV-positive. 175,000 pregnant women were
also found to be HIV-positive. 

Slorc has a limited number of personnel who possess a thorough knowledge of
HIV/AIDS and its epidemiology. Although they have a huge budget for military
weapons and the extension of the secret police, there is no budget for those
undergoing treatment, nor are there campaigns against the spread of the disease.

For those drug offenders who pretend they are doctors and inject the prison
patients, Insein prison hospital seems to have become their headquarters.
They can use the needle and syringe freely in there.

If we needed to get an emergency injection, we had to pay 300 kyats to a
medical officer or to one who administers injections for a new needle and
syringe.  

However, according to the Jail Manual, nobody in prison has the right to
possess and use money, except some criminals and some army officers
sentenced for corruption.  So, when we need to get safe injections?our food,
milk powder, sugar, coffee mix, soap and toothpaste, which are provided and
sent by our families?are given to them because we have no money.

>From those experiences in prison, I have concluded that for drug traffickers
seeking refuge such as Khun Sa, Burma may be a heaven. For drug users in
Burma, Insein is a paradise. But for political prisoners it is more like
Auschwitz.  			

This article was contributed by former political prisoner Moe Aye who was
released from Insein prison in 1997. This story is the first in a series of
his prison stories which will appear in the Irrawaddy.	

************************************************************

THE IRRAWADDY: GOING FOR THE GREEN
August 1997

Burma remains one of the poorest countries in the world. But over the recent
years, one cannot ignore the military government building more golf courses
throughout the country.

Burma?s former dictator Gen Ne Win was fond of playing golf. So his
subordinates who are current military leaders of Burma followed and
practised the general?s favourite sport. 

As the military leaders spent most of their time playing golf, one of Ne
Win?s trustworthy cronies died from a heart attack while playing golf. And
Senior Gen Saw Maung who was former chairman of the current military junta
reportedly chased and beat his aides with a golf club on the army golf
course as he was suffering from a nervous breakdown.

The strange occurrences on the golf course, however, have failed to
discourage the generals? golf fever.

Over the past two years, the junta known as the State Law and Order
Restoration Council (Slorc), ordered local officials and government
departments to build more golf courses throughout the country.

In September 1995, an international golf resort was built in Pagan, the
ancient town with thousands of pagodas.

 "The Pagan Resort Golf Club" was built as Slorc chairman Senior Gen Than
Shwe suggested. Local officials and army engineers built a golf resort in
Pagan while he was visiting there. 

In May of this year, Gen Than Shwe came to Mandalay to open Mandalay Golf
Course. The course, according to reliable sources in the army, was
supervised by Mandalay Mayor Maj-Gen Ye Myint who is also a commander in
Mandalay Division.

"He [Ye Myint] ordered hundreds of soldiers to contribute their labour to
build the golf club," said a source in Mandalay.

At the beginning of the year the golf course was completed and the mayor and
his relatives came and played before the formal opening.

That is when the trouble started.

According to sources, soldiers constantly complained as they became caddies
for Ye Myint?s relatives. "They didn?t mind serving their boss [Ye Myint]
but they were angry when they had to serve his relatives and some
businessmen who are close to Ye Myint," said the source. In addition,  they
were tired of building the golf course. 

The soldiers carrying golf bags and umbrellas felt like they were slaves.

Finally, they were informed about the Slorc chairman?s visit for the formal
opening of the course and they prepared a complaint letter to the chairman,
planning to present it by themselves. 

The day Than Shwe came to town the tension between soldiers and Ye Myint was
high.

As Than Shwe?s own intelligence unit learned of the problem the chairman?s
original schedule was forced to change. The helicopter carrying Than Shwe
landed inside the Mandalay Palace instead of on the Mandalay golf course.

The chairman summoned Ye Myint and the soldiers, the meeting resulted in the
soldiers' demotion and return to their own battalions.

The story has become well-liked among Mandalay residents.

Though the soldiers were unhappy to be caddies, young women are applying for
this job?but not openly.

According to sources in Rangoon, young daughters of retired civil servants
are asked to submit their CVs to local officials if they are interested.
Those interested in becoming a caddy should be between 18 to 25.

For instance in Rangoon, young Burmese caddies working at famous Myodaw Golf
Club, where many senior army officials play golf, are required to be single
and young.

Says Maung Maung Shwe who wanted to learn golf while working as a caddy,
"What we know is that some high-ranking officials are having affairs with
caddies because they are young and pretty."

"They are pretty and young but they are not professional caddies," he added.

Maung Maung wished to be a caddy because it pays 140 kyats a day. Besides
this, he dreams of becoming Burma?s second Mya Aye who was a caddy but later
became Burma?s golf champion in the 1980s. "I now have no chance [to be a
caddy] because they said this job is not for men." He joked that he was not
qualified.

But some army officials are paying a high price for their love on the links.
They were forced to resign and given a pension as their affairs with minor
wives who were former caddies went public. Some women threatened to take
them to the court if they were not provided a decent payment.

However, for local businessmen golf clubs are their new pasture to make more
fortune and to reach some sweet deals with local commanders or cabinet
ministers.

"We never refuse to take a 'golf opportunity'", quipped a Burmese
businessman who also plays golf. He admitted: "I hate this sport and I think
it is waste." However, he has no choice but to play his "hated sport" he said.

"If I want to have some concessions or if there is government red-tape, the
Myodaw golf club is the best place to solve all my business problems."

"We [businessmen] know we won?t find them [ministers or commanders] in their
offices but on golf courses so we go there and play golf with them. We have
now become friends."

After golfing, local businessmen buy dinner at the golf course where they
can ask  for business favours or cut a deal.

"Buy a golf set and give it to a minister and you will be blessed and
rewarded," says the businessman. A golf set in Burma costs between 300,000
to 1 million kyats.

Though Gen Ne Win himself implanted the idea of golf in Burma during his
heyday, there is a general who he could not convince to play golf. The
general was Ne Win?s former bodyguard.

Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt, now Slorc secretary-one and intelligence chief, is rarely
seen on the golf course. He neither plays golf nor enjoys chatting with caddies.

But the intelligence chief isn?t all anti-golf. Sources say Khin Nyunt has
been sending his men to learn the sport.

Burmese activists and businessmen in Rangoon speculate that golf courses are
the most suitable place to gather information.

"Khin Nyunt and his men gather information at golf courses, thus he always
encouraged his men to go there and find out what?s going on," said a
Rangoon-based businessman. Not only activists, but also Slorc ministers and
commanders notice the presence of Khin Nyunt?s men at golf courses.

If they are there, cabinet ministers and businessmen won?t talk about
business deals," he said. "He [Khin Nyunt] knows about all sweet deals and
affairs [at the golf course] and Khin Nyunt keeps them in his own file so
that he can use the information  as possible leverage or blackmail against
the businessmen and ministers," a businessman in Rangoon said. 
	
Contributed by a Bangkok-based correspondent.

************************************************

THE IRRAWADDY: KYAT TURMOIL
August 1997

Currency turmoil hit the Burmese market. Businessmen and politicians now
speculate that the regime has no choice but to devalue the kyat. 

In July the Burmese kyat declined from 185 to 280 to the US dollar. Then, it
fell to 300 kyat. The sudden plunge has created chaos and confusion for
local and foreign traders.

As there was no independent business reporting on the sudden currency
turmoil the price of foreign imports skyrocketed.  A Toshiba TV on sale at a
shopping centre nearly doubled to 25,000 kyat from 13,000 within a week.
Last year the kyat was trading at 160 to the dollar. Then it dropped to 200.

"Usually, every Friday morning the rate will decline but in the evening it
returns to normal but this time it looks like it is going to be over 300,"
said a trader in Rangoon.

At first, it was rumoured that the kyat would decline to 400 kyat per dollar
before the end of the year.

The official rate is six kyat per dollar.  Burmese inside Burma are not
allowed to hold foreign currency and in its place must use Foreign Exchange
Certificates (FECs).

Kyi May Kaung, a US-trained political scientist wrote in a recent article:
"No one knows exactly how many FECs have been issued.  Late last year the
official word in Rangoon was that FECs made up nearly three per cent of the
currency that circulated at the market exchange rate."

However, merchants in Rangoon speculated that the authorities have printed
more than 20 times as many of the paper certificates. 

One report said the military government was looking to buy FEC with kyat.

Additionally, many local businessmen in Burma are convinced that the
government will devalue the kyat in the near future. 

In downtown Rangoon, the May shopping market at Pansodan Street suddenly
shut down shortly after the kyat plummeted. Rumours began circulating that
well-known businessmen were being apprehended. One of them was Thein Htun,
better known as Pepsi Thein Htun, due to his control of a Pepsi dealership.

It was believed that a few weeks ago Thein Htun withdrew a huge amount of
money from the bank.

The authorities said that businessmen were summoned for questioning but
nobody was detained.

As panic gripped traders the government denied rumours that it would void
200 and 500 bank notes. But the announcement only made matters worse.
Shortly after, the price for vegetables, rice, oil, gold and petrolincreased
10 per cent. One viss of chicken now sells for 700 kyat up from
600 kyat the week before the currency turmoil. Many shops at Mingala market
shut down as shopkeepers refused to accept 200 and 500 notes. Those looking
to save money ran to gold shops. 

Many businesses in Mae Hong Son are refusing to accept Burmese kyat notes
because there are so many fake kyats in circulation.

Sources said the traders were refusing to accept notes after learning that
the Burmese authorities were going to void 500kyat notes marked with the
serial letters AL and AM.

In 1987, the then socialist government demonetised the 25, 35 and 75 bank
notes without compensation even though it denied it was planning to do so.
"The kyat is worthless, yesterday it was 15 kyat for a cup of tea. Today it
is 18 and they say it will be 20 soon," said one trader.

Instead of solving the problem, the Slorc denied all the devaluation rumours
and said rumour-mongers were trying to damage the country?s economy. Burma?s
military intelligence chief, Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt, said, "Rumours about
financial and economic matters afloat today are totally untrue and this has
been concocted by destructive elements."

The rumour-mongers, the general said, were taking advantage of the public?s
lack of knowledge about Asean to spread false information in an attempt to
deprive Burma of the economic benefits it would enjoy once it joined the
grouping. But Burmese are not convinced.

A government office worker said his salary is now 1,500 kyat, compared to
220 kyat in 1987.

"Before [in 1987] it was quite okay with 220 kyat.  Now I can not feed my
family since my salary increased." But Thailand-based political activists
believe that the Burmese generals will lose their battle with the economy.

"This is because they have no knowledge of how to run an economy. They only
how to shoot," said student leader Moe Thee Zun.

A few months ago, two giant hotels, the Sedon and the Traders in Rangoon
laid off about 400 of their employees because of the lack of visitors.

"We have no jobs?our families depended on us," said a former receptionist at
the Hotel Sedona. But local traders in Rangoon also said they believed that
Thailand?s recent de facto devaluation had a major impact on the Burmese
market as well. 

"This is something they cannot control ? as the value of the kyat declines
the government will have no choice but to devalue the currency in the near
future," said one economist in Rangoon.

Contributed by a correspondent.

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ANNOUNCEMENT: NARCO-DRUGS WEBSITE
September 3, 1997

in addition to the excellent work by FBC on their website, EuroBurmanet
would like to tell those of you who may not know that perhaps the most
comprehensive website on Slorc narcotraffic can be found here:

http://www-uvi.eunet.fr/asia/euro-burma/drugs> 

should you have problem connecting, be patient, it gets some 30 000
visits a day. the movement is growing, and moving closer to freedom in
burma everyday with your effort....

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