Burma News Update No. 67

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Open Society Institute
Burma Project

Burma News Update No. 67
30 September 1998


Ne Win Ill

Burma's ex-dictator, General Ne Win, was flown to Singapore on 27
September for treatment of a blood clot on his brain, officials in Burma
said. Ne Win led the 1962 coup that toppled Burma's last elected
government. He officially left public life after mass pro-democracy
demonstrations in 1988, but is viewed by many analysts as still playing
an important role in Burma's military regime.

Deutsche Presse-Agentur, Rangoon, 27 September


Detainees in "Cordial Exchanges"

Burma's army regime announced that seven members of the 
National League for Democracy (NLD) detained for several weeks 
have been released afterwhat was described as "goodwill view-exchanges" 
with the junta. The "Information sheet No A-0621(I)" , issued by the 
"Myanmar InformationCommittee" in Rangoon on 24 September gave 
no details on about 800 other NLD members recently detained, saying only
 "View-exchanges between the government and other NLD members are 
continuing and are being held in acordial atmosphere in government
guesthouses." 

BBC Summary of World Broadcasts, 26 September


Sanctions Will Remain

A senior US official said American sanctions against Burma's military
junta will remain in force as a matter of principle even if there are no
quick results. Assistant Secretary of State for Economic and Business
Affairs Alan Larson told reporters in Bangkok that the sanctions
policy "takes time to bear fruit."  The US ban on new investment in May
1997 was followed by sanctions and trade restrictions by Canada and
European Union countries. Meanwhile, the Burmese regime announced it 
has suspended all repayments to the World Bank in retaliation for that
institution's decision to bar further loans to Burma. The World Banks
has stated that Burma's distorted economic policy [e.g., the national
currency is official overvalued by about 6000%--Ed.] means external aid
cannot be efficiently utilized.

Reuters, Bangkok, 28 September; Xinhua, Rangoon, 15 September


Labor Abuses Rampant

The overall lack of democracy and absence of the rule of law are strong
factors in a catalog of worker rights abuses detailed by the US
Department of Labor in a special report to Congress released on 25
September. The report describes abusive child labor practices including
forced labor, military conscription and trafficking into prostitution.
No labor unions or other associations are permitted, and forced labor is
used to support military campaigns, develop infrastructure for tourism
and possibly the Yadana natural gas pipeline [in which the US UNOCAL and
French TOTAL oil companies are partners with the military regime--Ed.],
the report added.
 
U.S. Department of Labor, Washington, DC, 25 September 


Burma Terror Threat

The US government officially urged American citizens in Burma to
"maintain a low profile" because of a terrorist threat to American
diplomatic and business interests in the country, and announced it has
increased security at the American Embassy in the capital, Rangoon. 

Washington, Agence France Presse, 19 September


Local Sanctions Challenged

A federal court in Boston heard arguments on 23 September in a suit
filed by industry and manufacturers groups against a Massachusetts law
effectively barring the state from contracting with companies doing
business in Burma. The presiding judge took the case under advisement
for a month, which many observers believe will not be finally resolved
until reaching the US Supreme Court. Meanwhile, The European Union and
Japan are launching a separate challenge to the Massachusetts statute in
a grievance filed with the World Trade Organization in Geneva. A US
objection to the request will block any action for at least 30 days.
[Massachusetts is one of over 20 American states, counties and cities
that have passed "selective purchasing legislation" aimed at restricting
governmental business with companies with ties to the Burmese
regime--Ed.]

Boston, Journal Of Commerce (New York), 23 September


Burma: Country In Crisis
Background information and links to other resources on Burma are available
in the Burma Project's new publication, Burma: Country In Crisis.  It may be
viewed at <http://www.soros.org/burma/crisis/index.htm>.


BURMA NEWS UPDATE is a publication of the Burma Project of the Open Society
Institute. 
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Website:www.soros.org/burma.html