Burma frees three western tourists

[Sidneypilg@xxxxxxx]

HEADLINES
(1) Burma frees three western tourists
(2) Anwar lawyer's jail sentence suspended
200 lawyers protest outside Court of Appeal against sentence
(3) Suharto says he's ready to be questioned
(4) Soros calls for Dr M's ouster, Anwar's release
(5) Witness tampering claim by Anwar lawyer
(6) Democracy built on rights, says Suu Kyi

NEWS
Burma frees three western tourists
Mae Hong Son
Burmese soldiers have freed three Western tourists arrested last month for
illegally entering the country.
The three - American Michael John Raedeke, 40, Canadian Joseph Frank, 34, and
German Dirk Rommeswinkel - were handed to Thai border officials by the Burmese
military yesterday.
The three had reportedly strayed into Burmese territory on November 20 and
were taken to a town called Taunggyi, some 175 kilometres from the Thai border
for questioning.

BANGKOK POST - DEC 5, 98


Anwar lawyer's jail sentence suspended
200 lawyers protest outside Court of Appeal against sentence 
[KUALA LUMPUR] 
A Malaysian court yesterday suspended a three-month jail term imposed on a 
lawyer representing sacked finance minister Anwar Ibrahim as more than 200
lawyers protested in public against the sentence. 
The lawyers, wearing dark suits in the tropical heat, shouted: "We want
justice!" outside the Court of Appeal in an unprecedented demonstration by
members of the legal profession and the latest public protest in Malaysia's
capital. 
A three-judge bench of the Court of Appeal ruled that the jail sentence,
imposed on Monday by the High Court judge in Anwar's corruption and sex trial,
would remain suspended until the lawyer's appeal is heard. 
"We are allowing the application on the stay until the appeal is heard," Judge
Lamin Yunus, president of the Court of Appeal, told reporters outside the
courthouse. 
High Court Judge Augustine Paul on Monday ordered Zainur Zakaria jailed after
he refused to apologise for filing an affidavit by Anwar seeking the dismissal
of two prosecutors from his case, which has been at the heart of Malaysia's
recent civil unrest. 
The judge's shock order stirred criticism from lawyers, opposition politicians
and human rights groups. 
In the affidavit, Anwar said the two prosecutors had offered to reduce charges
against one of the former cabinet minister's friends in a separate trial if he
agreed to accuse Anwar of sex crimes with women. 
Anwar has pleaded not guilty to five counts each of corruption and sodomy, and
accused the authorities of conspiring to destroy his political career through
false charges. 
Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has called his former heir-apparent morally
unfit. 
The Court of Appeal yesterday extended its order, issued earlier in the week,
temporarily suspending Zainur's jail sentence until the court takes up his
appeal at a later date, which has not been set. 
"I want to go back to defending Anwar," Zainur, 49, told reporters after the
jail sentence was stayed. 
During the brief hearing, the lawyers' chanting from the street could be heard
in the upstairs chamber. 
Sulaiman Abdullah, one of Anwar's nine lawyers, said it was the first time so
many lawyers had demonstrated in favour of a colleague. 
"Malaysia is not exactly a cold country," he told reporters outside the court.
"You have a lot of young lawyers who have come here today in their jackets and
they're sweating here, mostly young people with one common concern, justice
for lawyers." 
The Malaysian Bar Council said it was considering holding a special meeting on
Zainur's case. 
"It's a matter of concern for the bar when any lawyer gets jailed," Mr
Sulaiman said. Earlier yesterday, Anwar's ex-driver denied he had accused the
ousted cabinet minister of sodomy so he would be rewarded with money, a plum
job and directorships of companies. 
Azizan Abu Bakar, testifying for the third day in Anwar's corruption and sex
trial, said he made the allegations last year of his own free will and to
prevent "a sodomiser" from becoming prime minister. 
"I made them on my own will," he said under cross-examination by the defence
on the 20th day of the trial. 
Anwar's defence spent much of the second day of cross-examination seeking to
discredit Mr Azizan's statement that he delayed making the sodomy allegations
for five years and then came forward for the sake of his dignity and Islam. 
Anwar, who was sacked and arrested in September, has pleaded not guilty to
five counts each of corruption and sodomy, a crime in Malaysia. 
The trial later adjourned until Monday. 
Today, a three-judge bench of the Court of Appeal is scheduled to take up an
appeal by Anwar against Judge Augustine's earlier ruling denying him bail. 
Anwar was arrested under the Internal Security Act (ISA), which allows
indefinite detention without trial. But he was later released under the ISA
and charged with bailable offences. -- Reuters 

BUSINESS TIME - DEC 5, 98

Suharto says he's ready to be questioned
He may be summoned next week, put under house arrest 
[JAKARTA] 
Former Indonesian president Suharto said yesterday he was prepared to be
questioned by the attorney-general, as a senior government official said Mr
Suharto could be placed under house arrest during an official probe into his
wealth. 
"I am ready to be questioned...I know no citizen can escape the law," the
77-year-old former strongman said in a rare interview, the transcript of which
was obtained by AFP. 
But Mr Suharto, speaking at his Jakarta residence, added that he had "the
right to legal protection" just like any other Indonesian. 
State Secretary Akbar Tanjung told reporters earlier that Attorney-General
Andi Ghalib could put the former president under house arrest while he
investigated allegations that Mr Suharto had corruptly amassed a personal
fortune during his 32 years in power. 
"If he feels this step is necessary...that there is a need to put Suharto
under house arrest, it is up to the attorney-general," Mr Tanjung said. 
Mr Ghalib told reporters he would call Mr Suharto in for questioning soon. "We
will summon Suharto as soon as possible -- God willing, next week," he said.
"We will question the former president at the attorney-general's office." The
national Antara news agency quoted Mr Ghalib as saying he would send a letter
to Mr Suharto on Tuesday, which would legally give him three days to comply. 
"If there is enough proof, it will be upgraded to an investigation," he said.
The Andalas Televisi private broadcast station quoted a source at Mr Ghalib's
office as saying the summons had already been sent and questioning was
expected on Monday. 
Mr Ghalib said he would also summon several cabinet ministers who he said may
be able to provide information on Mr Suharto's actions during his years in
power. 
Mr Suharto ceded control of seven charities, worth US$500 million (S$824.4
million), to the government last week and authorities said last month they had
so far uncovered about US$2.6 million in accounts held by Mr Suharto in local
banks. 
The forestry department said its investigations have so far found that Mr
Suharto, his family and friends own or control about nine million hectares of
rainforest -- about the size of Java island. 
President BJ Habibie on Thursday ordered Mr Ghalib to speed up his probe as
mounting protests demand that Mr Suharto be tried for corruption and human
rights abuses. -- Reuters, AFP


BUSINESS TIME - DEC 5, 98

 Soros calls for Dr M's ouster, Anwar's release
Financier renews war of words with blunt comments 
[WASHINGTON] 
Billionaire US financier George Soros has renewed his war of words with
Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, calling for Dr Mahathir's ouster
and the release from detention of his former deputy, Anwar Ibrahim. 
Dr Mahathir "needs to be removed from power", Mr Soros told an audience on
Thursday at Johns Hopkins University's School of Advanced International
Studies during a discussion of Mr Soros' new book, The Crisis of International
Capitalism. 
Mr Soros' quarrel with the 72-year-old Malaysian leader goes back to the early
months of Asia's financial crisis last year. Then, Dr Mahathir called Mr Soros
a "moron" out to wreck Asian economies by selling their currencies. Mr Soros
hit back, labelling Dr Mahathir a "menace".
Dr Mahathir drew fire from foreign investors in September, fixing the
Malaysian currency and imposing capital controls that, among other
restrictions, bar the repatriation of proceeds from the sale of stocks and
bonds for one year. 
Mr Soros told reporters after Thursday night's seminar that he didn't have any
money invested in Malaysia when the controls were imposed. 
Pressed on who he wants to see replace Dr Mahathir as leader of the South-east
Asian nation, Mr Soros said: "I hope that Anwar will be either let out of
jail, or if he is put in jail, that public opinion is going to turn against
Mahathir." 
Dr Mahathir fired Anwar as finance minister and deputy prime minister after
the capital controls were imposed. Anwar is now on trial on charges of sodomy
and corruption. Anwar denies the charges and is contesting them in court. He
had pledged a campaign to oust Dr Mahathir before being arrested. 
The immediate effect of Anwar's arrest has been to strengthen the grip of Dr
Mahathir on domestic politics, Mr Soros said, giving him free rein over
economic policy and the reorganisation of the country's politically well-
connected conglomerates. 
"He is preserving himself in power," Mr Soros said in blunt comments. "He is
placing himself in a position where he can bail out his cronies, including his
son." 
In April, government-controlled Malaysia International Shipping Corp said it
agreed to buy shipping assets from two companies controlled by Dr Mahathir's
eldest son, Mirzan Mahathir. 
The purchases -- which Anwar later claimed he opposed -- reduced the
borrowings of Dr Mahathir's son's companies at a time when rising interest
rates were increasing the debt burden of Malaysian tycoons. -- Bloomberg Anwar
lawyer's jail sentence suspended.

BUSINESS TIME - DEC 5, 98

Witness tampering claim by Anwar lawyer
STORY: A LAWYER for Malaysia's sacked deputy prime minister accused
prosecutors of telling a key witness what to say in Anwar Ibrahim's trial on
charges of sexual misconduct and corruption. 
Azizan Abu Bakar, who testified that Anwar had repeatedly sodomised him,
faltered during cross-examination, prompting prosecution lawyers to rush to
his aid. 
That triggered angry remarks from Christopher Fernando, one of the nine
lawyers defending the sacked deputy prime minister and finance minister. 
``The answer is being given to the witness,'' Mr Fernando complained angrily
to the trial judge, Augustine Paul. 
Prosecutor Abdul Gani Patail, peeved at being interrupted, shouted back: ``Let
me finish.'' 
Tempers flared when Mr Fernando repeatedly asked Mr Azizan why he was giving
contradictory answers about waiting for five years to make public the
accusations that Anwar repeatedly sodomised him in 1992. 
Prosecutors are trying to prove Anwar abused his powers by forcing police to
obtain retractions from Mr Azizan and Ummi Hafilda Ali, the sister of his
former secretary, to cover up his sexual trysts. 
Ms Ummi Hafilda, whom Mr Azizan says convinced him to make the allegations
public in 1997, has separately accused Anwar of having sex with her brother's
wife. 
The accusations of the two people form the backbone of the prosecution case
and the 10 charges of corruption and illegal sex against Anwar, 51, who denies
them. 
On Thursday, Mr Azizan testified that he had never considered disclosing the
alleged sex acts with Anwar until he met Ms Ummi Hafilda. But during
questioning on Friday he said he had intended to tell some people earlier. 
``I had intended to tell certain parties before, but I was confident that no
one would believe that Anwar sodomised me,'' he said. 
Mr Fernando accused him of ``lying brazenly'' to the court. ``You are not able
to explain this contradiction despite having been given the opportunity,'' he
said. 
Mr Azizan insisted he was not lying. ``As a Muslim it would be apostasy for me
to fictionalise my account and permit a leader who is a sodomiser to become a
prime minister.'' 
Later in the afternoon, hundreds of lawyers in black robes marched to a
courthouse in solidarity for one of Anwar's lawyers, who faces three months
imprisonment for contempt of court in the trial. 
Several dozen pro-Anwar activists joined the lawyers as they shouted, ``We
want justice,'' in front of the federal courthouse. 
Zainur Zakaria won a temporary reprieve when a three-judge bench stayed his
imprisonment until his appeal was heard. No date was fixed for the appeal. 
Meanwhile, Malaysia's top prosecutor is asking a court to strike out a lawsuit
by Anwar challenging his sacking, the national Bernama news agency said. -
Agencies 
 HONGKONG STANDARD - DEC 5, 98

Democracy built on rights, says Suu Kyi 
BURMESE opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi said the struggle for democracy in
Burma resembles the struggle for human rights and thanked the international
community for its support for changes she is seeking in her country. 
For the people to lead free and full lives, all the articles of the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights must be respected, she said in a message. 
But in Burma, she said, Article 21, which provides for the right of everyone
to take part in the government of his country, has been violated. The article
also declares that the will of the people, which should be the basis of the
authority of government, should be expressed in periodic and genuine
elections. 
Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy scored a landslide victory in the 1990
general election but it was never allowed to form a government. Moreover, the
military junta has repeatedly cracked down on the party's political activities
by detaining their elected MPs or party members. 
The 1991 Nobel Peace laureate made the pre-recorded message to mark the 50th
anniversary of the human rights declaration on Dec 10. 
''Eight years ago, democratic elections were held in our country but the
results of the elections have not been honoured by the military regime and the
victorious party, the National League for Democracy, has been subjected to the
most gruelling persecution,'' she said. 
''So for us, as for many others, the struggle for democracy has become
synonymous with the struggle for human rights,'' she added. 
Suu Kyi said she is an advocate of human rights because she does not like
seeing so much human misery around her. ''A society that lacks human rights is
a society that breeds misery,'' she said. 
She said the struggle for human rights in Burma, which was one of the original
signatories when the declaration was adopted in December 1948, brought the
people of Burma close to other peoples in the world who are striving for the
recognition of their inherent dignity and their inalienable right to life,
liberty and security. 
She thanked those who have supported the people of Burma in times of adversity
and expressed hope that the country may soon one day ''be a source of strength
and support for those in need of peace, justice and freedom.'' 
The Nation, DEC 5, 98