The BurmaNet News: February 1, 1999

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------------------------ BurmaNet ------------------------
"Appropriate Information Technologies, Practical Strategies"
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The BurmaNet News: February 1, 1999
Issue #1197


HEADLINES:
==========
AP: KAREN FIGHTERS MARK 50 YEARS OF REBELLION 
BBC: VISIT TO JAPAN UNEXPECTEDLY CURTAILED 
REUTERS: JAPAN WARNS BURMA AID TIED TO REFORM 
REUTERS: MIXED MOTIVES SEEN IN MYANMAR DIALOGUE 
AFP: YANGON WANTS IN ON BERLIN MEETING 
AFP: HUMAN RIGHTS GROUP PROTESTS TRIP 
BKK POST: BURMA MUST END ITS DRUG DEALS 
BKK POST: THAN SHWE TO BEGIN VISIT IN CHIANG MAI 
BKK POST: MARITIME ROWS TO BE RAISED IN RANGOON 
ANNC: BURMA DINNER AT UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN
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AP: KAREN FIGHTERS MARK 50 YEARS OF REBELLION
31 January, 1999 

Tadoh Thutah- Beleaguered veterans of one of the world's longest wars
marked the 50th anniversary of the start of their struggle with little
fanfare yesterday.

A parade of fewer than 200 guerilla fighters from the Karen National Union
(KNU) took part in a brief, sombre ceremony presided over by their ageing
leader, General Bo Mya, who urged them to continue the fight for autonomy.

The rest of the Karen force, which has dwindled to, at most, 3,000 fighters
from a peak of 25,000, was dispersed in jungle camps watching for Burmese
junta soldiers.

"The Karen people settled in this land long before the Burman [Burmese]
emerged and took it over," the rebel leader said at Tadoh Thutah, a
clearing on the Moei River that separates Burma from Thailand.

"If we do not achieve victory we will be subjected to enslavement again and
we will be wiped out from this land."

Dressed in army fatigues, the increasingly frail 72-year-old KNU president
inspected the parade while a guitarist played the Karen national anthem.

He handed out medals for meritorious service to 10 elderly guerillas who
have been fighting since 1949. Only one, General Pler Kho, is still on
active service, aged 65.

"I never imagined I would have to fight this long," he said.

"When I was 15, the leaders told me we'd win in six months."

Around 93,000 Karen have fled to Thailand over the years.

Two hundred of them, dressed in traditional red ponchos, crossed the river
to join in celebratory dancing.

There was little, however, to celebrate.

The Karen have been severely weakened as other ethnic groups who were their
allies against the Rangoon junta have signed ceasefire agreements.

The KNU has held several meetings to talk peace with Rangoon but all have
ended in failure.

General Bo Mya blamed foreign countries, especially Burma's fellow members
in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, for strengthening the
position of the junta.

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BBC: BURMESE VISIT TO JAPAN UNEXPECTEDLY CURTAILED
28 January, 1999  

A visiting Burmese government delegation has left Japan suddenly, two days
before the expected end of the trip.

A planned trip to Osaka was cancelled and the group, headed by one of
Burma's leading military intelligence officials, Brigadier-General Kyaw
Win, flew home.


There's been no explanation for the change of plan.

During the visit, which had been opposed by Burmese democracy activists,
Japanese officials had urged the Burmese military authorities to start a
dialogue with their opponents.

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REUTERS: JAPAN WARNS BURMA AID TIED TO REFORM
30 January, 1999 

TOKYO - A visit by a top Burmese military official at the invitation of
Japan's Foreign Ministry may be the first step of a diplomatic dance Japan
hopes will help open Burma, long shunned for its human rights record, to
the world.

During the 10-day visit by Brigadier General Kyaw Win, which ended on
Thursday, the Japanese government pressed for democratisation within Burma,
officials said.

Win, deputy chief of strategic studies at Burma's Defence Ministry, was
given a blunt ultimatum: no democratisation, no aid, said one political
commentator involved with the visit.

"Japan, like the United States, is concerned about human rights," said the
commentator, who declined to be identified. "But it feels that just
slapping on sanctions, and only criticising things, is not going to get
anywhere."

An official at the Burmese embassy termed the visit a success.

"It was very fruitful in enhancing friendship and understanding between our
two countries," he said.

Japan called on Burma's military to increase dialogue with the National
League for Democracy (NLD), the opposition party led by Nobel Laureate Aung
San Suu Kyi, Foreign Ministry spokesman Sadaaki Numata said.

But some analysts said this altruistic action cloaked a mix of motives,
ranging from a desire to help a suffering fellow Asian nation to carving
out business chances for Japan.

Japan strongly denies the suggestion that initiatives towards traditionally
pro-Japan Burma might be part of its efforts to maintain influence in
Southeast Asia, where it jockeys for economic dominance with China.

National independence hero Aung San, Suu Kyi's father, trained in Japan and
later collaborated with the Japanese military during World War Two in a
move to oust the British, although he later led an uprising against the
Japanese.

The dilemma for Japanese policy makers is that until Burma becomes more
democratic, little can be done out of fear of appearing to support the
military regime and risking criticism from overseas.

Burmese activists in Japan slammed the latter's stance and kept up
demonstrations during the brigadier general's visit.

"If they are really calling for dialogue, why don't they invite someone
from the NLD to Japan? The military government does not represent our
country," said Ye Htut, chairman of the NLD's Japan chapter.

"If Japan is the leader of Asia, what are they doing smiling with the
military regime?" he asked.

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REUTERS: MIXED MOTIVES SEEN IN JAPAN'S MYANMAR DIALOGUE
29 January, 1999 by Elaine Lies

TOKYO, Jan 29 (Reuters) - A visit by a top Myanmar military official at the
invitation of Japan's Foreign Ministry may be the first step of a
diplomatic dance Japan hopes will help open Myanmar, long shunned for its
human rights record, to the world.


During the 10-day visit by Brigadier General Kyaw Win, which ended on
Thursday, the Japanese government pressed for democratisation within
Myanmar, officials said.

Win, deputy chief of strategic studies at Myanmar's Defence Ministry, was
given a blunt ultimatum: no democratisation, no aid, said one political
commentator involved with the visit.

"Japan, like the United States, is concerned about human rights," said the
commentator, who declined to be identified. "But it feels that just
slapping on sanctions, and only criticising things, is not going to get
anywhere."

Japan called on Myanmar's military to increase dialogue with the National
League for Democracy (NLD), the opposition party led by Nobel Laureate Aung
San Suu Kyi, Foreign Ministry spokesman Sadaaki Numata said.

But some analysts said this altruistic action cloaked a mix of motives,
ranging from a desire to help a suffering fellow Asian nation to carving
out business chances for Japan.

"Privately, I'd like to do anything to help Myanmar. But with the military
government in power, my help could provide support for that government,"
said Yoichi Yokobori, a professor of international relations at Wayo
Women's University near Tokyo.

"The dilemma is, things are so bad that without help, people could starve."

Myanmar is classified by the United Nations as among the poorest nations in
the world.

Japan has long been viewed as soft towards Myanmar because, unlike the
United States and Europe, it favours a stance of "constructive engagement"
instead of economic sanctions.


The United States has maintained sanctions against Myanmar since May 1997,
including a ban on new investment.

In contrast, Japan in 1998 gave a 2.5 billion yen ($22 million) loan in
March 1998 to be used for safety projects at Yangon Airport, and 800
million yen for a project to increase food production.

On the business front, there has been at least symbolic investment in Myanmar.

Last October, Suzuki Motor Corp said it was investing $10 million in a
joint venture with a Myanmar firm.

Around 100 Japanese firms had offices in Myanmar as of 1998, a Japanese
trade ministry official said. Total cumulative investment in the country
since 1995, when Suu Kyi was released from house arrest, has totalled
around $219 million.

He noted an initial jump in investment has fallen off sharply.

"While there might be a small amount of political risk involved, the
biggest reason is that Myanmar's economy worsened due to the Asian economic
crisis, and also its entire infrastructure is so poor," the trade official
said.

Some recent Japanese visitors say the situation has become so drastic that
Myanmar's second largest city, Mandalay, is often without electricity for
most of the day, forcing people to cook meals over wood fires.

The lack of infrastructure, plus Myanmar's rich reserves of natural
resources such as oil and natural gas, translates into opportunity for
Japanese companies hit hard by the country's worst ever recession.

"Japanese companies are suffering, especially construction firms. So if
Myanmar needs to builds bridges and railroads and they can do it, it is a
big help to them (Japanese companies)," said one commentator who declined
to be named.


"Businesses of course are not the Red Cross - they are looking for chances."

Japan strongly denies the suggestion that initiatives towards the
traditionally pro-Japan Myanmar might be part of its efforts to maintain
influence in Southeast Asia, where it jockeys for economic dominance with
China.

National independence hero Aung San, Suu Kyi's father, studied in Japan and
later collaborated with the Japanese military during World War Two in what
turned out to be a mistaken strategy to oust the British.

Suu Kyi has also studied in Japan and while confined to her house by the
military authorities managed to write a year-long series of columns for a
major Japanese newspaper.

The dilemma for Japanese policy makers is that until Myanmar becomes more
democratic, nothing can be done out of fear of appearing to support the
military regime -- and risking criticism from overseas, always anathema to
Japan.

Myanmar activists in Japan slammed Japan's stance and kept up
demonstrations during the brigadier general's visit.

"If they are really calling for dialogue, why don't they invite someone
from the NLD to Japan? The military government does not represent our
country," said Ye Hput, chairman of the NLD's Japan chapter.

"If Japan is the leader of Asia, what are they doing smiling with the
military regime?"

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AFP: YANGON WANTS IN ON BERLIN MEETING
January 29, 1999

YANGON -- Myanmar has said it must be allowed to take part in an
Asean-European Union (EU) foreign ministers' meeting in March despite
Europe's refusal to relax a visa ban on its officials.

Myanmar's Foreign Minister Win Aung is effectively barred from the meeting
in Berlin under a package of European Union sanctions imposed to punish
alleged human-rights abuses by the ruling junta.

A government statement on Thursday, however, said that the Asean delegation
would not be complete without Myanmar.

"Since the Asean-EU meeting is a bloc-to-bloc meeting, all members of Asean
need to be present," a spokesman said.

The Myanmar row has already led to the cancellation of a meeting of the
Asean-EU Joint Cooperation Committee in Bangkok this week.

EU ministers have floated a compromise plan that could see Myanmar
represented by a lower-ranking official, but the Yangon statement said that
as a member of Asean, Myanmar was entitled to the same privileges as any
other nation.

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AFP: HUMAN RIGHTS GROUP PROTESTS ASIA SOCIETY TRIP TO MYANMAR
26 January, 1999 

LOS ANGELES, Jan 26 (AFP) - A group of human rights activists protested
Wednesday the planned visit by the prestigious Asia Society to Myanmar that
they say will bolster propaganda efforts by that country's military regime.

The Asia Society, a non-profit institution dedicated to fostering an
understanding between Americans and the Asia Pacific, will go to Myanmar -
formerly known as Burma - between February 27- March 7.

"We are deeply concerned that the Asia Society would undertake a highly
political trip like this", said Pye Nyein, coordinator of Burma Forum Los
Angeles, and a Burmese political exile.


"The tour promises 'priveleged access' and that access is bought at the
price of a propaganda victory for the illegitimate Burmese junta," he said
in a prepared statement.

Gary Larsen, Pacific vice president of the Asia Society, said that the
organization does not have a political agenda and that its aim is to
promote understanding of Burma.

"We don't have a particular political philosophy.  We have gone to a mumber
of places where there was a great deal of controversy - North Korea,
Vietnam, Iran and Tibet," he said.  "The mission is to promote mutual
understanding."

Burma Forum spokeswoman Carol Richards said the visit violates a request by
national League for Democracy and its leader Nobel laureate Aung San Suu
Kyi not to visit Myanmar until there is "genuine progress toward democracy".

The activist group also suggested that the trip would serve the interests
of UNOCAL, which is a partner with the junta in a natural gas pipeline
construction project.

It noted that UNOCAL executive Roger Beach was recently named a trustee of
the Asia Society.  Larsen rejected the suggestion, noting that the trip had
been planned for a year or two, well ahead of Beach's arrival as trustee.

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BANGKOK POST: BURMA MUST END ITS DRUG DEALS
1 February, 1999

Nations of three continents have begun an important meeting in Tokyo which
could revitalise the anti-drugs fight. For the first time, Asian nations
are taking the lead in directing drugs suppression work in their own back
yard. In addition, police from important drug-producing and consuming
nations in Asia, Europe and America are discussing subtle changes in
emphasis, most notably working to prevent drug demand in their own countries.

The police meeting in Japan is the latest in a continuing series of efforts
to meet the dangers of international drug peddlers.

Generally speaking, nations are firmly committed to the ideal of cutting
off the traffickers. But one crucial subject is routinely bypassed by the
diplomats and international experts. In some nations, the government does
business with the drug traffickersIt is unfortunate for all of us, and
particularly for Burmese and Thais, that the Rangoon leadership has formed
a series of partnerships with major drug dealers. Three of the world's top
drug dealers live under the direct protection of the Burmese junta. In
addition, the regime has failed to slow drug production even by rebel
forces. It gained direct control of huge areas of the north after the
defection of Khun Sa, but neither the opium nor heroin output has been set
back.

But the major Burma flaunting of the international battle against narcotics
trafficking is its cooperation with three major drug dealers:

Khun Sa, Lo Hsing-han and Surachai "Bang Ron" Ngernthongu.

Khun Sa lives in a lakeside villa and rubs shoulders with his neighbours,
members of the ruling State Peace and Development Council, formerly Slorc.
Since his sensational defection three years ago, the regime has refused to
try or extradite Khun Sa.


Lo Hsing-han, has been the Opium Warlord since a TV documentary of that
name in the 1960s. Today, he is the premier heroin exporter in Burma, and
thus in the world. From his luxurious home in Rangoon, the favoured Lo
controls a network of some of the world's most organised and dangerous drug
traffickers. He also controls virtually all of the important opium
refineries in the eastern Shan state near the Chinese border. His partners
include well-known ethnic Chinese drug lords Lin Ming Xian and Peng Jia Sheng.

Surachai, known as Bang Ron, has found a secure home in Burma since fleeing
across the border a few steps ahead of Thai authorities. He is the king of
amphetamines in Southeast Asia. He is arguably the single greatest threat
to the security of Thailand today. Not only is he the biggest drug dealer
to Thai youth, he is closely tied to armed Burmese rebels on and near the
Thai frontier.

Bang RonOs case shows the problems of corruption in fighting the rich and
violent drug traffickers. His minions inside the Thai police helped him to
escape to Burma. Although no country at the Tokyo meeting is without its
problems of police and official corruption, Burma remains the only reliable
friend of world-class drug lords. If international drug trafficking is to
be combatted, sweet deals between narcotics peddlers and government must
end. Most nations recognise that corruption of their anti-drug forces is
the second most dangerous threat to attempts to halt narcotics trafficking.

But only one country in our region is known to keep close ties with the top
narcotics dealers. So long as Burma continues to encourage and protect the
top international drugs traffickers, there is no hope that Thailand or any
neighbour can halt the growing problem.

The time has come to talk straight to Burma, and to publicise its close
links with narcotics dealers.

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BANGKOK POST: THAN SHWE TO BEGIN VISIT IN CHIANG MAI
30 January, 1999 

In Order to Discuss Narcotics Suppression

Thailand is preparing to receive Burma's Prime Minister Than Shwe in Chiang
Mai in order to draw attention to the two countries' cooperation in the
suppression of narcotics, a senior Foreign Ministry official said .yesterday.

No dates have yet been set for the visit, but Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai
has made known that he would be free on February 20 and 21, and Thailand is
waiting for Burma's response on the matter, added Kitti Wasinondh, deputy
Foreign Ministry spokesman.

Meanwhile, Burma's Foreign Minister Win Aung has stated his readiness to
visit Bangkok in the third or fourth week of February for talks with
Foreign Minister Surin Pitsuwan.

Ideally, Thailand would like the two foreign ministers to meet before Gen
Than Shwe comes, Mr Kitti said.

Planning for the visits follows Mr Chuan's stated wish for more exchanges
with Burma, and three clashes in the Andaman Sea that have soured relations.

A scheduled visit to Burma on February 15 by Army Commander-in Chief
Surayud Chulanont is expected to discuss the possibility of demarcating
territorial waters and setting up a joint patrol.


A Thai-Burma Regional Border Committee meeting set to take place in Phuket
in March is expected to raise Thai proposals for the stationing of a
Burmese officer at a liaison office in Ranong and the launching of joint
patrols.

Burma has proposed hosting in April a meeting of the Thai-Burmese Joint
Commission for discussions on trade and technical cooperation.

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BANGKOK POST: MARITIME ROWS TO BE RAISED IN RANGOON
January 29, 1999 by Wassana Nanuam

Joint patrols seen as answer to disputes
The army commander will raise with Burmese military leaders a navy proposal
seeking to settle long-standing maritime disputes during his visit next month.

Gen Surayud Chulanont said yesterday he was asked by the supreme commander
to discuss the possibility of demarcating territorial waters and setting up
joint patrols to guard disputed waters.

The army chief is scheduled to visit Burma on Feb 15.

According to navy chief-of-staff Prasert Boonsong, the navy wants to
demarcate territorial waters some 45 nautical miles off the Ranong coast.

The proposed talks, he said, are likely to be accepted by Burmese military
leaders.

However, he said, the disputes over Koh Khan, Koh Lam and Koh Khi Nok would
be left untouched for the time being because of Burma's strong opposition.

Thailand and Burma have both laid claims over the three islets by planting
their respective national flags on them. Disputes stem from the fact that
Thailand and Burma hold different territorial charts.

Adm Prasert said he hopes the disputes would be settled soon as Prime
Minister Chuan Leekpai, also defence minister, has agreed to lend a helping
hand.

He said naval officers in the area have been uncomfortable since the fierce
mid-sea naval clashes in the middle of this month.

A navy patrol boat clashed with two Burmese frigates after it fired on an
unidentified armed vessel which was chasing three Thai trawlers off Ranong.

Adm Prasert said the navy will not tolerate intrusions from unidentified
boats in Thai waters.

Defence Permanent Secretary Teeradej Meepien said Mr Chuan has agreed to
joint patrols between the two navies in disputed waters.

The premier wants to have the disputes settled through talks at the local
and government levels to avoid hurting neighbourly relations, he said.

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ANNOUNCEMENT: BURMA DINNER AT UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN- MILWAUKEE
1 February, 1999 

The Burma Refugee Relief Coalition (BRRC) at the University of Wisconsin,
Milwaukee, will celebrate the Burma dinner on February 19, 1999.  The BRRC
is one of the active organizations supporting the freedom struggle of
Burma. It sent a delegation to the refugee camps at Thailand-Burma border
in last summer. The BRRC will also bring presentations on interesting
topics of health care in South East Asia, slide show and movies of its
documentation on the trip to the Thailand-Burma border, and detaintees of
Burma. The detailed schedule of the dinner will be as follow:

4:30pm Cocktails, Silent Auction, Slides and Movies by the Burma Refugee

         Relief Coalition
6:00pm Dinner by The King and I
        Speakers: Dr John Ndon (Interaction of HIV-Infection and Malaria in
Developing Countries)
        Dr Leslie Schulz (Bangladesh Refugees and nutrition)
        Dr Cynthia Sommer (Epidemiology of infectious disease in SE Asia)
        Detainees of the Burmese Junta brought by the Graduate CLS Association
8:00pm Ron DeVillers/Jack Carr Big Band Swing dance performances and
lessons by the Heptown Swing Group.

$8 dance only
(UWM/non-UWM)
$30/$40 single tickets
$50/$70 couple tickets (seats two)
$160/$240 table tickets (seats eight)
$500 corporate sponsorship (seats eight and includes advertising)
Tax deduction available
make check payable to UW-Milwaukee, send to SOAR office, Union E310,
P.O.Box 413, Milwaukee, WI 53201 or pick up your tickets in person at the
SOAR office in the UWM Union

"But the facts cannot be hidden, and we outside Burma cannot look away and
ignore the plight of Burma's people.
Our religious and philosophical teachings tell us that human suffering
anywhere must be accepted as our 
own suffering. And our worldly experience convinces us that only practical
political action can help 
end that suffering."

The Most Reverend Desmond M Tutu
Archbishop Emeritus of Cape Town

Join us for the:
Feb 19, 1999 UWM Ballroom 4:30pm
Discovering Burma Dinner--Healthcare in SE Asia.

If you need any information, please contact Heidi Pirkov at
hpirkov@xxxxxxxxxxx

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