Information Sheet No.A-0926 (I

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Subject: Re: Information  Sheet     No.A-0926 (I)  



On 29 May 1999, OKKAR66129 wrote:

>                        MYANMAR INFORMATION COMMITTEE
>                                        YANGON
>                               Information  Sheet
> 
>                    No.A-0926 (I)                        29th May, 1999
> 
> 
>                                Special Feature
> 
> 	This office is presenting a response written by  Dr. Richard Aung Win,
> H.K on the article "Death squads heighten terror of Myanmar masters"
> which appeared in the Internet for your information.
> 
>  Date: Fri, 28 May
>  1999 07:43:26 GMT
> soc.culture.burma
> 
> Too Speculative
> 
> An article entitled ?Death squads heighten terror of Myanmar masters?by
> Kevin Sullivan which appeared in the Hong Kong Standard, May 27,1999 is
> definitely quite interesting but the allegation that theexecutions are
> being conducted on the spot in the North East Shan Stateby the death
> squads believed to be controlled by the militaryintelligence chief is
> rather too speculative. Normally, this would notraise much doubt since
> the subject of the attack is the MyanmarGovernment which is already
> being targeted and regarded as a convenient whipping boy for the west
> and some human rights or other liberalextremist groups. But the
> author?s recent writings on Myanmar, ?ArmyRulers Tighten Iron Grip on
> Burma? which appeared in the May 24, 1999Washington Post unfortunately
> indicates that Kevin Sullivan needs tobe a more informed and
> responsible by being at least more knowledgableof the subject he is
> writing about. His incredible lack of knowledge onMyanmar?s tradition,
> culture, religion, historical and politicalsituation made his article
> not only flavorless but in many ways quiteinsulting to even those who
> are not in favor of the present governmentin Myanmar. The author
> definitely has the perfect legitimate rights toexpress his own personal

> views and comments on whatever subject he intends to write but for
> credibility sake he should be  more informed of the subject.
> 
> 28th May 1999
> Dr.Richard Aung Win
> H.K
> Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/

Indeed one should be informed about the subject on which one publishes. In
the case of Shan State, the good doctor should be informed of some
research published in Jane's Intelligence Review (he should let us know
whether he considers this journal to be one of the liberal extremist
groups to which he refers), in their Nov. 1, 1998 issue.

"A brutal if low-intensity war of attrition is being waged by the Burmese
government against the only sizeable minority army in Shan State not to
have signed a peace agreement.  The conflict and the government's policy
in dealing with it has caused probably the worst, and least documented,
human rights abuses currently in Asia.

The extent of the dislocation of villagers and the brutality the military
displays in dealing with civilians, including the rapes and massacres of
children, has led many Shan leaders to suspect that Rangoon is
intentionally depopulating Shan State."

Before blithely denying the suffering of others, the doctor should get his
own facts straight.