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Bkk Post - Academics tell governmen



Reply-To: "TIN KYI" <tinkyi@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Bkk Post - Academics tell government to inspire change in Burma

Bangkok Post - Oct 8, 1999.
Academics tell government to inspire change in Burma
Anucha Charoenpo

University academics and human rights advocates strongly oppose the
government's decision to encourage resettlement of Burmese students in third
countries, after the embassy takeover.

They have urged the government to instead concentrate more on helping
resolve political problems in Burma.

It was not possible for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to
find countries willing to give political asylum to all Burmese students at
refugee and holding camps, Witthaya Sutjaritthanarak, former director of
Chulalongkorn University's Institute of Asian Studies, told a Bangkok
seminar yesterday.

"The resettlement policy was a reaction to the Burmese embassy siege," said
Sunai Phasuk, a researcher at the institute. He said Thailand was insincere
in its efforts to help Burmese students' bid for democracy. On Saturday the
government sent the five dissidents, who occupied the embassy, safely to the
border and later became determined to push all Burmese students out of the
country. What is happening?" he said. Mark Tamthai, a Chulalongkorn
lecturer, said Thailand should not overlook political problems in
Burma.Thailand was widely thought by other countries to have great potential
to help the cause of democracy, he said.