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The BurmaNet News: October 19, 1999



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The BurmaNet News: October 19, 1999
Issue #1382

HEADLINES:
==========
ap: UN Envoy Meets Myanmar's Suu Kyi
BBC: TWO KILLED, SEVEN DETAINED FOR CALLING?"CROOK"
XINHUA: 183 PARLIAMENT REPRESENTATIVES REMAIN VALID
THE JOURNAL: JAILED PROTESTOR "IN GOOD HEALTH"
AP: OIL TANKER EXPLODES NEAR THAILAND
BKK POST: RUMOURS CAUSE KYAT TO PLUNGE SHARPLY
BKK POST: RANGOON SPONSORS ANTI-TERRORISM RALLY
NATION: DOS AND DON'TS IN THAI BURMESE LINKS
XINHUA: FOREIGN INVESTMENT IN MYANMAR SHARPLY DROPS
ALTSEAN: ACTION NEEDED TO PREVENT YOUTH VIOLENCE
*****************************************************

ASSOCIATED PRESS: UN ENVOY MEETS MYANMAR'S SUU KYI
17 October, 1999

YANGON, Myanmar (AP) - A United Nations special envoy met Myanmar's
pro-democracy leader Sunday as part of his latest bid to break the political
impasse between her and the country's military government.

U.N. Assistant Secretary General Alvaro de Soto met Aung San Suu Kyi, winner
of the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize, at her lakeside home, diplomats said on
condition of anonymity.

Suu Kyi has appealed for years without success for Myanmar's ruling generals
to hold a meaningful dialogue with her to bring civilian rule to the
Southeast Asian country, which has been under military control since 1962.

In 1990, her National League for Democracy overwhelmingly won elections, but
the result was never honored by the military, and the country remains
without a parliament. Hundreds of Suu Kyi's followers have been jailed and
her activities are tightly curbed.

De Soto, making his sixth trip to Myanmar, has also met Lt. Gen. Khin Nyunt,
the powerful head of military intelligence and one of the top four generals
of the ruling council.

Almost no details of the meetings have been released.

*****************************************************

BBC: TWO KILLED, SEVEN DETAINED FOR CALLING LEADING OFFICIAL A "CROOK"
9 October, 1999

BBC Summary of World Broadcasts

Source: Democratic Voice of Burma, Oslo, in Burmese 1245 gmt 7 Oct 99

Text of report by Burmese opposition radio on 7th October

According to a report received by the Democratic Voice of Burma, 27
employees from the 'Kyemon' newspaper were interrogated for describing
Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt as the world-famous crook. It was reported that two people
died in the course of the interrogation.

The 25th September issue of 'Kyemon' carried a picture and a report about
Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt meeting the chairman of the Burma Council of Churches.
Above the picture of Lt-Gen Khin was the caption: "The World Famous Crook".

Soon after the release of the newspaper, military intelligence agents came
and conducted interrogations, leading to a 'Kyemon' newspaper employee, U
Hla Han dying on 27th September and another employee, U Tha Win, dying on
2nd October.

The bodies of the two were cremated immediately after their deaths and their
family members were allowed to view the bodies for only a few minutes.
According to some close relatives, they had bruises on their faces. The SPDC
[State Peace and Development Council] authorities were reported to have
given only 10,000 kyat [Burmese currency] for their funeral expenses. The
military intelligence threatened the family members not to disclose the
incident.

Due to much discontent among the 'Kyemon' staff members, 20 persons, who
were detained, were released. However, seven are still being detained.

A political observer said that the SPDC generals were much embarrassed by
the inadvertent errors in the SPDC newspapers which happened to reflect the
truth. That is why they tortured those they believed to be responsible until
they died. An editorial in the ' Myanmar Alin' newspaper in February claimed
that the SPDC government is relentlessly working for opium cultivation and
trade. During 1991, a caption describing Foreign Minister U Ohn Gyaw
delivering an address at a UN conference was put next to the picture of the
prime minister of the National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma,
Dr Sein Win, and his ministers attending a meeting.

In early 1990, a caption, "Cows Show" , was put under a picture of SPDC
generals seated in a row. Soon after the SPDC seized power, a cartoon
referring to the SPDC appeared in the 'Working People's Daily' with the
caption, "Defect to Government".

[BurmaNet Editor's Note: Reporters Sans Frontières (RSF) Paris has launched
a campaign to inquire about this case.  For more information, contact
Vincent Brossel at RSF, 5, rue Geoffroy Marie, Paris 75009, France, tel: +33
1 44 83 84 84, fax: +33 1 45 23 11 51, e-mail: asie@xxxxxx Internet:
http://www.rsf.fr.]

*****************************************************

XINHUA: 183 PARLIAMENT REPRESENTATIVES REMAIN VALID IN MYANMAR
18 October, 1999

Xinhua, Yangon, 18 October 1999. Only 183 parliament representatives out of
the 485 who were elected in the 1990 general election remain valid as of the
end of May this year, according to the country's Election Commission.

The 302 others include 91 resigned, 31 died, 72 disqualified under election
law and 108 canceled for breach of law. Of the 392 elected parliament
representatives of the winning opposition National League for Democracy
(NLD), only 129 remain valid.

The 263 others include 82 resigned, 26 died, 38 disqualified under election
law, 95 canceled for breach of law and 22 became independent elected , the
Commission said. The 1990 General Election, contested by 93 political
parties, was sponsored by the Myanmar military government on May 27 that
year after it took over the power of state on September 18, 1988.

The NLD complains that no parliament session has been held until now
although the election ended for many years. The NLD demanded on June 23,
1998 that the government convene the parliament elected in the election,
setting a dead line of 60 days, but it's demand was ignored. Later on
September 16 that year, the NLD unilaterally formed a 10-member "Committee
Representing the People's Parliament elected in the 1990 general election"
and set up the "People's Parliament." Meanwhile, the Myanmar government
regarded itself as a "transitional or caretaker government" which has "no
intention" to hold on to power for long time.

*****************************************************

THE JOURNAL (NEWCASTLE, UK): JAILED PRO-DEMOCRACY PROTESTOR "IN GOOD HEALTH"
18 October, 1999 by Peter McCusker

Family receives letter from Burma

THE family of jailed pro-democracy campaigner James Mawdsley have heard he
is in "good health and spirits", and received their first detailed letter
from him.

British vice consul to Burma Karen Williams saw James last Friday. It is
only the second time he has been allowed a visit since he was jailed seven
weeks ago.

Mr Mawdsley, 26, dictated a letter in which he says he is "very happy". He
says he will not appeal against his sentence as he does not recognise the
legitimacy of the Burmese government.

And he goes on to thank his father for recommending he takes exercise, and
has asked his mother to bring books when she visits.

Mother Diana, of Brancepeth, Durham City, last night welcomed the letter,
which came via the Foreign Office in London.

She said: "We are delighted. I was distraught not knowing how he was. It
must be desperately lonely for him. But now I know how he is, I feel a hell
of a lot better."

James, a former pupil at Hexham's Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College was
jailed for 17 years in early September for entering Burma without a visa and
possessing pro-democracy literature.

He is currently being held in Keng Tung prison. This is the third time he
has been arrested in Burma for his pro-democracy activities. During
detainment last summer he was tortured.

In the letter shown to The Journal, James says: "I am sure you will not
misunderstand but I am very happy . . . It is not the lack of resources or
development which is causing the deep suffering, but it is because the
military regime does not regard the people of Burma as human beings. MKN [a
fellow prisoner] has been in solitary confinement for more than 10 years. I
would like every foreigner who comes to Burma to ask the SPDC [the military
junta] when they will release MKN.

"I do not recognise the legitimacy of the SPDC so I will not appeal through
their legal system . . . I am not suffering.

"I hope the Glovers, the Hens [the Henburys who are family friends] and
especially Sarah [sister-in-law] are not upset. I am fine."

The letter also came with a communique from the Foreign Office which
included a summary of Ms Williams' visit. It says James is in "good health
and spirits", and continues: "The only physical difference she noted was
that James was sporting a beard."

*****************************************************

ASSOCIATED PRESS: OIL TANKER EXPLODES NEAR THAILAND
18 October, 1999

BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) - In a suspected act of sabotage, an oil tanker
belonging to Myanmar exploded while at anchor near the country's tense
border with Thailand, police said today.

The oil tanker exploded late Saturday just off the Myanmar coast, one mile
from Thailand. Two crewmen on the oil tanker died, and a cargo ship also was
destroyed, the Bangkok Post newspaper reported.

Thai police at the nearby port of Ranong, 290 miles southwest of Bangkok,
arrested three Myanmar nationals five hours after the explosion.

Police said the three were carrying dynamite and traveling in a boat in Thai
waters. They were charged with illegally crossing the Thai border and
possessing explosives.

``These people accepted that they owned the dynamite but denied any
involvement in the oil tank explosion. We are detaining all of them for
investigation,'' said Major General Charoen Maneewong, commander of the
Ranong police.

The incident comes at a time of bilateral tension: Myanmar's military regime
has blamed Bangkok for allowing anti-Myanmar ``terrorists'' to operate from
Thai territory. Officials from Myanmar, also known as Burma, were not
immediately available for comment on the explosion.

*****************************************************

THE BANGKOK POST: RUMOURS CAUSE KYAT TO PLUNGE SHARPLY
28 October, 1999

Tak - The Burmese currency, the kyat, has plunged sharply in value after
rumours Rangoon was abolishing banknotes of large denomination.

Burmese workers in the province frantically exchanged the kyat for baht,
depressing the Burmese currency's value from 11.50 baht last week to 9.50
baht per 100 kyat, said a private foreign exchange firm.

Rumours circulated that 500 and 200 kyat banknotes would be cancelled.

Tak chamber of commerce, however, denied the rumour but conceded it added
uncertainty to the already volatile border situation.

*****************************************************

THE BANGKOK POST: RANGOON SPONSORS ANTI-TERRORISM RALLY
16 October, 1999

CROWD ANGRY THAT REBELS TOOK EMBASSY

RANGOON, AFP -- A crowd of 15,000 rallied in the Burmese capital yesterday
to condemn terrorism in the wake of the recent hostage crisis at Burma's
Bangkok embassy, eyewitnesses said.

The crowd at a sports stadium in East Rangoon was largely made up of
members of various social and business organisations sponsored by the ruling
junta, sources said.

They said security was tight at the mass rally, which was also attended by
the Red Cross and fire brigades -- considered to be the reserve forces.

The first to address the gathering was Tin Maung Win, secretary of the rice
millers' association, who urged the crowd to condemn the gunmen who stormed
Burma's embassy on Oct 1.

The gunmen armed with AK-47 rifles and grenades held almost 40 people
hostage for 25 hours before fleeing Bangkok aboard a helicopter supplied by
Thai authorities.

Another speaker called for full public support for the government's "peace
and development" initiatives.

Both resolutions were unanimously endorsed by the crowd. Sources said more
mass meetings were likely to be staged throughout the country to condemn the
hostage-taking.

Similar rallies have been held in Burma to condemn the opposition National
League for Democracy (NLD, led by Nobel Peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.

United Nations special envoy Alvaro de Soto has held talks with Mrs Suu Kyi,
official sources said yesterday.

The two-hour meeting took place at a UN residence not long after Mr de Soto
arrived in Rangoon on Thursday, they said, on a five-day mission expected to
focus on political reform.

Mr de Soto, the UN assistant secretary-general for political affairs, also
held a working lunch with Burma's Foreign Minister Win Aung after arriving,
sources said.

The international community has suspended non-humanitarian aid to Burma
because of the junta's refusal to recognise the NLD.

*****************************************************

THE NATION: DOS AND DON'TS IN THAI BURMESE LINKS
18 October, 1999 by Kavi Chongkittavorn

DON'T send former army chief Gen Chetta Thanajaro to Rangoon for talks with
the military junta leaders, because he is so close to them he might cut his
own deal.

Do inform the Burmese intelligence service during the next hostage-taking so
that its officials in Thailand can inform the parties concerned promptly.

Don't allow Deputy Foreign Minister Sukhumbhand Paribatra to be a hostage,
because the die-hard students were soft on him. Please ask opposition leader
Gen Chavalit Yongchaiyudh: the students can take appropriate measures during
a bumpy helicopter ride.

Do send a young Thai ambassador who grew up during the Oct 14, 1973,
bloodshed to Rangoon in the future as he could promote people-to-people
dialogue so that he can perform his duty.

Don't let Burma blackmail Thailand again: ask the junta leaders to send a
list of their demands early so that suitable interest groups and businessmen
can respond with cash.

Do tell our Chinese friends as a matter of urgency that any Chinese-made
ammunition and guns and other show-off artillery pieces and surface-to-air
missiles on the Burmese side of the border may harm Thai soldiers, something
which Thailand does not want to see as our countries are preparing for the
25th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations.

Do persuade Asean members that as chairman of Asean this year Thailand
should be able to draw up provisions to suspend the membership if any member
behaves in a totalitarian manner and disregards the Asean spirit.

Don't get close to Burmese fishing trawlers in the Andaman Sea, because of
late these folks are not genuine: they bear an uncanny resemblance to
soldiers.

Do make sure the Thai government sends baskets of durians to the doves
within the Burmese army as their positions are in jeopardy.

Don't let Deputy Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sanan Kachornprasat
handle the next siege, because he has developed ''Stockholm Syndrome'' and
could give potential troublemakers permanent residence.

Do review Thailand's policy towards Burma, because there has been increased
coordination among concerned authorities, especially the Foreign Ministry
and the Thai army and local officials.

Don't shut down the Thai border, because the five fleeing students might not
be able to make it to one of the Western embassies and ask for asylum.

Do send a message to the Karen National Union that the military junta
leaders are likely to take their frustration out on them during the upcoming
dry season.

Don't evict the estimated 100,000 Burmese refugees along the Thai-Burmese
border, because the UN High Commissioner for Refugees cannot get permission
to cross the border or criticize the junta.

Do pay the phone bill for the hot line between the Bangkok and Rangoon
foreign ministries as communications have not run smoothly of late.

Don't use the Swat teams from the Royal Thai Police in any future embassy
siege: use Burmese sharpshooters instead as they can identify the students
better.

Do applaud Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai for his consistency in refusing to
visit Burma because the junta refuses to allow him to see opposition leader
Aung San Suu Kyi.

Don't allow any personnel of Doctors Without Borders (Medicins Sans
Frontieres), the latest Nobel Peace prize winner, to go too close to the
Thai-Burmese border, because it is too dangerous.

Do praise the interpreter of Burmese Ambassador U Hla Maung for his
ambivalent translation that attracted headlines in all Thai newspapers.

Don't build the proposed dam on the Salween River, because Thailand will be
too dependent on Burma for future energy use.

Do promote Bangladesh-India-Myanmar-Sri Lanka-Thailand Economic Cooperation
(Bimstec), because Burma has pledged to promote academic exchanges even
though all universities are shut down.

Do increase the number of scholarships to Burmese students who have good
connections with the State Peace and Development Council so that they can
study in Thailand and be reunited with their old classmates.

Don't register Thai trawlers with Burmese names.

Do rename ''enhanced interaction'', the old name for the flexible-engagement
policy, ''enhanced fishing cooperation''.

Don't fan growing Thai nationalism against Burma as Thailand does not want
to fight a 52nd war (44 of which occurred during Ayudhya and Thonburi
periods).

Do let all the editors in Bangkok know that Burma has been holding the 46
million Burmese hostages since 1988 as they have failed to mention it in
their recent analyses.

*****************************************************

XINHUA: FOREIGN INVESTMENT IN MYANMAR SHARPLY DROPS
18 October, 1999

Xinhua, Yangon 18 October 1999. Foreign investment in Myanmar amounted to
only 11.823 million U.S. dollars in the first half of this year, plummeting
by 94.73 percent from the same period of last year when 224.482 million
dollars came in. During the half-year period, Myanmar absorbed investment
from India,  Thailand, Japan and Indonesia with 4.5 million dollars, 4.5
million dollars,  1.446 million dollars and 1.377 million dollars
respectively, according to the latest figures published by the country's
Central Statistical Organization.

Of the total, 7.323 million dollars were injected into manufacturing sector
in three projects, 3.5 million dollars into hotels and tourism sector in one
project and 1 million dollars into mining sector in one project. The sharp
drop of foreign investment was mainly attributed to the impact of the Asian
financial crisis.

The Myanmar government openly admitted recently that due to the effect of
the crisis, direct investment from member countries of the Association of
Southeast Asian Nations reduced by 70 percent. According to the statistics,
since Myanmar opened to foreign investment in late 1988, the country has
drawn a total of 7.1 billion dollars from 24 countries and regions. The 10
major foreign investors lined up as Britain, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia,
France, the United States, Indonesia, the Netherlands, the Philippines and
Japan.

China ranked the 14th with 30.826 million dollars.

*****************************************************

ALTSEAN: URGENT INTERNATIONAL ACTION NEEDED TO PREVENT BURMESE YOUTH
VIOLENCE
16 October, 1999

"BURMESE YOUTH ARE HOSTAGES IN THEIR OWN COUNTRY"

Bangkok, Sat: Urgent international action to alleviate Burma's human rights
crisis is needed to ensure that the country's youth does not resort to
violence as a solution. This is the conclusion of a team of youth leaders
who participated in a forum with National League for Democracy members on
Thursday in Rangoon.

Ms Latheefa Koya, Youth Wing Secretary of Malaysia's Parti Rakyat Malaysia
feared that Burmese youth growing up under the brutality of the military
regime would consider violence as 'normal'. Commenting on the recent hostage
incident at the Burmese embassy in Bangkok, she said: "Sympathy was strong
because they understood the frustration felt by the  students. The NLD youth
themselves feel like they are hostages in their own country, and consider
the real terrorists to be the military regime itself, as it has massacred
many students during demonstrations and uprisings."

"But they [NLD youth] will stick to principles of nonviolence. This is a
real sacrifice for them because they are constantly being harassed and
arrested. So, to remain nonviolent is not easy," Ms Koya added.

The Forum was attended by about 100 NLD members, including party General
Secretary Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, who was facilitator and translator. The
Forum was a lively one, with warm banter and exchange of ideas among all
participants. Topics discussed ranged from the participation of women in
politics, harassment by military authorities, economic policy, and
democratic and non-violent principles. It was the first time that such a
youth forum had been held.

Mr Tatsuya Niimi, an economics major from Japan, reported on the reaction he
received from the youth regarding the notion that human rights would
naturally follow economic development. "They strongly disagreed. It was
clear to me that Burmese students do not want investment or ODA which does
not take into consideration human rights concerns."

Mr Niimi, a member of the Japanese People's Forum on Burma, commented on
Japanese investment in Burma saying, "Economic assistance is often desirable
and welcome, but in the case of Burma, I question if the assistance has
actually enriched the society or contributed to the well being of the
people."

Mr Jenagan R from Malaysian NGO Pusat Komas found that the youths' views
were well informed and well articulated. "It was so impressive to see how
they have kept in touch with issues in spite of the limited access to
information. They are so intelligent-the tragedy is that their full
potential cannot be realized now as the universities are closed. The
ordinary youth must be terribly demoralized and desperate because their
future is so bleak "

Mr Lum Chih Feng was struck by the stamina and commitment of NLD youth.
"They have been struggling for more than 10 years, but I could still see
their spirit. Although they are always oppressed by the military, they still
build solidarity among youth and senior activists." Mr Lum, who represented
SUARAM, a Malaysian human rights NGO, had expected to meet activists
exhausted by the junta's massive crackdown on the party.

All four of the non-Burmese participants emphasized the importance of
international solidarity and support for the pro-democracy movement. When
asked about her impression of the prospects for democracy in Burma, Ms Koya
responded, "that depends largely on support from the international
community."

At the Youth Forum, one Burmese student noted that South Africa's
anti-apartheid struggle only succeeded with the support of the international
community. All four of the guests to the Forum expressed their own sense of
solidarity with Burmese youth and pressed ASEAN and Japan to take more
positive measures to support democracy in Burma. The team reported their
findings at a press conference held at the Foreign Correspondents Club of
Thailand on Friday, October 15.

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