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The BurmaNet News: October 20, 1999



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 Catch the latest news on Burma at www.burmanet.org
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The BurmaNet News: October 20, 1999
Issue #1383

HEADLINES:
==========
REUTERS: UN OFFICIAL LEAVES MYANMAR AFTER MISSION
SHAN: STATE OF EMERGENCY DECREED IN BURMA
MIZZIMA: JOURNALISTS' BODY WORRIES OVER ALLEGATIONS
KNU: TENNASSERIM DIVISION UPDATE
NATION: BURMESE STUDENTS LAY SIEGE TO REFUGEE CENTRE
BKK POST: THIS IS NOT A DICTATORSHIP
AFP: THAILAND AND US BEGIN MILITARY EXERCISES
XINHUA: MYANMAR-CHINA BILATERAL TRADE UP 10 PERCENT
*****************************************************

REUTERS: UN OFFICIAL LEAVES MYANMAR AFTER DIALOGUE MISSION
18 October, 1999

YANGON, Oct 18 (Reuters) - A senior U.N. official left Myanmar on Monday
after a delicate five day mission aimed at promoting dialogue between
Yangon's ruling military and the beleaguered opposition led by Nobel
laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.

Assistant U.N. secretary-general for political affairs Alvaro de Soto held
talks with top officials from the governing State Peace and Development
Council (SPDC), Suu Kyi and other political parties that represent ethnic
minorities, during the trip.

De Soto, who travelled as an emissary of U.S. Secretary-General Kofi Annan,
went to Myanmar following a request to Annan from the U.N. General Assembly
to try to end Myanmar's isolation by persuading the government to negotiate
with the opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) led by Suu Kyi.

"He leaves Yangon...in order to report to the Secretary-General. The
Secretary-General will shortly submit a report to the U.N. General Assembly
on his mandate of good offices concerning Myanmar," a U.N. statement issued
in Yangon said.

The U.N. assembly, as well as Western countries led by the United States and
the European Union, has condemned Myanmar for severe human rights violations
ranging from forced labor to torture of prisoners, mainly students,
professionals and academics.

De Soto last travelled to Myanmar a year ago at which time he raised the
possibility of World Bank development aid if the government initiated a
dialogue with the opposition.

So far the military junta has refused to negotiate with Suu Kyi's party
unless she disbands a committee designed to represent parliament, a
challenge to its rule.

The NLD won the country's last election in 1990 but the military ignored the
results and has since tried to silence the party through arrests and
intimidation.

De Soto met Suu Kyi and top NLD officials twice during his trip, but she and
the party have not commented on the meetings.

He also met Foreign Minister Win Aung. Official media has made scant mention
of the trip, and only reported De Soto's meeting with Minister in the Office
of the SPDC, Brigadier General David Abel, and said discussion centred on
Myanmar's social and economic progress and the provision of UNDP assistance.

Khun Tun Oo, chairman of ethnic minority party the Shan Nationalities League
for Democracy, told reporters that in a meeting with De Soto his group had
provided information about the political situation in the country.

"With regards to breaking the current political deadlock, we told him that
the ball is in the court of the SPDC government," Khun Tun Oo said.

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

SHAN HERALD AGENCY FOR NEWS: STATE OF EMERGENCY DECREED IN BURMA
15 October, 1999

DIN, S.H.A.N.'s northern Shan State source, reported the whole country is
under a state of emergency as decreed by Rangoon authorities since the raid
of the Burmese embassy in Bangkok by five armed students.

For the second time during the year, Burma has undergone a state of
emergency that began on 2 October, the day after five students fighters put
the Burmese embassy in Thailand under siege, said DIN. "There was only a day
interval between the first and the second. The first time, it started in
August in anticipation of the Four Nines disturbances against the regime and
lasted for two months until the end of September".

On 10 October, each township peace and development committee met to listen
to the junta's version of the Bangkok siege and to plan for preparations
against possible attack by Thailand and 'minions' (a term for exiled
activists).

Members of the Red Cross Society, fire brigades and Union Solidarity and
Development Association (USDA) in each township were directed to keep an eye
on "suspicious characters and behaviors" and report to the authorities on
any hourly basis.

[S.H.A.N. is a non-profit making, independent Shan media group. It is not
affiliated to any political or armed organization.]

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

MIZZIMA NEWS GROUP: JOURNALISTS' BODY WORRIES OVER RECENT ALLEGATIONS
19 October, 1999

Journalists' body worries over the recent allegations of killing, torture
and detention of some journalists in Burma

New Delhi, October 19, 1999: Paris-based "Reporters sans frontieres" (RSF)
yesterday expressed that it is deeply worried about the recent allegations
of killing, torture and detention of several media workers and journalists
of "Kye Mon" (The Mirror), a government-run newspaper in Burma. The RSF has
called for an international campaign to send appeals to Burma's military
leader General Than Shwe to express strong protest over the alleged
repression of media workers by the military junta and to urge him to secure
the immediate release of those journalists.

Burma pro-democracy groups in exile has recently alleged that "Kye Mon" was
raided on September 25, 1999 in Rangoon by security forces after the
newspaper published a picture of General Khin Nyunt who head the powerful
military intelligence in Burma, just above a report headlined "The world
famous crook". A few hours later, policemen arrested at least twenty staff
members, journalists and employers, and interrogated at a Rangoon police
station. On 27 September, a "Kye Mon" layout artist's family learnt from
security forces that their relative died at the hands of police. Seven
workers of the newspaper are reportedly still detained.

RSF has asked General Than Shwe to make a public statement about these
allegations. It is learnt that the only declaration made by an official,
reported by Agence France Presse (AFP) on 12 October, denied the
allegations. According to the official, the general's picture had appeared
over the story due to a layout error, and no media workers had been killed,
arrested or beaten.

"However, military junta offered no evidence of this, and other informed
sources have confirmed in recent days that violence was committed against
Kye Mon staff", said RSF in its statement which was distributed by IFEX
(International Freedom of Expression Community) as an action alert on 18
October.

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

KAREN NATIONAL UNION: TENNASERIM DIVISION UPDATE
18 October, 1999 from 7kb9800060@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Burma's Army has killed 62 villagers, tortured 15, raped 6 women and
destroyed, burned and extorted villagers' properties - an estimated costing
at least 11,453, 700 Kyat - from the beginning of July to September this
year in Tenasserim Division, Southern Burma, recorded Mergui-Tavoy District
Information Department.

50 male and 12 female Karen villagers were killed by Burma's Army (knows as
the Tatmadaw) troops from Infantry Battalions 285, 101, 280, 543, Light
Infantry Battalions 559, 560, 557 and Burma's Army formed People Militia
(Pyi Thu Sit), under the Coastal Region Military Command, headed by Division
Commander Major General Thura Thiha Thura Sit Maung. They were shot on
sight, some were captured and beaten to death, stabbed to dead, tortured and
shot to dead later. One of them among who were tortured and killed, both of
his wrist and all his toes were cut off before he was shot to dead. Most
killings occurred in Burma's Army controlled area and in the jungle where
many of villagers have fled the Burma's Army Forced Relocation Program and
hiding in the jungle. The Burma Army accused them of collaborating with the
Karen revolution movement and recognized them as enemies. [Karen revolution
movement that gives their name Karen National Union is the major ethnic
group, which has fought against the Burma government since 1949, demanded
the ethnic equal rights and freedom.]

These Burma's Army troops tortured 11 males and 4 females, accused them of
supporting Karen revolution movement in the SPDC controlled area and in
defined gray area-the area that falls under full control of neither the
Burma's Army nor Karen revolution troops. They were beaten, covered plastic
on their head, stabbed with bayonet, kept in the rain and under the sun for
a long period, kicked, struck, and had hot chili water poured on the face.

Burma Army's troops from IB 280 and 101 raped four Karen women and two
Burmese women. Except the Burmese women, all Karen women were gang raped and
shot dead afterward, one of them was a 9 year old girl.

Burma's Army have searched and destroyed the villagers hiding in the jungle
paddy fields, huts, properties, and extorted money from villagers in
relocation sites, amounting to at least 11,453,700.00 Kyat, approximately.

[ ... ]

The Committee for Internally Displaced Karen People (CIDKP) has documented
262 Karen villages existed in Tenasserim Division. Burmese Army forced
relocation program and military offensives have destroyed at least 128 Karen
villages. At least 15,995 Karen villagers are displaced in the jungle,
63,548 are displaced in relocation sites, 12556 are in refugee camps in
Thailand, and illegally migrated to Thailand after 1997.

In 1997, Burma Army launched a major offensive against the Karen National
Union, Mergu-Tavoy District (Tenasserim Division) and captured the District
HQ Meithame Kee, which located on Thai-Burma Border, in short time. Most
analysts found that the objective of this offensive was to secure the Yadana
gas pipeline, and that was also the first agreement signed between TOTAL (a
French oil company) and SLORC (Burma Military government renamed themselves,
now SPDC) in July 1992 and successfully explored gas and later to transport
the gas to Thailand.

The human rights abuses have worsened since the increased deployment of
Battalions and one Military Command in 1996. More battalions were sent to
the Yadana gas pipeline area. Now there are 50 Burma's Army Battalions in
Tenasserim Division.

The Burma Army suppression of Karen revolution in this area and their main
target is to control the whole Karen population. Even they occupied the
District HQ, the Karen revolution movement is still actively alive.

In order to bring the whole Karen population under their control, the SPDC
troops have forcibly relocated all the Karen villages in their control area.
They search and destroy paddy fields and everything from hiding villagers so
that they think the villagers could not give any thing (help) to Karen
soldiers. By operating both major in the villages and in the jungle, Burma's
Army defined free fire zone or black zone. Villages in relocation site have
to pay money in various forms demanded by the troops, and forced laborers
were often accused of having contact with Karen revolution movement and been
killed

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

THE NATION: BURMESE STUDENTS LAY SIEGE TO REFUGEE CENTRE
19 October, 1999

FIFTY-TWO Burmese students yesterday surrounded the Maneeloy holding centre
in Ratchaburi province for six hours yesterday, holding seven United High
Commissioner for Refugees staff inside after the UNHCR refused to pay all of
them their monthly stipend.

The UNHCR staff including one French, two Thais and four Burmese, were held
captive inside the centre at the time of the protest, Pakthor Station Chief
Pol Maj Col Pornchai Benjathikul said.

The incident was sparked when UNHCR officials refused to pay some students
their stipend because they were not at the centre when the monthly payment
was handed out.

Students who missed out on the payment were among the ones who had travelled
to Bangkok to protest in front of the Burmese embassy on Sept 9.

Pornchai said initially UNHCR staff paid only 28 students the stipend, but
the students demanded payment for an additional 22.

When the UNHCR officials refused, the students detained the officials in a
room at the centre.

After intervention by provincial Governor Komet Daengthongdee, the staff
agreed to pay the rest of the students, said Pornchai.

The situation ended at about 11.30 pm.

According to Pornchai, the governor suggested to the UN staff that they
yield to the students' demand for security reasons.

He said the staff's initial resistance to payment was intended to prevent
setting a precedent.

The monthly stipend is about Bt850.

Prior to the Burmese embassy siege, in which 38 people were taken hostage by
five armed Burmese student dissidents, who were later flown to the Thai
Burmese border by helicopter, the UNHCR was flexible with payments.

Students were not forced to come to the centre to receive the money in
person.

However, since the embassy siege, the UN agency has become more stringent in
dealing with the exiled students and payments were tightened.

Since the embassy crisis, many strict measures have been imposed in a bid to
better handle exiled Burmese students residing in the country, especially at
the Maneeloy centre where more than 1,000 students are living.

Most of the Maneeloy residents are waiting to be interviewed before being
resettled in third countries.

Two of the five hostage-takers in the Burmese embassy siege were thought to
have lived at the centre.

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

THE BANGKOK POST: THIS IS NOT A DICTATORSHIP
19 October, 1999

[Editorial from Thai Raht (Thai language newspaper)]

The Chuan government did the right thing by rejecting the Burmese
ambassador's statement that normalization of Thai-Burmese relations depends
on the arrest and prosecution of the five dissidents who seized the Burmese
Embassy on Oct 1.

Rangoon closed all border passes with Thailand and suspended fishing
concessions with Thai companies when the dissidents stormed the embassy and
took 89 people hostage. The dissidents were set free and flown to the border
by helicopter after they released all the hostages.

The people of both countries, particularly those living near the border,
suffer because of the strain in relations. Cross-border trade and fishing
catches are worth hundreds of million baht a day.

Rangoon may turn a blind eye to the suffering of its people, but Thailand
cannot. As a democratic government, the Chuan administration must do its
best to help the people.

Another difference between a democratic country and a dictatorial regime is
that the former adheres to the rule of law. In a dictatorial country, the
power-holders can do what they like.

When Rangoon suspended the fishing concessions, it did not even inform the
Thai investors.

In a democratic country, the laws are made to be followed by the people. The
legislature comprises the elected representatives of the people. In a
dictatorship, laws can be issued and revoked at the whim of the rulers.

The people or their representatives have no say in the matter. They have to
grin and bear it, or leave the country.

The Chuan government has already issued warrants for the arrest of the five
men who occupied the embassy and took the hostages. They are now believed to
be in Burma.

Can the Burmese government arrest them? And what can they do to stop the Wa
from smuggling narcotics across the border into Thailand?

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

AFP: THAILAND AND US BEGIN MILITARY EXERCISES NEAR MYANMAR BORDER
19 October, 1999

BANGKOK, Oct 19 (AFP) - Thailand and the United States have begun military
exercises near the border with Myanmar, close to where incursions by Myanmar
troops took place, senior Thai army sources said Tuesday.

The month-long Balance Torch 00-1 exercises were focusing on training
infantry for combat in mountainous areas, the officer said.

The exercises began Monday in the northern province of Mae Hong  Son, close
to the infamous golden triangle drug producing region, which covers parts of
Thailand, Laos, Myanmar and China.

US and Thai military officials would not reveal when they began planning the
joint exercises or how many personnel were involved.

Thai intelligence sources said the exercise may be in response to border
incursions by Myanmar troops and the junta's decision to close its border
with Thailand.

Thai officials have confirmed their troops exchanged artillery fire with
Myanmar soldiers on at least one occasion in the past week, after they
crossed into Mae Hong Son province.

However, the junta denied its troops had entered Thai territory.

Ties between Myanmar and Thailand have been greatly strained since five
gunmen stormed Yangon's embassy here on October 1, holding almost 40 people
hostage for 25 hours, before fleeing aboard a Thai helicopter.

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

XINHUA: MYANMAR-CHINA BILATERAL TRADE UP 10 PERCENT
19 October, 1999

YANGON (Oct. 19) XINHUA - Bilateral trade between Myanmar and China reached
202.73 million U.S. dollars in the first half of this year, a 9.9 percent
increase over the same period of last year when it was 184.45 million
dollars, according to the latest issue of the official "Selected Monthly
Economic Indicators."

Of the total, Myanmar's imports from China amounted to 140 million dollars,
increasing by 10.23 percent compared with the corresponding period of last
year with 127 million dollars.

Meanwhile, Myanmar's exports to China were valued at 62.73 million dollars,
9.2 percent more than the 57.45 million dollars in the same period of last
year.

The indicators also showed that in 1998, Myanmar-China bilateral trade stood
at 381.1 million dollars, of which Myanmar's imports from China took up
257.7 million dollars, while its exports to China represented 123.4 million
dollars.

Myanmar imports from China mainly machinery and spare parts and consumers
goods, while exporting timber and marine products to China.

With six trading points already opened along the Myanmar-China border,
border trade plays an important role in the bilateral trade between the two
neighbors, which accounted for 16 percent of Myanmar's total foreign trade
in the first half of this year.

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