NSC Chief says Burmese look much ha

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Subject: NSC Chief says Burmese look much ha

/* Written  7:12 pm  Feb 17, 1994 by tun@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx in igc:hrnet.asia-pac */
/* ---------- "NSC Chief says Burmese look much ha" ---------- */
## author     : tun@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
## date       : 13.02.94

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NSC Chief says Burmese look much happier
Bangkok Post
February 13, 1994

National Security Council secretary-general Charan
Kullavanijaya says he does not know how far Burma as gone
with its human rights development but he can tell from his
own observation that Burmese look happier now than they did
three years ago.

"Their faces were bright."  They have plenty of food.  There
are a lot of goods in the marked.  People are active in
farming," Gen. Charan said.

The NSC chief recently joined the Senate's foreign affairs
committee on a visit to Burma to discuss with Burmese
authorities the development of democracy and the drafting of
the constitution.

Gen Charan, however said Thai senators considered human
rights problems in Burma, where western countries and the
United Nations have been paying much attention to, a subject
to "deep" for them to bring into a bilateral discussion.

He said he thought Burma was progressing economically and
materially.  More buildings have been constructed and the
standard of living of the Burmese has improved judging from
more cars on the streets and the way people dressed.

Gen Charan declined to comment on the current state of
freedom in Burma but said what he understood was that the
general public did not lack freedom.

"But I don't know whether there have been any regulations
controlling them.  I would rather not say anything since
that might become inaccurate."

He said Burmese people also seemed to have good discipline
since he did not see any littering during a sports event
attended by tens of thousands of spectators.