Burma, Timor Causes Merge

[agptimor@xxxxxxxxxx]

Subject: Burma, Timor Causes Merge

/* Written  8:40 am  Jul 20, 1994 by apakabar@xxxxxxxxx in gn:reg.indonesia */
/* ---------- "Burma, Timor Causes Merge" ---------- */

Forwarded message:
>From julia_read@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Tue Jul 19 22:39 EDT 1994
Date: Wed, 20 Jul 1994 12:43:27 +1000
Subject: Human Rights Protests in Th
To: John MacDougall <apakabar@xxxxxxxxx>
Message-id: <01HEXH5BGQGY00AGCU@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
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Mail*Link(r) SMTP               Human Rights Protests in Thailand

DATE=7/19/94
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-162191
TITLE=SUU KYI PROTESTS (L)
BYLINE=DAN ROBINSON
DATELINE=BANGKOK
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:  BURMA'S DEMOCRACY LEADER AND 1991 NOBEL PEACE PRIZE 
RECIPIENT, AUNG SAN SUU KYI, BEGINS HER FIFTH YEAR UNDER HOUSE 
ARREST WEDNESDAY IN RANGOON.  AROUND THE WORLD, HUMAN RIGHTS AND 
BURMESE DISSIDENT GROUPS STAGED DEMONSTRATIONS. V-O-A'S DAN 
ROBINSON IN BANGKOK REPORTS ON ONE SUCH DEMONSTRATION IN THE THAI
CAPITAL THAT TOOK PLACE DESPITE GOVERNMENT EFFORTS TO DISCOURAGE 
SUCH PROTESTS:

TEXT:  BURMESE STUDENTS LIVING AS REFUGEES IN THAILAND HAVE BEEN 
FEARFUL OF BEING ARRESTED SHOULD THEY PARTICIPATE IN ANY PUBLIC 
DEMONSTRATION.

THAT DID NOT STOP ABOUT 10 OF THEM FROM DEMONSTRATING OUTSIDE THE
BURMESE EMBASSY IN BANGKOK, SHOUTING SLOGANS CALLING FOR THE 
RELEASE OF AUNG SAN SUU KYI AND DEMOCRACY IN BURMA:

                   // ACT OF DEMONSTRATION //

THAI POLICE AND SECURITY OFFICIALS ALLOWED THE DEMONSTRATION TO 
PROCEED.  ONE REPORT SAID POLICE ARRESTED ONE PROTESTER FOR 
ALLEGEDLY BEING WITHOUT PROPER IDENTIFICATION PAPERS.

EARLIER, FOUR FOREIGN HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS DEMONSTRATED OUTSIDE
THE EMBASSY GATE.  THEY WORE PAPER CHAINS SYMBOLIZING WHAT THEY 
CALLED THE SUFFERING OF POLITICAL PRISONERS AND BURMESE CITIZENS.

KEN KAWASAKI, REPRESENTING A GROUP CALLED BURMESE RELIEF CENTER 
IN JAPAN, READ A STATEMENT:

                       // KAWASAKI ACT //

         AS WE STAND HERE IN FRONT OF THE SLORC EMBASSY IN 
         BANGKOK, WE JOIN WITH THE BURMA YOUTH VOLUNTEER 
         ORGANIZATION IN TOKYO AND MANY OTHER GROUPS IN CALLING 
         ON THE WORLD TO CRY OUT IN PROTEST AGAINST THE INJUSTICE
         OF HER DETENTION, UNWARRANTED EVEN BY THE MILITARY 
         JUNTA'S OWN ARBITRARY RULES.  SYMBOLICALLY MANACLED AND 
         CHAINED WE WISH TO DEMONSTRATE OUR SOLIDARITY WITH  THE 
         THOUSANDS OF OTHER POLITICAL PRISONERS INSIDE BURMA.

                          // END ACT //

THAI AUTHORITIES HAVE WARNED AGAINST DEMONSTRATIONS THAT MIGHT 
HAVE A DISRUPTIVE EFFECT ON MEETINGS IN BANGKOK OF THE 
ASSOCIATION OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN NATIONS (ASEAN).

// OPT // A RADIO NEWSCAST FROM THE GOVERNMENT'S INFORMATION 
DEPARTMENT SAID :

                         // RADIO ACT //

THAILAND HAS PLANNED TIGHT SECURITY MEASURE FOR PARTICIPANTS IN 
THE ASEAN MEETINGS IN BANGKOK FROM JULY TWENTY SECOND TO THE 
TWENTY EIGHTH, 1994.  AUTHORITIES ARE FULLY PREPARED TO DEAL WITH
UNTOWARD (UNRULY) INCIDENTS WHICH ARE MOST UNLIKELY TO HAPPEN 
HERE.

                          // END OPT //

THE THAI GOVERNMENT HAS COME UNDER HEAVY CRITICISM FOR ATTEMPTING
TO BLOCK A SEMINAR BY HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS THAT WOULD FOCUS ON THE
SITUATIONS IN BURMA AND IN EAST TIMOR.

THAI OFFICIALS SAY THIS IS IN LINE WITH THE SPIRIT OF NOT 
ALLOWING GROUPS TO USE ONE ASEAN COUNTRY AS A PLATFORM TO 
CRITICIZE ANOTHER.

BUT IN A CLEAR CHALLENGE TO AUTHORITIES, ACTIVISTS VOWED TO GO 
AHEAD WITH THEIR MEETING.  THEY SAY THE ARREST OR DEPORTATION OF 
FOREIGN PARTICIPANTS WOULD SHOW THAT THAILAND DOES NOT VALUE 
BASIC HUMAN RIGHTS. (SIGNED)

NEB/DR/FA/HVS

19-Jul-94 5:18 AM EDT (0918 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America