Burma News (r)

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Copyright 1994 The New York Times Company The New
York Times 
October 23, 1994, Sunday, Late Edition - Final
SECTION: Section 3; Page 36; Column 1; Financial
Desk LENGTH: 344 words HEADLINE: Despotism
Revisited : To the Editor: Gino A. Soave contends
that Edith Mirante's comments on Myanmar, formerly
Burma (Viewpoints, Aug. 28), are "culturally
biased." Unlike Ms. Mirante, Mr. Soave does not
quote any Burmese and omits mentioning Myanmar's
elected representatives and their repeated calls
for sanctions against Myanmar's dictatorship, the
State Law and Order Restoration Council. 

    Mr. Soave complains that Ms. Mirante calls the
council "recalcitrant" and "despots." What else
does one call a dictatorship that refuses to give
up power after it suffers overwhelming electoral
defeat? Let's not mince words: The council is
essentially an organized crime syndicate that has
taken over the country.

   Without outside pressure, why would the council
give up its lucrative rule for democracy? As the
council's Saw Maung said of earlier calls for
peaceful dialogue, "that is not the way it works."
Only a Chamberlain-esque naivete could let Mr.
Soave seriously expect the council to have
suddenly changed since its recent attack on
refugee camps.

   Countering Mr. Soave's hand-waving about how
doing business with the council will lead to
democracy, The Bangkok Post has noted that "
'constructive engagement' clearly has not worked
and a stronger signal should be sent." The former
United States Ambassador to Burma, Burton Levin,
said the council was "sosingle-minded that
whatever money they obtain from foreign sources,
they pour straight into the army, while the rest
of the country is collapsing."

   Those who oppose sanctions against Burma must,
if they are truly concerned about democracy,
present a credible alternative: milquetoast
constructive engagement has only given the
impression that the West is prepared to buy the
council's stolen goods. One wonders why a trade
consultant is so upset about an expert on Burma
reminding readers that the Burmese people have
repeatedly called for sanctions. REID COOPER
Ottawa, Oct. 8 The writer is a coordinator with
the Burma-Tibet group of the Ontario Public
Interest Research Group at Carleton University.

Copyright 1994 The New York Times Company The New
York Times

October 23, 1994, Sunday, Late Edition - Final
SECTION: Section 3; Page 36; Column 5; Financial
Desk
LENGTH: 95 words
HEADLINE: Despotism Revisited
BODY: To the Editor:

   It is most enlightening to learn from Mr. Soave
that applying the word "despots" to the military
clique that rules Myanmar reflects a "culturally
biased view" and a "purely Western moral
approach." 

    I have always allowed myself to be swept along
by culturally biased moralistic condemnation of
Auschwitz, the Soviet Gulag, South African
apartheid and the like. But henceforth I will try
to view these phenomena from a broader cultural
perspective, instead of applying narrow Western
value judgments. LOUIS JAY HERMAN Manhattan, Oct.
10

Copyright 1994 Times Business Publications
Business Times

    October 22, 1994, Weekend Edition
SECTION: Executive Lifestyles; Personal Finance &
Investment; Pg. 4
LENGTH: 774 words
HEADLINE: Stock market set to see strong 4th qtr
BYLINE: Elaine Koh
BODY: Elaine Koh looks at the top picks of broker
SBS HG Asia

    A RESURGENCE in export activity and relatively
loose monetary policy have set the stage for a
strong fourth quarter for the Singapore stock
market, a recent report by SBS HG Asia says.

   Five of its top picks follow:

   Far East Levingston: The share price should
find support with the clinching of new contracts.
If oil prices continue to firm, this could also
lead to new rig orders.

   Its current order book is nearly US$ 300
million (S$ 441 million), among them a US$ 170
million job to build a floating production,
storage and offloading vessel. It is also
finalising a US$ 100 million deal to build a power
barge for Myanmar, which should boost fiscal year
1996 earnings.

Copyright 1994 Xinhua News Agency OCTOBER 22,
1994, SATURDAY LENGTH: 73 words HEADLINE:
singapore newspaper to be distributed in myanmar
DATELINE: yangon, october 22; ITEM NO: 1022057

   business times", a newspaper of singapore, is
to be distributed in myanmar under a newly-signed
agreement, local press said today. "business
times" is the first foreign newspaper to be
circulated in myanmar. the stationery, printing
and photographic stores trading of the myanmar
ministry of trade and the singapore press holding
ltd. signed the agreement here on friday for the
distribution of the singapore newspaper in
myanmar. 

Copyright 1994 Xinhua News Agency LENGTH: 116
words HEADLINE: french firm to supply power
machines to myanmar DATELINE: yangon, october 21;
ITEM NO: 1021057

   a french company has agreed to supply machines
of natural gas power plant to myanmar, according
to an official report today. the agreement was
signed here on thursday between the european gas
turbines of france and the state- run myanma
electric power enterprise. under the agreement,
the french company will supply machines for
construction of the second 100-megawatt power
plant near the main power sub-station in yangon,
capital of myanmar. the new station will be
completed in seven months and will supply power in
full through the power grid beginning may 1995.
another french company, the gec alsthom of france,
has supplied machines for the first natural gas
power plant in yangon.