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BurmaNet News: November 11, 1994 (r)




************************** BurmaNet ************************** 
"Appropriate Information Technologies, Practical Strategies"
************************************************************** 
BurmaNet News: Friday, November 11, 1994
Issue #59

************************************************************** 
Contents:

BURMANET: DEAL BETWEEN SUU KYI, SLORC MAY BE IN THE WORKS
REUTERS: U.N. RIGHTS ENVOY VISITS BURMESE RAILWAY SITE
BKK POST: UN ENVOY VISITS BURMESE RAILWAY CONSTRUCTION SITE
NATION: REPORTS OF BURMESE SPIES RIDICULOUS, SAYS AUSTRALIA
REUTERS: THAI POLICE SEIZE MISSILES DESTINED FOR KHUN SA
BKK POST: POLICE: INTERCEPTED MISSILES PART OF KHUN SA DRUG DEAL
NATION: PLAN FOR GEMSTONE CITY IN VIEW OF GROWTH OF TRIANGLE 
BURMANET: BACKGROUND ON VATANA
NATION: FEDERAL SYSTEM KEY TO BURMA HARMONY
NATION: GIANT SEEN IN ASEAN-INDOCHINA MERGER 
NATION: MDX SIGNS JOINT-VENTURE FOR CHINESE POWER PROJECT 

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************************************************************** 
BURMANET: DEAL BETWEEN SUU KYI, SLORC MAY BE IN THE WORKS
November 11, 1994

BurmaNet has received reports that some sort of agreement is
about to be completed between Aung San Suu Kyi and the SLORC.  If
the reports are accurate, the scope of the agreement will be
quite limited.  The indications are that the agreement will allow
Suu Kyi to have unrestricted communications with members of her
National League for Democracy party, both inside Burma and
abroad.

************************************************************** 
REUTERS: U.N. RIGHTS ENVOY VISITS BURMESE RAILWAY SITE
November 10

BANGKOK, - A United Nations special rapporteur on human rights
has visited a railway construction site in southeast Burma that
critics of the Rangoon junta say is being built with forced
labour, Burma's state-run media said.

Japanese professor Yozo Yokota visited the railway site near the
town of Ye on Wednesday, the report said.

He met and interviewed people from three local villages who said
they had volunteered to work on construction of the railway, the
media said late on Wednesday.

Refugees fleeing the area to the Thai-Burmese border have
complained that military authorities have forced tens of
thousands of people to work without pay on the new 120 km (75
mile) railway lin the coastal towns of Ye and Tavoy.

Yokota, who has made two previous trips to Burma to assess the
human rights situation there, met Burmese Foreign Minister Ohn
Gyaw for talks on Tuesday, Burmese media said. In his last report
on Burma released earlier this year Yokota said he was ``still
concerned about the serious restrictions imposed upon people in
the enjoyment of civil and poltical rights.

``I am also gravely concerned at the continued reports of forced
porterage, forced labour, forced relocation, arbitrary killings,
beatings, rapes and confiscation of property by army soldiers
which are most commonly occuring in the border areas where the
Army is engaged in military operations or 'regional development
projects,''' he wrote.

REUTER
Transmitted: 94-11-10 06:12:21 EST

************************************************************** 
BKK POST: UN ENVOY VISITS BURMESE RAILWAY CONSTRUCTION SITE 
Friday, November 11, 1994

A United Nations special rapporteur on human rights has visited a
railway construction site in southeast Burma that critics of the
Rangoon junta say is being built with forced labour, Burma's
state-run media said.

He met and interviewed people from three local villages who said
they had volunteered to work on construction of the railway, the
media said late on Wednesday.

Refugees fleeing the area to the Thai-Burmese border have
complained that military authorities have forced tens of
thousands of people to work without pay on the new 120 km railway
line linking coastal towns of Ye and Tavoy.

Yokota, who has made two previous trips to Burma to assess the
human rights situation there, met Burmese Foreign Minister Ohn
Gyaw for talks on Tuesday, Burmese media said.

In his last report on Burma released earlier this year Yokota
said he was "still concerned about the serious restrictions
imposed upon people in the enjoyment of civil and political
rights.

"I am also gravely concerned at the continued reports of forced
porterage, forced labour, forced relocation, arbitrary killings,
beatings, rapes and confiscation of property by army soldiers
which are most commonly occurring in the border areas where the
Army is engaged in military ope regional development projects."

************************************************************** 
NATION: REPORTS OF BURMESE SPIES RIDICULOUS, SAYS AUSTRALIA
Friday, November 11, 1994

THE Australian Embassy yesterday denied reports that it paid
Burmese students for information about human rights abuse of
Burmese immigrants in Thailand.

In a statement the embassy said that it was normal practice for a
parliament to send letters to non-governmental organizations and
individuals seeking cooperation into inquiries on human rights."

"Anyone -- governments, government organizations,
non-governmental organizations or individuals can request
information," the statement said.

"The terms of reference for the [Australian] Human Rights Sub-
Committee of the Joint Parliamentary Committee on Foreign
Affairs, Defence and Trade allows it to inquire into, and report
on, the human rights situation in Burma," it continued.

"The Human Rights Sub-Committee should not be confused with the
Foreign Affairs Sub-Committee of the Joint Standing Committee on
Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade which is to visit Thailand
between Nov 18 and Dec 1 to examine Australias relationship with
Thailand."

The Australian Ambassador to Thailand, Cavan Hogue, yesterday met
national police chief Pol Gen Pochana Boonyachinda to deny
reports that some Burmese students were being hired by Canberra
to spy for Australia.

Pochana said Hogue told him the reports were ridiculous and
untrue.

On Wednesday an informed Special Branch police source, who asked
for anonymity, said the Australian Parliament made inquiries
through its Bangkok Embassy into human rights abuse of Burmese
living in Thailand.

The source said the inquiries were followed up by some exiled
Burmese students serving as Canberras "spies" here in exchange
for financial assistance.

"They would report on human rights violations on the Thai-Burmese
border," the source said.

"Thai intelligence officials have kept a close watch on this
development and have reported constantly to the Foreign
Ministry."

But Burmese student sources confirmed there is a Burmese student
group working on assignment for the Australian Embassy here.

"However, the group is not as active as previously because many
of them have already gone to Australia or the United States," one
source said.

"At present there are about 10 people working in the group."

An Interior Ministry official said yesterday he did not know of
the report.

"However the report, if it is true, is expected and
understandable. Australia has received many Burmese students from
Thailand. It contacts and consults the Interior Ministry about
their allegations, but in the meantime it has to rely on the
Burmese side," he said.

Asked whether the Australian government had requested any
cooperation from the police, Pochana said it had not.

Pochana said he and the ambassador just talked about cooperation
between the Thai and Australian police over drug suppression.

Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai said he had learnt about the
allegation from the newspaper and was waiting for a report from
the Foreign Ministry.

It would be scandalous if Canberra really had sent Burmese
students to look into human rights conditions in Thailand.

Asked why the Australian government had again accused Thailand of
providing assistance to the Khmer Rouge, Chuan said: "It may be
because an Australian was killed [by Khmer Rouge guerrillas], so
I understand that their government has to find out who was
responsible for his death."

Chuan said the government has told the Burmese students that they
can return to their homeland if they want to. If they decide to
stay here they must abide by Thai law.

"I have heard that Burmese students in refugee camps often have
disputes with villagers near the camps, particularly over
villagers daughters. Some villagers have even tried to take their
revenge on certain students," the prime minister said.

Former foreign minister Prasong Soonsiri said he thought other
human rights organizations, not just the Australians, might also
be involved in the practice.

"Such behavior stem from a narrow-minded point of view. These
people [who hire spies] are only concerned about their own
countries interests, while not caring about the other countrys at
all," Prasong remarked.

Prasong said Burmese students have no right to spy for another
country in Thailand. Anyone doing so should be arrested.

He said the Australian governments actions were in violation of
Thai peoples rights. Thailand had a responsibility to provide
accommodation for hundreds of thousands of refugees from
neighbouring countries, particularly Cambodia, but this fact was
always overlooked.

************************************************************** 
REUTERS: THAI POLICE SEIZE MISSILES DESTINED FOR KHUN SA

BANGKOK, - Border police in northern Thailand arrested two
weapons smugglers and seized two surface-to-air missiles
allegedly bound for Burma's opium warlord Khun Sa, police said on
Thursday.

One of the smugglers, both of whom are Thai, was wounded in a
brief gunfight when police made the arrest at a highway
checkpoint in Chiang Mai province late on Wednesday.

Police stopped the smugglers, who were both driving light trucks,
after they received a tip-off that the missiles, apparently
purchased from Cambodian soldiers on the Thai-Cambodian border,
were going to be delivered to Khun Sa's men on the Thai-Burmese
border, police said.

Khun Sa's guerrilla force is known to have several surface-to-air
missiles for use against the Burmese government air force.

Burmese government forces began a coordinated offensive against
Khun Sa's guerrillas in Burma's Shan state late last year.

Hundreds of guerrillas and Burmese troops have been killed in the
fighting which is expected to intensify again in the coming
dry-season months.

Khun Sa has been labeled a major heroin trafficker by Western
narcotics suppression agencies but he denies the charge saying he
only taxes opium traders to support his drive for the indepedence
of Shan state from Rangoon. The Burmese junta has vowed to crush
Khun Sa and his guerrilla army.

REUTER
Transmitted: 94-11-10 02:58:25 EST

************************************************************** 
BKK POST: POLICE: INTERCEPTED MISSILES PART OF KHUN SA DRUG DEAL
Friday, November 11, 1994
Chiang Mai

[Photo caption: Border Patrol policemen show two Russian-made SAM
missiles seized after a clash with smugglers in Chiang Dao
District, Chiang Mai. The weapons were believed to have been
destined for Khun Sa's Muang Tai Army.]

BORDER Patrol Police yesterday arrested two men carrying two
SAM-7 anti-aircraft missiles which they were allegedly planning
to deliver to the minority rebels of drug warlord Khun Sa in
exchange for heroin.

About 50 policemen besieged an area near Ban Piang Luang on the
Thai-Burmese border in Wiang Haeng district.

They set up a checkpoint on a highway from Chiang Dao to Wiang
Haeng districts on Wednesday after getting a tip-off that the
illegal war weapons would be handed to Khun Sas Muang Tai Army
that day. 

They waited until a pick-up entered the area and told it to stop.
Three men in the truck opened fire on the police, and after a
shootout lasting half an hour, the truck driver was shot in his
left arm and thigh and the three tried to esthe truck lost
control and fell into a ravine.

Because of darkness, police surrounded the area and waited until
yesterday morning to begin hunting for the three.

In the ravine they found two men lying near the truck. The
wounded driver was identified as Manat Thapman, 30, and the other
was his brother-in-law, Boonthing Bangsri, 27. Both are natives
of Phichit Province.

The third man escaped.

The two suspects, allegedly confessed to having been hired to
deliver the missiles, worth about 600,000 baht each, to Khun Sas
rebels, who in return were to provide about 7.5 kilogrammes of
heroin valued at 120,000-130,000 baht a kilo.

************************************************************** 
NATION: PLAN FOR GEMSTONE CITY IN VIEW OF GROWTH OF TRIANGLE 
Friday, November 11, 1994

VATANA Asavahame, president of MP Property Co Ltd, plans to build
a Bt3 billion "Gemstone City," comprising of a trade centre,
hotel and nursing school, on a 100-rai plot of land in Mae Sai to
facilitate the Quadrangle Economic Cooperation plan among
Thailand, Burma, Laos and southern China.

The company, a subsidiary of Emdent Plaza, also hopes to build
the regions largest department store near the site.

Moreover, there will be two condominium buildings, each with 260
rooms, a 260-bed hospital, restaurants and food centre, as well
as commercial buildings. Many of the structures are to be
completed before Dec 5 this year.

************************************************************** 
BURMANET: BACKGROUND ON VATANA
November 11, 1994

Vatana Asavahame, the gentleman referred to in the article above
is a member of the Thai Parliament from Samut Prakern and the
deputy leader of the largest opposition party, Chat Thai.  Vatana
was recently refused a visa by the U.S. State Department because
of his alleged involvement in the narcotics trade over more than
20 years.  According to a statement released by the U.S. Embassy
in Bangkok on July 2 1994, "Mr. Vatana is inelegible for a US
visa under Section 212 (A) (2) (C) of the Immigration and
Nationality Act because there is reason to believe he is or has
been an illicit trafficker in a controlled substance and/or has
been a knowing assister, abettor, conspirator or culluder with
others in illicit trafficking of controlled substances."

Despite the accusation made by the Americans, Vatana's government
decided there was no reason to investigate.  Said Senate Speaker
Meechai Ruchupan, "We still do not know if the US evidence can
support charges against Vatana.  Vatana is still innocent, so
there is no need for Thai officials to investigate."

In his years in the Parliament, Vatana became one of the
wealthiest men in Thailand.

************************************************************** 
NATION: FEDERAL SYSTEM KEY TO BURMA HARMONY 
Friday, November 11, 1994

"The SLORC needs to adopt a new approach to constitution building
if it is to develop a Burma united in its diversity, writes Khin
Muang Win."

AS Burma's SLORC-appointed National Conven on details of a new
constitution, it is crucial that the countrys ethnic diversity be
taken into account and serious consideration be given to a
federal-style system safeguarding the rights of different ethnic
groups.

In Burma history there are two "dead" constitutions -- of 1947
and 1974. The 1947 constitution, seen by some as a quasi-federal
constitution, was adopted after Burma received independence from
the British in 1948 and it died when U Ne Win seized po962. The
1974 constitution was adopted during the era of the Burma
Socialist Programme Party (BSPP) from 1974 to 1988 when the
military came into power through a coup and by cracking down on
pro-democracy demonstrators.

European experience shows that no single segment of a plural
society can be given special opportunities to enter politically
dominant positions without endangering the unity of the country
or, in SLORCs words, "national integrity". A good example of
peaceful unity of diversity can be foitzerland.

When Yugoslavia broke up, the Serbs -- the dominant group in
federal politics -- became a common enemy of secessionists.
Similarly, all the revolutionary groups in Burma see the Burmans,
the major ethnic group, as receiving special access to the
dominant positions in politics. This view dates back to
independence in 1948. Under the 1947 constitution, while some
ethnic nationalities were forming their own states within Burma,
there was no Burman state but the largest ethnic group joined in
the federal government as "Burma proper". In both houses of the
federal parliament the number of Burman representatives was not
comparable with representatives of minority groups because of the
occupying majority.

When a state prime minister had to be appointed, the final
decision rested with the federal prime minister, and throughout
the history of the 1947 constitution that federal prime minister
was always a Burman.

Burma experts point out that the 1947 constitution lacked
sufficient political principles for compatibility with ethnic
diversity. As a consequence of the lack of equal rights among
different ethnic peoples, revolutionary movements of non-Burman
groups broke out and intensified after U Ne Wins seizure of state
power in 1962.

When the 1974 constitution with a unitary government was
promulgated, there were seven states to represent seven ethnic
nationalities and seven divisions were formed to represent not
only Burmans, analysts point out. The political rights of
minority groups, as forming members of a plural society, were
denied even by the constitution.

Little has changed under the rule of the SLORC, which follows the
1974 constitution in issues involved with the formation of
constituent states and divisions as recognized by that
constitution. SLORCs ideas can be seen as trying to create Pyi
Daung Su, which translates into English as "union". The wish of
all the ethnic groups except the present ruling Burmans is to
reform the country as a "federal state". The meaning of "federal"
is different from "union" although the Burmese language uses the
words Pyi Daung Su for both.

The Bo Aung Kyaw Declaration signed between Aung San Suu Kyis
party, the National League for Democracy (NLD), and the United
Nationalities League for Democracy (UNLD), an umbrella
organization of 19 ethnic political parties, after they won the
1990 election, recognizes the creation of a federal union on the
basis of equality and self- determination of ethnic
nationalities.

SLORC is also guiding the delegates to the National Convention to
adopt presidential government with an electoral college -- a
system is used in parliamentary governments where the president
serves only as head of state.

In choosing this electoral college system SLORC could be seen as
not daring to allow direct universal suffrage for fear of the
general publics honest opinion, like the experience of military
in the aftermath of the 1990 election.

SLORC would be able to control the presidential election process
through an electoral college with one-fourth of its members
appointed by the army. While many analysts worry about the
inequality if direct elections are held in a plural society where
populous ethnic groups can influence the election result, SLORC
is frightened of the publics true will.

Many plural societies around the world exist as a unity of
diversity. Their political systems are, through provisions of
their constitutions, structured commonly as:

(a) Composition of the country is a federation of constituent
units to guarantee autonomous rights for different ethnic groups;

(Burma) Equal representation in federal politics which means no
group is, as a right, granted special chances to dominate; and

(c) Consociational model of democracy is used to form a federal
government which gives equal opportunity to all segments or
ethnic groups in the formation of a federal government. Under
this system government is formed not by election but by
representatives chosen by different segments for this purpose.

The third principle may involve some difficulties in Burma, but
the first two should be followed. The third principle is said by
some to lack majority rule democracy -- but it is a good example
of equality among diverse groups. If this principle is to be said
extreme, then pure presidential government could also be
considered an extreme model.

Some plural societies adopt parliamentary procedure, where the
government is controlled by the lower house of parliament with
representatives of different groups. A plural society with a
parliamentary government usually practices an electoral system of
proportional representation for the election of the lower house.

Following the political principles of the two dead constitutions
is unlikely to lead to a peaceful Burma, even if state power is
returned to an elected civilian government.

SLORCs failure to acknowledge the countrys diversity is similarly
forcing the nearly 50 year old civil war in Burma to continue.
Negotiating separate ceasefires with armed ethnic organizations
doesnt necessarily indicate understanding among the diverse
groups. Only after they reach agreement on political principles
can there be a guarantee of unity of diversity in Burma.

When the armed ethnic groups which are invited to attend
ceasefire talks under the juntas terms ask SLORC to discuss
political issues, SLORC always refuses -- a situation not
conductive to solving the problems of ethnic diversity. It
remains to be seen if the SLORCs own way to Pyi Daung Su maintain
"harmony of diversity"?


************************************************************** 
NATION: GIANT SEEN IN ASEAN-INDOCHINA MERGER 
Friday, November 11, 1994

PHUCKET -- Dr Nimit Nontapunthawat, executive vice president of
Bangkok Bank Co Ltd, said that if the five countries in Indochina
-- Burma, Cambodia, China, Laos and Vietnam -- can unite with the
member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations
(ASEAN) forming a new ASEAN, the bloc will be one of the worlds
powerhouses.

In doing so, all the countries in this region should cooperate in
solving problems that obstruct their economic development and
limit their economic relations to trade and investment, he
suggested.

He was speaking on "Economic Development in Indochina and South
China: It Implications for ASEAN and Japan" yesterday.

Although these emerging market economies, namely China and
Indochina are small, they are salient to both ASEAN and Japan as
new markets that can compensate for the traditional markets lost,
he said.

With regard to economic development in Indochina and China, the
demise of communism in the former Soviet Union proved that it was
difficult to successfully develop centrally planned economies.
Having learned from the East European countries experience that
starting reform on the political front first caused many
difficulties, China and Indochina, therefore, started reform on
the economic front. The essence of the economic reform policy, be
it Vietnamese "Doi Moi" or the Laotian "New Economic Mechanism,"
is the relaxation of government control, allowing the private
sector to play a greater role in business.

The most important factors which stimulate growth are the
promotion of foreign investment and trade relations with the
world.

Economic development in China and Indochina creates opportunities
for both ASEAN and Japan. ASEAN members have followed Japan in
relocation of production bases to countries with lower production
costs.

Moreover, cooperation between ASEAN and Indochina and south China
will help create stability in the energy sector of this region.
Laos, Burma and south China have huge reserves of energy while
Thailand, the Philippines and Singapore argy importers.

With respect to the role of Thailand, Thailand has seen the
opportunities and benefits from increased economic cooperation
with countries in this region since the end of the cold war. The
government has announced a policy of changing the battlefield
into a marketplace, while adopting a more liberalized financial
policy.

The Thai government has been assisting in reviving the
Indochinese economies, for example in the form of drawing up
their economic development plans, improvement of laws and
regulations.

Both the Thai government and the private sector have played a
crucial role in pushing the Thailand-Laos-Burma-South China
Growth Quadrangle, which has been extended to include Cambodia
and Vietnam.

Although the transformation from socialist to market economics in
Asia is quite remarkable, the success is still very limited due
to shortages of infrastructure and labour.

************************************************************** 
NATION: MDX SIGNS JOINT-VENTURE FOR CHINESE POWER PROJECT 
Friday, November 11, 1994 
by Pichaya Changsorn

"Agreement will assist Thailands strategy of importing power to
cope with high demand"

[Map: Sketch Map of Hydropower Stations along Lancang River
(Development Program). {From north to south; (south of Yongping,
on river bend near Yunxian) Xiowan: 4200 mgw, Manwan: 1500 mgw
(first unit June 93), Dachaoshan: 1250 mgw, (near Lancang)
Nuozhada: 5000 mg(halfway between Lancang and Jinghong, far north
of the latter) Jinghong 1350 mgw, (both south of Jinghong hear
border) Ganlaba 150 mgw, Mouth of Nan River 600 mgw]

MDX Power Co signed an agreement with Yunnan Provincial Electric
Power Corp to forma joint-venture company to undertake a
feasibility study on investment in a  southern China province for
export to Thailand.

The project, if it materializes, will make China able to export
electricity to Thailand for the first time. To cope with the high
demand for power, Thailand has adopted a strategy to import
energy from neighbouring countries.

China-Thailand Joint Cooperation Yunnan Jinghong Hydropower
Station Consulting Co will be set up to make a study on the
economics of Jinghong Hydro Power Station which will have a
capacity of 1,500 megawatts and an estimated investment cost of
more than Bt30 billion, MDX Powers Vice President Sawarng Champa
told The Nation.

"I understand that Thailand is short of energy and needs to
purchase or import energy such as fuel oil rom other countries.
At the same time we (China) need foreign companies to invest with
us," Zhi Qiang Zhu, the governor of Yunnan Provincial Electric
Power Bureau who signed the contract with the Thai Company last
Wednesday evening said in a brief interview with The Nation.

According to the Chinese governor, the study does not only look
on the economic side of the power station, but also on the route
of the transmission line which geographically will have to pass
through a third country.

Zhu said the parties plan to use the joint-venture in the
transmission line investment so "the third country" can benefit
from it. "If everyone is happy Im sure that this will be a
success," he said.

"Dr Subin (Subin Pinkayan Senior Adviser of MDX) has already
contacted the department involved in the "third country" in Zhus
understanding should be Burma rather than Lao, as China is one of
the few big supporters of the country which has been isolated by
the world communities, while Lao is a natural competitor to China
in terms of selling power to Thailand.

 MDX Powers project manager Banthoeng Sakdinan said the
feasibility study will take eight months and will determine the
return on investment of the project. The construction works will
take another 5-6 years to complete.

The long distance between the Jinghong dam and Thailand will also
be another major factor to determine the economics of the
project. Huge investment in the transmission line would be
required as the project is to be located 300 kilometres from
Bangkok, which is the area in need of electricity.

Somboon Manenava, General Manager of the Electricity Generating
Authority of Thailand (EGAT) has often cited the distance when
asked about the possibility of buying electricity from China.

MDXs Banthoeng has recognized the obstacle but said, "As the
project will take 7-10 years to complete, the third country
problem might not be a problem anymore and the load centre (where
electricity demand is located) might have changed as the countrys
electricity demand is changing."

It would generate about 7,300 million kilowatt-hours of
electricity each year.

The Jinghong dam will be the first priority in the study but MDX
is also interested in the other two projects in Yunnan which are
the 1,250 mw Ganlanba hydropower station and the 600 mw station
at the mouth of the Nana River. Those are both closer to Thailand
than the Jinghong station.

MDX Power will take a 48 per cent stake in the China-Thailand
Joint Cooperation Yunnan Jinghong Hydropower Station, said
Banthoeng. The station currently has a power capacity of 1,000 mw
and it will increase 1250 mw around the end of this year.

Apart from China, MDX is a company in the first private
consortium which has been able to conclude a hydropower project
in Lao. The 210 mw Theun Hin-Bun station, when it is completed in
1997, will export virtually all of its electricity to Thailand.

According to an industry source, the consortium will soon sign a
contract with a company to start the site preparation work of the
dam.

During this Thailand trip, organized by MDX, Zhu has met Dr
Piyasawasti Amaranan, secretary general of the National Energy
Policy Office as well as EGATs general manager Soomboon, to
discuss the possibility of Thailand buying power from China.

According to Zhu, MDX first contacted his agency in February this
year. (This means MDX took only 9 months to make the
joint-venture contract, he said.)



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

NEWS SOURCES REGULARLY COVERED/ABBREVIATIONS USED BY BURMANET:

 AP: ASSOCIATED PRESS
 AFP: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
 AW: ASIAWEEK
 AWSJ: ASIAN WALL STREET JOURNAL
 Bt.: THAI BAHT; 25 Bt.=US$1 (APPROX), 
 BBC: BRITISH BROADCASTING CORPORATION
 BI: BURMA ISSUES
 BIG: BURMA INFORMATION GROUP
 BKK POST: BANGKOK POST (DAILY NEWSPAPER, BANGKOK)
 BRC-CM: BURMESE RELIEF CENTER-CHIANG MAI
 BRC-J: BURMESE RELIEF CENTER-JAPAN
 CPPSM: C'TEE FOR PUBLICITY OF THE PEOPLE'S STRUGGLE IN MONLAND 
 FEER: FAR EASTERN ECONOMIC REVIEW
 JIR: JANE'S INTELLIGENCE REVIEW
 KHRG: KAREN HUMAN RIGHTS GROUP
 Kt. BURMESE KYAT; 150 KYAT=US$1 BLACK MARKET
                   100 KYAT=US$1 SEMI-OFFICIAL
                   6 KYAT=US$1 OFFICIAL
 MOA: MIRROR OF ARAKAN
 NATION: THE NATION (DAILY NEWSPAPER, BANGKOK)
 NLM: NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR (DAILY STATE-OWNED NEWSPAPER, RANGOON)
 S.C.B.:SOC.CULTURE.BURMA NEWSGROUP 
 S.C.T.:SOC.CULTURE.THAI NEWSGROUP
 SEASIA-L: S.E.ASIA BITNET MAILING LIST
 USG: UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT
 XNA: XINHUA NEWS AGENCY 
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