[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index
][Thread Index
]
BurmaNet News: December 28, 1994
************************** BurmaNet **************************
"Appropriate Information Technologies, Practical Strategies"
**************************************************************
BurmaNet News: Wednesday, December 28, 1994
Issue #90
**************************************************************
Contents:
1 NATION: BURMESE JUNTA LIKELY TO EASE CONDITIONS OF SUU KYI'S
ARREST
2 BKK POST: LI PENG ARRIVES IN BURMA TO STRENGTHEN TIES
3 NATION: CHINESE PREMIER LI IN RANGOON IN BID TO BOLSTER
RELATIONS
4 CND: CHINESE "ECONOMIC DIPLOMACY"
5 NATION: BURMESE STUDENT GUERRILLAS ATTACK SLORC POSITIONS
6 NATION: HEAVY CLASHES IN RAID AGAINST KAREN REBELS
7 NATION: CURFEW IN WESTERN BURMA TOWN AFTER RELIGIOUS ROW
TURNS VIOLENT
8 SCB: BURMA 1979
**************************************************************
The BurmaNet News is an *********************************
electronic daily newspaper * *
covering Burma. Articles * Iti *
from newspapers, magazines, * snotpo *
The wire services, news- * werthatcor *
letters and the Internet * ruptsbutfea *
are published as well as * r.Fearoflos *
original material. * ingpowercor *
* ruptsthosewhoare *
The BurmaNet News is * subjecttoit...Theef *
e-mailed directly to * fortnecessarytoremain *
subscribers and is * uncorruptedinanenvironm *
also distributed via * entwherefearisanintegralpar *
the soc.culture.burma and * tofeverydayexistenceisnot *
misc.activism.progressive * immediatelyapparent *
newsgroups as well as * tothosefortun *
the seasia-l mailing * ateenoughtol *
list. For a free * iveinstatesgo *
subscription to the * vernedbytheru *
BurmaNet News, send * leoflaw...Iam *
an e-mail note to: * n ota frai *
* d.. *
strider@xxxxxxxxxxx * .D *
* aw *
Subscriptions are handled * Au *
manually so please allow * ng *
for a delay before your * San *
request is fielded. * Su *
* uK *
Letters to the editor, * yi *
comments or contributions * . *
of articles should be *********************************
sent to the strider address as well. For those without e-mail,
BurmaNet can be contacted by fax or snailmail.
By fax: (in Thailand) (66)2 234-6674
Attention to BurmaNet, care of Burma Issues
By snailmail: (in the United States)
BurmaNet, care of Coban Tun
1267 11th Avenue #3
San Francisco, CA 94122 USA
**************************************************************
1 NATION: BURMESE JUNTA LIKELY TO EASE CONDITIONS OF SUU KYI'S ARREST
Tuesday, December 27, 1994
AFP
RUMOURS have been flying around Bangkok in recent weeks that Rangoon will
release opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi early in the New Year.
But diplomats and other analysts based in Burma are not so sure, given
the slow progress of talks so far between the charismatic Nobel Peace
Prize-winner and the junta which has held her under house arrest since
July 1989.
"Both sides are taking it slowly. There are no certainties yet," a
regional diplomat reached by telephone in Rangoon said.
The junta, which took over in 1988 in a bloody crackdown on a nationwide
pro-democracy movement, knows it must make concessions if it is to gain
diplomatic recognition and the foreign aid and investment it so
desperately needs. But sweeping change is not Rangoon's style.
All sources cautioned against unrealistic expectations and said it was
not likely the junta, officially known as the State Law and Order
Restoration Council (SLORC),would release Aung San Suu Kyi
unconditionally at this point.
Instead, analysts held, her detention conditions would probably be eased,
perhaps allowing her to see people other than family members more freely,
religious leaders and SLORC representatives.
"They will have to let her speak, otherwise the whole exercise will have
meant nothing. But they will want to control where she speaks and, if
possible, what she says," a Western diplomat held.
Whether the strong-willed opposition leader would accept voluntary
limitations on he speech in exchange for greater freedom was another
question, however.
The daughter of independence hero Aung San and wife of British academic
Michael Aris, she had repeatedly rejected SLORC offers to release her if
that would mean going into foreign exile.
Western nations have said that the unconditional release of Aung San Suu
Kyi, along with all other political prisoners, would be a critical
bench-mark in determining their future attitude toward Rangoon.
Speculation centres on the Jan 17-18 period. Rangoon has in the past
shown a fondness for dates divisible by nine and many Bangkok-based
journalists have submitted visa applications for January visits to Burma.
But analysts disagree over whether this may help or hinder junta action
on Aung San Suu Kyi.
"It might turn into a media circus, and SLORC certainly doesn't want to
risk that."
**************************************************************
2 BKK POST: LI PENG ARRIVES IN BURMA TO STRENGTHEN TIES
Tuesday, December 27, 1994
AFP, Rangoon
CHINESE Prime Minister Li Peng arrived in the Burmese capital yesterday
for a three-day official visit to cement economic ties with the junta and
to enhance regional "peace and stability."
Li and the senior Beijing official to visit Rangoon, was accorded a
19-gun salute at the airport, where he was met by Senior General Than
Swe, the chairman of the ruling State Law and Order Restoration Council,
or SLORC.
Li, who was accompanied by his wife Madame Zu Lin and a 100-strong
delegation, was also to meet with SLORC's powerful military intelligence
chief Lieutenant-General Khin Nyunt yesterday afternoon.
In an official statement, Li said that his visit would expand relations
"both in scope and depth" between his country and its southern neighbour.
"History over the past four decades and ore proves that friendship
between China and Myanmar is in keeping with the fundamental interests
and the shared aspirations of our two peoples, and is conducive to peace
and stability in the region," he said.
Myanmar is the official name of Burma.
Li said his trip was aimed at strengthening cooperation between Burma and
China, but he did not offer details of the topics to be discussed.
"I will exchange views with leaders of Myanmar on bilateral relations and
international issues of common concern," he said.
A joint communique is expected to be issued at the end of his visit, and
Li was to hold a press briefing this morning.
The Chinese premier, scheduled to be here until tomorrow, was to also
attend a state dinner hosted by Than Shwe last night and a signing
ceremony today, of which no details were immediately available.
He is the third head-of-government and the fourth high-ranking official
to visit Burma since SLORC took power in September 1988, observers here
said. He was preceded by leaders from Los, Singapore, and Vietnam.
In contrast to previous visits by Chinese dignitaries, Li was accessible
to foreign journalists at the airport -- most of them Japanese -- and was
accompanied by some 20 Chinese journalists.
[In an official statement, h]e said Sino-Burmese friendship was already
successfully based on principles of peaceful co-existence and o-operation
in political, economic and social issues.
Li's trip follows a fury of exchanges between Burma and , which was the
first country to recognize the SLORC.
Two months after a bloody suppression of a pro-democracy uprising in
Rangoon, Li Peng declared during an official visit in Bangkok in November
1988 that "trade relations exist (with Burma) and we will maintain them."
In turn, the SLORC was the first government to support China after the
1989 Tiananmen Square killings, in which Li Peng played a leading part.
The two countries have since nurtured bilateral relations with special
emphasis on the military-to-military relationship that has particularly
helped boost Burma's air force and , which now mainly uses Chinese
hardware, analysts said.
China had maintained fraternal relations with the outlawed Burma
Communist Party (BCP) based in northeastern Burma until the early
eighties and provided it with both moral and material support including
army.
An ethnic rebellion in 1989 ended BCP dominance in the region and nine of
the armed groups formerly under the communists, including the Kokang and
the Wa, have since signed ceasefire agreements for regional development.
China continues to provide succor and political asylum to 14 leading
members of the former BCP politburo and central committee on humanitarian
groups, informed sources here said.
China's Yunnan province, which shares a common border with Burma to the
south, has become its major trading partner and Chinese products began
flooding the country when border trade was made official six years ago.
**************************************************************
3 NATION: CHINESE PREMIER LI IN RANGOON IN BID TO BOLSTER RELATIONS
Tuesday, December 27, 1994
Reuters, Beijing
[Photo caption: SAYING GOODBYE: Chinese Premier Li Peng, left, shakes
hands with Foreign Minister Qian Qichen before leaving Beijing for Burma
yesterday.]
EARLIER, Li and his wife, Zhu Lin, were seen off in Beijing by Vice
Premiers Zhu Rongji, Qian Qichen and Li Lanqing. China's President and
Communist Party chief Jiang Zemin was not at the ceremony.
Li made no public comments before boarding a special plane for the
three-hour flight to Rangoon.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Chen Jian said this month the "official
goodwill visit" would boost good neighbourly ties and mutually-beneficial
cooperation.
Travelling with Li were State Councillor Li Guixan, Minister of
Communications Huang Zhendong, Governor He Zhiqang of Yunnan province,
which borders Burma, and deputy foreign minister Tang Jiaxuan.
Officials in India and Southeast Asia, wary of Chinese and Burmese
intentions, have said they would watch Li's visit keenly for signs of
growing Chinese influence.
A key fear is that China's growing blue-water navy will gain access to
Burma's Indian Ocean naval ports, expanding Beijing's military influence
near major international shipping lanes.
Southeast Asian diplomats said they felt it was unlikely the
independent-minded Burmese -- themselves wary of over-reliance on China
-- would grant such access.
The visit nonetheless comes at a time of deepening security ties between
Burma and China, which have pledged a common war against Golden Triangle
heroin traffickers whose cross-border activities have thrived during
China's 15-year reform era.
Rangoon began buying fighter planes and other arms from Beijing in 1990
and recently bought US$400 million of Chinese helicopters, armoured
vehicles, field guns, assault rifles and patrol boats.
**************************************************************
4 CND: CHINESE "ECONOMIC DIPLOMACY"
Tuesday, December 27, 1994
Reported by: Frank LING, Daluo JIA
Xinhua News Agency Monday declared the MFN-human rights issue to be
China's top diplomatic victory in 1994, referring to US President Bill
Clinton's renewal of China's most favored nation (MFN) trade status in
May with no human rights strings attached. It was reiterated that, as
one of the diplomatic principles, China would never yield to pressures
imposed by any powers. On the other hand, several Sino-Russian accords
signed this year renouncing military conflict were praised highly.
Moreover, 1994 saw an increase in overseas visits by President Jiang
Zemin and Premier Li Peng, totaling 17 European and Asian nations
altogether, and the Chinese business leaders with the delegates played
roles of "economic diplomacy", concluded Xinhua.
**************************************************************
5 NATION: BURMESE STUDENT GUERRILLAS ATTACK SLORC POSITIONS
Wednesday, December 28, 1994
Reuters
BURMESE student guerrillas launched a three-pronged attack on government
army positions in southeastern Burma, the students said in a statement
received yesterday.
The All Burma Students' Democratic Front (ABSDF), half an hour after
midnight on Sunday, attacked the headquarters of the Burmese army's
southeastern command in the town of Papun in Karen state.
At the same time they attacked the 19th Light Infantry Regiment's
headquarters, also in Papun, and a security checkpoint on the edge of
town, the ABSDF said.
"All three locations came under a coordinated attack simultaneously," the
statement said.
"The battle continued for some 25 minutes before the military columns of
the student army systematically withdrew after achieving its objectives,"
it said.
Government forces responded with heavy weapons, inflicting no casualties
on the attackers but destroying a house and a Buddhist monastery in the
village of Mae Nang Nwe, the students said.
Burmese government forces seized the students' headquarters at Dagwin on
the Salween river on Dec 14.
Some 10,000 students and other young people from cities and towns in
central Burma fled to ethnic minority guerrilla zones after Burma's
military crushed a democracy uprising in 1988.
* Agence France-Press reports from Hong Kong: Burma has told China's
Premier Li Peng that the two countries will "consolidate their
traditional relations" and boost future cooperation, the official Xinhua
news agency reported on Monday.
Li said the Chinese government "would like to work together with the
government and people of Myanmar [Burma] to energetically advance the
good-neighbourly relations and friendly cooperation between the two
countries."
**************************************************************
6 NATION: HEAVY CLASHES IN RAID AGAINST KAREN REBELS
Tuesday, December 27, 1994
Reuters, Mae Sot, Thailand
BURMESE government forces continued to press-gang villagers in
southeastern Burma's Karen state to work as porters as heavy clashes
against Karen guerrillas continued over the weekend.
Burmese traders arriving in the northeastern Burmese border town of
Myawadi yesterday said government forces were continuing to round up
villagers as porters indicating a two-week-old offensive against ethnic
minority Karen villagers was likely to continue.
Two porters and 11 government soldiers were killed and 46 others wounded
during a six-hour assault on the Karen's Kaw Moo Ra base on Saturday, a
Thai army source based on the border said.
A Karen officer met on the border on the weekend told Reuters the
guerrillas seized a number of weapons from government troops during the
fighting.
They included nine rifles, two machine guns, one mortar and more than
4,000 rounds of ammunition.
Heavy fighting died down at Kaw Moo Ra on Sunday after the Thai army sent
reinforcements equipped with artillery pieces to the area to prevent any
spill-over of the fighting to the Thai side of the border.
Kaw Moo Ra is a well-fortified Karen base on the west bank of the Moei
river, which marks the border between Burma and Thailand.
Burmese government forces began attacking Karen positions two weeks ago,
the heaviest fighting since April 1992.
This was when the Rangoon junta announced it was suspending operations
against the autonomy-seeking guerrillas in the interests of national
reconciliation.
Karen guerrillas have been fighting Rangoon for greater autonomy since
1949, a year after Burma's independence from Britain.
The Rangoon junta has struck ceasefire agreements with 13 guerrilla
organizations since 1989, including the powerful Kachin Independence
Organization from northern Burma and the fragmented army of the Communist
Party of Burma, which mutinied against its ageing leadership in 1989.
**************************************************************
7 NATION: CURFEW IN WESTERN BURMA TOWN AFTER RELIGIOUS ROW TURNS VIOLENT
Tuesday, December 27, 1994
Mae Sot
Burmese military authorities have imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew in a
western town after a violent clash between Muslims and Buddhists which
left at least three dead, an Islamic opponent of the Burmese regime said
yesterday.
The violent clash broke out two weeks ago in Sittwe in western Burma's
Arakan state when hundreds of angry Buddhists burned down three mosques.
The attack on the mosques was apparently sparked by a private dispute
between a Buddhist and a Muslim. Three Muslims, were killed and a number
of others injured in subsequent clashes, a member of the insurgent Arakan
Rohingya Islamic Front told Reuters.
Government soldiers fired into the air to disperse the crowds and
military authorities imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew, the sources said. The
situation had since calmed down.
Arakan is the only state in predominantly Buddhist Burma with a large
Muslim population.
More than 250,000 Arakanese Muslims, known as Rohingya, fled to
neighbouring Bangladesh in 1992.
**************************************************************
8 SCB: BURMA 1979
Wednesday, December 28, 1994
Wed, 28 Dec 1994 21:22:26 soc.culture.burma Thread 17
f 17 Burma 1979 No responses
gsdonne@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx George Donnellan at 1990 Multiline BBS
HAVING just read 'back from Burma' and the replies, thought I would post
a few lines.
My first visit was in late 1979, stayed at the YMCA. Brought in bottle of
scotch and cigarettes for trade. Rangoon was a spinout, early evening.
Decaying Raj type buildings, covered in moss? lichen? seemingly returning
to the earth.
We spoke to two Burmese students. A crowd quickly formed around us. There
were no interruptions, unlike in India. A ripple of explanation went
around the group as we spoke to the two students. "Australian man,
Austrian man" They were just happy to listen and for the chance to
improve their English.
At that time we were only allowed one week, so we chose Inle Lake that my
new Austrian companion wanted to see. A quick trip around Rangoon market
to buy a Chen po (jacket, which I still have), a Karen tribe longyi, and
shown how to wear it, and we were off by train.
Stayed overnight at Taunggyi. Chinese hotel keepers sharing their lazy
susan banquet with us ,while we sold them our whisky. A late night walk
around the town, still people selling stuff in a makeshift marketplace.
It could have been there that we met up with Graveline, an
intelligent, articulate, Christian student who offered to be our guide.
No charge.(He did really want my cheap 110 camera tho, which was
registered with the authorities, I regret that I never gave it to him).
We asked him about the 'insurgents' that we heard about. They were his
friends and fellow students, that had grown dissatisfied with the govt
and gone to the hills to fight.
We had a great time at Inle lake. Stayed the night at a Buddhist
monastery. The head monk was articulate and intelligent, apparently able
to astral travel. I asked him 'what could I do to increase my
intelligence. He tapped his heart and indicated, thru Graveline, that
'the heart is the dynamo, as it expands and whirls faster,(the heart
chakra) the energy is available for the mind.' (Just passing this on in
case any reader is interested.)
We returned by train to Rangoon where my Austrian friend had his camera
stolen, very neatly, someone just brushed past him. Reported it to the
police, who asked him if he wanted to stay longer in Burma, he said no.
Apparently it is a ploy to be able to stay longer by reporting something
as stolen and waiting around for the police reports/investigation.
At the airport, I was questioned about my missing (sold) calculator, by
an airport official who was looking thru my paperback collection. I said
he was welcome to them, he said not to bother about the missing calculator.
Almost 10 months later I returned to Rangoon from India. I had neglected
to renew an expired visa. They noticed this and quickly hustled me back
onto the same plane, much to my regret.
Burma then was like a time warp. Old cars and Harley Davisons driving
around, ox carts for transport. The people were the nicest and the most
mellow I have ever met, comparable with Tibetan people. I could have
quite easily lived there for an indefinite time, quite happily die there
(peacefully that is).
I regret the political events, the massacres that have occurred there.
More so, because I have met the people who have no doubt suffered and
died at the hands of military thugs.
A suggested, if anyone goes there, be careful, but help the people where
you can. When asking about 'trade goods' I was told even things like biro
refills and calculator/watch batteries were valuable.
I asked about coming in illegally thru Thailand. Not a problem. Student
friends would go from Burma to one of the border towns and cross over and
get me. No doubt this is more difficult/impossible now.
I hope this has been of some small interest. Always interested in hearing
news of Burma. Perth, West Australia, where I live has a thriving Burmese
population.
geo.
**************************************************************
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
BKK POST: BANGKOK POST (DAILY NEWSPAPER, BANGKOK)
BRC-CM: BURMESE RELIEF CENTER-CHIANG MAI
BRC-J: BURMESE RELIEF CENTER-JAPAN
CND: CHINA NEWS DIGEST
CPPSM: C'TEE FOR PUBLICITY OF THE PEOPLE'S STRUGGLE IN MONLAND
FEER: FAR EAST ECONOMIC REVIEW
IRRAWADDY: NEWSLETTER PUBLISHED BY BURMA INFORMATION GROUP
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-RUN NEWSPAPER, RANGOON)
S.C.B.:SOC.CULTURE.BURMA NEWSGROUP
S.C.T.:SOC.CULTURE.THAI NEWSGROUP
SEASIA-L: S.E.ASIA BITNET MAILING LIST
SLORC: STATE LAW AND ORDER RESTORATION COUNCIL
USG: UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT
XNA: XINHUA NEWS AGENCY
**************************************************************