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BurmaNet News: 28 March, 1995
**************************BurmaNet***************************
"Appropriate Information Technologies, Practical Strategies"
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The BurmaNet News:28 March 1995
Issue #132
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
NOTED IN PASSING:
Contents:
********************KAREN STATE/KAWTHOOLEI********************
REUTERS: KNU SUSPENDS OPERATIONS FOR TALKS
BKK POST: BURMA ARMY 'BRUTAL IN TREATMENT OF REFUGEES'
BKK POST: KAREN REBEL GROUP SPOKESMAN DENIES SURRENDERING TO
SLORC
BKK POST: BREAKAWAY REBELS TURN ON THE REFUGEES
BKK POST: MORE REFUGEES EXPECTED AS FIGHTING GOES ON IN BURMA
*************************INSIDE BURMA*************************
BKK POST: JUNTA REAFFIRMS LEADERSHIP
THE NATION: ARMED FORCES DAY: NO REASON FOR SLORC TO BE PROUD
THE NATION: THE NEED TO BE 'STRONG'
SCB: SON OF THAKIN THAN TUN DEAD
THE NATION: CHINESE TROUPE IN BURMA CELEBRATIONS
SCB: 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THUTMADAW DAY
**************************SHAN STATE*********************
BKK POST: NINE O'CLOCK CURFEW IMPOSED IN TACHILEK
THE NATION: BURMESE BRACING FOR NEW KHUN SA ATTACK, WHILE TOWN
REFUGEES REMAIN IN THAILAND
*************************THAILAND************************
BPP POST: THAILAND'S ACTION ON KHUN SA GUERRILLAS ANGERS BURMA
JUNTA
THE NATION: KRASAE TO VISIT RANGOON FOR BORDER TALKS
TH NATION: 6-WAY MEET SET IN BURMA ON 'PROGRESS' OF MEKONG
****************************INTERNATIONAL******************
BKK POST; BURMESE INVESTMENT FUND DRAWS ASIAN, UK COMPANIES
BKK POST; VIETNAMESE RUBY TRADE GETS SUPPORT
BKK POST: THAI LEAD INVESTORS IN BURMA WORTH $211M
SCB: BURMA FESTIVAL IN WASHINGTON, D.C.
L.A. TIMES: LETTER--UNOCAL MOVE WOULD BOLSTER OPPRESSION
UNCHR: 1995_REPORT BY THE SPECIAL RAPPORTEUR (PARTS 2&3 OF 6)
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*************THE BURMANET NEWS--MARCH 28, 1995***************
**************************************************************
********************KAREN STATE/KAWTHOOLEI********************
REUTERS: KNU SUSPENDS OPERATIONS FOR TALKS
March 28, 1995
MAE SOT, Thailand, March 28 (Reuter) - Burma's Karen
National Union (KNU), one of the world's oldest guerrilla
groups, has supended military operations and agreed to open
ceasefire talks with Burma's military government, KNU and Thai
intelligence sources said on Tuesday.
The order followed a meeting on Monday between senior
KNU officials and representatives of Burma's ruling military
body, the State Law and Restoration Council (SLORC), at an
undisclosed location in northwest Thailand's Tak province.
``General Tamala Baw has ordered Karen fighters to
halt all types of military operations against the Burmese
after the Burmese side agreed to halt their offensive against
the KNU,'' a senior Karen source told Reuters.
Tamala Baw is KNU's military chief.
Both sides have agreed to halt operations and will
conclude arrangements for talks in the near future, he said.
``The KNU has agreed to hold talks without
pre-conditions,'' a Thai intelligence source said.
KNU president General Bo Mya was among the guerrila
officials who met Burmese government representatives on
Monday, the Thai intelligence source said.
The KNU, which has been fighting Rangoon for greater
autonomy since 1949, agreed late last year to send
representatives to Rangoon to negotiate with the SLORC but
Burmese authorities responded by saying talks must take place
in the southeastern Burmese town of Moulmein.
The guerrillas had insisted that negotiations be held
outside Burma in the presence of a neutral third party and
include a discussion of their demands for greater autonomy
within a federal state structure.
The guerrillas had also insisted that dissident
leader Aung San Suu Kyi and other political prisoners be
released before talks could begin.
Late last year Burmese government forces, taking
advantage of a mutiny by several hundred Karen fighters,
launched an offensive against KNU strongholds in southeastern
Burma on the boder with Thailand.
Burmese forces captured the KNU's Manerplaw
headquarters on January 27 and their last major border base at
Kawmoora less than a month later.
Meanwhile, a Mon guerilla source told Reuters they
too had agreed to resume ceasefire talks with the SLORC.
The New Mon State Party (NMSP), allied with the KNU
and operating from border strongholds to the south of the
Karen, met twice with SLORC representatives last year but the
negotiations became bogged down over territorial
disagreements.
The KNU and the NMSP are among the last insurgent
groups still fighting for greater autonomy.
Karenni guerrillas in Kayah state agreed to a
ceasefire earlier this month becoming the 14th rebel group to
stop fighting.
Shan guerrillas loyal to opium warlord Khun Sa are
still fighting the Burmese army as are pro-democacy student
rebels who fled to guerrilla zones after the army crushed
anti-government demonstrations in 1988.
BKK POST: BURMA ARMY 'BRUTAL IN TREATMENT OF REFUGEES'
28 March 1995
The Burmese army and its allies have beaten and killed men and
women who were f orced to work as porters, Human Rights
Watch/Asia reported yesterday. The report, "Burma: Abuses
Linked to the Fall of Manerplaw," covered the period of
October 1994 to February 1995, when those suspected of
supporting Karen rebels were seized from workplaces, cinemas,
trains and their homes.
They were taken from the states of Karen and Mon to carry
heavy artillery and o ther supplies to mountain tops near
Manerplaw, the rebel Karen national Union (KNU) headquart ers
on the Moei River between Thailand and Burma.
The New York-based group demanded that the abuses be healted
and called on the Association of South East Asian Nations
(ASEAN) to reconsider its policy of "co nstructive
engagement" with Burma.
The group urged Asean to tell Burma that its presence at the
post-ministerial m eeting in Brunei in July will be put at
risk unless there are improvements in the human r ights
situation.
The United Nations on March 8 issued a resolution condemning
Burma's human righ ts abuses and urged the international
community to take concrete actions against Rangoon such as
prohibiting trade and investment delegations from going to
Burma. The 27-page report, based on interviews with 50 of
those who served as poters in four or five separate groups,
outlined numerous ongoing abuses.
Some were killed and many were injured and maimed in the
fighting. Many went without food for two days, were badly
beaten with rifle butts if they slowed down and s ome of the
weak or injured were left to die on the trails. (BP)
*************************INSIDE BURMA*************************
BANKOK POST: JUNTA REAFFIRMS LEADERSHIP
28 MArch 1995
BURMA"S military, the nation's ruler for 35 of the last 50
years, reaffirmed yesterday it would retain a hold on
political leader- ship even after a new constitution as
introduced.
junta leader Than Shwe also urged the country's remaining
insur- gents as well as opposition political groups to give up
their struggle.
"I would like to confirm here once again that the Tatmadaw
(mili- tary) is a always welcoming the armed group in the
jungle.... Above-ground political forces are also covered by
the Tatmadaw's national reconciliation programmes," he said.
Than Shwe spoke before more than 3,000 troops celebreating the
50th anniversary of the founding of the BUrmese army and the
beginning of a resistance movement Japanese occupiers in World
War II.
"Being citizens, Tatmadaw members are also responsible for the
emergence of the constitution," Than Shwe said. "So in essence
the Tatmadaw should be able to participate, with genuine good
will, in the national political leadership role of the feature
Burma."
The armed forces chief and chairman of the Slorc said Burma
would move ahead with its open-door, market-oriented economic
policies and seek more foreign investment. He said the
military had shape Burma into an agriculture-based industrial
country. (BP)
*************************INSIDE BURMA*************************
THE NATION: ARMED FORCES DAY: NO REASON FOR SLORC TO BE PROUD
28 March 1995
The soldiers in Burma's military regime, the State Law and
Order Restoration Co until, marched through the streets of
Rangoon yesterday, more confident than ever of their
political control over the country.
It was the 50th anniversary of Burma's formation of its own
national army in the struggle for independence against the
British colonizers and the Japanese occupying for ces in
World War II. However, for the Burmese people today, the sight
of the Slorc army is reminder of the hardships and fear they
had to endure for the past 30 years. Like the people, the
internatuional community views the Slorc army as the terro
rizing force of a military regime that has its own agenda for
Burma. At the prodding of the West, a series of steps were
initiated to engage the democratic opposition, including talks
wi th detained National League for Democracy leader, Aung San
Suu Kyi. These talks have now democratic efforts and the
respect of human rights in disarray.
political dissent
The continued suppression of political dissent is Burma's most
crippling hallma rk. Opposition remains, especially among
those who were elected in the 1990 polls, which were never
recognized by the military junta. Any attempt to organize or
protest is squashe d. The release of two senior members of the
NLD has been widely welcomed but they were warned by Slorc to
avoid politics. Observers say the Slorc forces are now
stronger and more confident than ever, w hile the organized
opposition is very subdued. Burma's generals insist that they
are mov ing towards democracy and rewspect for human rights,
but have made it known that they woul d do it in their own
way. The writing on the wall is however clear. Unless and
until the Slorc's claims t o power areprotected in the new
constitution, to be promulgated by the junta-controlled
National Assembly, all dissent will be put doiwn ruthlessly.
Tough talking and threats of Western action might help to
encourage reform in B urma, but
with so much support especially from Asean and China, the
Burmese generals now seem firmly entrenched in power.
Asean's stultifying silence in the face of a morass of human
rights violations in Burma, including rape, toture, and
slavery where by the Slorc comples people to work u nder
appalling conditions as forced labour, is manifestly wrong and
contradicts inte rnational public opnion.
As we have constantly pointed out, Asean can make the
difference in Burma and i s in a position to make the Slorc
generals less monstrous. The recent signing of a gas
agreementbetween Thailand, the architect of Asean's
"constructive engagement policy", an d Burma is a
case in point. Thailand undertook to buy volumes of gas from
the Gulf of Martab an in Burmaand the huge sums of money
Bangkok will pay for it, will without doubt land in Slorc's
hands to be used at the generals' discretion.
That discretion will include further suppression of the
pro-democracy movement by militarymeans, more attacks on the
ethnic minorities along the Thai-Burma border who ar e waging
astruggle for self-determination and more purchases of weapons
from China. In the name of preserving the "Burmese Union", we
have witnessed recently how the Karens were brutally crushed
by the Slorc forces.Policy-makers in Thailand and other Asean
states are still reluctant to use con structiveengagement as a
means to force the Burmese military junta to institute
democrat ic reforms.
Instead, constructive engagement with the Slorc, is just
viewed in the context of ranking inprofits and enticing the
Burmese to sell off all their precious resources, with a
promise thatthe pariah junta will be included in the regional
grouping. 'Internal affairs' argumentThe "internal affairs"
excuse often used by Asean in the face of gross human ri ghts
abusescarried out by governments in the region against their
own people, is indeed a bankruptargument. Human rights
violations can not be categorized as merely domestic iss ues;
ratherthey are issues of international concern. The various
resolutions on Burma in t he UnitedNations confirm this, and
Asean states including Thailand, who are members of t
hisrespectable world body, have an obligation to respect them.
In the next afew days, the Slorc will be launching an
offensive along the Thai- Burma border against the Muang Tai
Army of the Shans, boosted by their success against the K
arens with newly purchased arms from China. Under such
circumstances, the Slorc will be a security threat to
Thailand, when it causes tens of thousands of refugees to
cross the border onto Thai soil. The Slorc had nothing to be
proud of yesterday in the open public display of it s troops
marching with Chinese arms.
As long as Aung San Suu Kyi and all other poliotical prisoners
remain imprisoned; democracy is denied to the Burmese people;
and torture is still prevalent in th e country, the junta will
be regarded as an illegitimate government in the eyes of the
interna tional community.(TN)
*************************INSIDE BURMA*************************
THE NATION: THE NEED TO BE 'STRONG'
28 March 1995
Burma military government yesterday celebrated its 50th Armed
Forces Day with the commander in chief calling for a strong
army that can keep fighting to safeguar d Burma's
independence and sovereignty.
General Than Shwe, who is also Burma's prime minister and
chairman of the ruling State Law and Order Restoration Council
(Slorc), made the comments in an address to a bout 4,500
troops and guests in Rangoon's Resistance Park.(TN)
*************************INSIDE BURMA*************************
SCB: SON OF THAKIN THAN TUN DEAD
bbatpt@xxxxxxxx
soc.culture.burma
3:04 PM Mar 27, 1995 (at au.ac.th)
(From News system)
Reaching the death's door of the son of Thakin Than Tun from
Burma Communist Party 48 - year - old U Tun Aung , son of
Thakin Than Tun former president of Burma Coommunist Party
died of asthma at 1455 hours on 23rd March ,1995 in his
residence of University Park Avenue and buent at the Kyandaw
grveyaret at 1200 hours on 25 - 3 - 95 . U Tun Aung was the
son of Thakin Than Tun and Daw Khin Gyee and Thakin Than Tun
who stood opposed as a terrorist for many years in Myanmar was
uncle of detained Daw Suu Kyi in house - arrest. U Tun Aung
's family separately lived in a house in the compound where
Daw Suu Kyi resided.
[Note: The bbatpt@xxxxxxxx has previously been used to post
SLORCite articles. Strider]
*************************INSIDE BURMA*************************
CHINESE TROUPE IN BURMA CELEBRATIONS
28 March 1995
A 45-member cultural delegation from China's People's
Liberation Army was set t o perform
yesterday as part of Burma's 50th Armed Forces Day
celebrations. Burma's official media said the troupe of
gymnasts, musicians and entertainers were
performing at the National Theatre Burma's biggest theatre.
(TN)
*************************INSIDE BURMA*************************
SCB: 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THUTMADAW DAY
burma soc.culture.burma 12:59 AM Mar 27, 1995
(at ix.netcom.com) (From News system)
The Fiftieth THUTMADAW Anniversary
The Burmese Army was formed by General Aung San
during the World War II in Bangkok , Thailand, to fight
British colonists in collaboration with the Japanese Imperial
Army which promised independence for Burma. The Burma
Independence Army was formed to save the country and the whole
Burma enthusiastically supported it when it showed its
intention by deed. The whole country rallied behind General
Aung San and fought brilliantly against the Japanese Imperial
Army which breached the promise of genuine independence,
starting on March 27, 1945. Since then, March 27 is yearly
commemorated as the Revolutionary Day and later Tutmadaw Day
(Armed Forces Day). After the Japanese withdrawal in the same
year, the British and Allied forces entered Burma, thus
entailing the necessity to maintain the struggle for
independence. General Aung San was the architect of the
struggle and had to forge unity with ethnic minorities who
agreed to establish a democratic federal union with freedom
and rights to retain their culture and civilization.
Ne Win showed his true ulterior motives since the 30
comrades, the founding members of the Burma Independence Army
nucleus, had been undergoing military training in Japan. He
was not on good terms with General Aung San who had to
repeatedly reprimand him for his incorrigible opportunism and
womanization, and even demoted him for his atrocities. The
Burma independence Army entered Burma (BIA) by three routes
across Thailand -Burma border. A BIA column led by Ne Win
entered Burma through "Shwe-Gyin" and started killing the
Karens accusing them of being the British agents. His
subordinate Sein Lwin, ex-butcher and commander of 4th Burma
Rifle entered a church compound, arrested the pastor and his
family, looted his home, raped his wife, tied them up in the
church and burnt them alive. The pastor's brother-in-law
escaped and became a prominent KNDO commander fighting against
Ne Win's puppet regime now.
Ne Win was immediately transferred to the delta area
in Southern Burma where he continued his reign of terror over
the Karens. Finally, General Aung San's Burma Independence
Army and the Japanese Imperialist Army finally had to
intervene to stop his atrocities. Later, the Burma
Independence Army was forced by the Japanese army to transform
and change its name to Burma Defense Army and Ne Win fell into
disfavor and oblivion in the process.
Sine then he kept a grudge against General Aung San
and trained on of his close associates, Yangon Ba Swe to, in
sniping. He ordered Yangon Ba Swe to shoot U Saw, the
pro-British sycophant and arch-enemy of General Aung San,
only to slightly wound him. U Saw was wounded on the left
temple by a bullet which grazed his hair. U Saw immediately
concluded that it was General Aung San who tried to kill him -
a conclusion which was real purpose of Ne Win conspiracy to
create open conflict between U Saw and General Aung San. On
the fateful day of July 19, 1947, U Saw sent his personal
death-squad to assassinate General Aung San and his whole
cabinet during a parliamentary session. U Nu
immediately formed a new cabinet which is also consisted of U
Kyaw Nyein and U Ba Swe, Tiger Ba Swe and others who were
close to Ne Win. Luckily, Ne Win was promoted to the position
of the Chief of Staff of the Burma Army. He used his position
effectively by purging his opponents or bright and efficient
officers in the Army. Ne Win is always cunning, paranoid ,and
jealous of people who are intelligent and educated because he
himself did not pass examinations when attending Rangoon
University before the War and did not graduate. He always
surrounds himself with all kinds of yes-man such as Sein Lwin,
Khin Nyunt, Saw Maung, Than Shwe ..etc. He purged Aung Gyi,
Tin Oo and anyone who he thinks has a better brain than
himself.
After the Coup on March 2, 1962, he formed the
Revolutionary Council, composed of his hand-picked puppets.
Any semblance of dissent is immediately annihilated or purged.
Aung Gyi, Tin Pe and those who looked smarter fell onto the
way-side. Afterwards, he introduced the Burma Socialist
Program Party essentially to establish military dictatorship
with a political mask.
Because of his mismanagement, Burma has become one of
the poorest countries in the world. Due to the crimes
committed by him and his army, the Army is no longer called
TATMADAW (meaning the Armed Forces ), but branded as
THUTMADAW meaning the s Army subservient to him and his
puppets. General Aung San , the founding father of the Army
, once told his subordinates, " Our Army is to serve the
country, no the country to serve us (soldiers)." Ne Win had
successfully reversed this famous guidance by killing ,
torturing, raping and destroying his own people.
He is still wielding power from behind the curtain.
The SLORC, his puppet regime, has to dance to his tune. Ne win
hates Aung San so much that he created conditions which forced
Aung San Suu Kyi and Aung San Oo to live in exile. When Ne
Win saw Aung San Oo in the Burmese Embassy in London, he ran
into rage and sent the responsible embassy employee back to
Burma.
His THUTMADAW now keeps on destroying the county. It
has created two classes of citizens. Ne Win and his cronies
belong to the first-class citizenship and the people to the
second class. Burma will continue to suffer as long as Ne Win
lives. Nevertheless, his puppet generals will definitely claw
each other's throat immediately after his imminent death. The
two factions led by Khin Nyunt and Maung Aye are now at
daggers drawn and let us see how the tragic story the
THUTMADAW will end pretty soon as Ne Win is on his death-bed.
Dr. Aung Khin
**************************SHAN STATE*********************
REUTERS: BURMA SAYS KHUN SA FACES DEATH PENALTY IF CAUGHT
March 28, 1995
RANGOON, March 28 (Reuter) - The Burmese government
branded opium warlord Khun Sa a ``narcotic trafficking
terrorist'' on Tuesday and said he faced the death penalty if
captured.
Senior officials using maps and pointers told foreign
journalists the Burmese army was making progress in a
month-old offensive against Khun Sa and his Mong Tai (Shan
State) Army (MTA) in northeast Burma.
``If we can catch Khun Sa he will be put on trial. We
have a law that says every drug trafficker who carries more
than three grams is liable for a death penalty,'' Colonel Kyaw
Thein of the country's military intelligence said.
``So we can do what even the United States government
can't do - we can give him the death penalty because we know
he is a drug smuggler and a drug kingpin ,'' Kyaw Thein added.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has
identified Khun Sa as one of the world's foremost traffickers,
operating out of the lawless Golden Triangle area which
produces much of the heroin sold in the United States.
Khun Sa, the half-Chinese, half-Shan commander of the
MTA, says he is fighting for the independence of Shan state,
and only taxes drug traffickers who cross his area of control.
``In the past month there has been an offensive by
the armed forces against the drug smugglers of Khun Sa,''
Colonel Kyaw Win, deputy-director of the Defence Services
Intelligence, told the rare news conference for foreign
journalists.
Officials said at least 18 major battles had taken
place since March 14, in which about 50 Burmese soldiers had
been killed and 200 wounded, while MTA casualties were given
as 60 killed.
Kyaw Thein said three or four of Khun Sa's
strongholds were still to be captured.
He also and made it clear that Burma hoped for
international recognition for its anti-narcotics campaign.
``We would like to expect some positive reaction, not
only from the United States, but all over the world,'' Kyaw
Thein said, adding that Burma wanted international assistance
for its narcotics programme to be resumed.
The United States has said Burma must make progress
towards democracy, release political prisoners and show its
determination to wipe out the narcotics trade before
Washington will consider changing its hardline stance.
The U.S. government estimates Burma's opium poppy
production at between 2,000 and 2,500 tonnes per year. Burmese
officials say it is much lower but provide no figures.
Kyaw Win rejected the linkage by some Western
governments of politics and narcotics in Burma.
``We see the narcotics suppression campaign as
something that is different from the political activities,''
he said. ``We have sacrificed a lot of blood and sweat to
continue this
campaign against Khun Sa.''
**************************SHAN STATE*********************
NINE O'CLOCK CURFEW IMPOSED IN TACHILEK
28 March 1995
THE Burmese government announced curfew yesterday forbidding
people in Tachilek from going out on the streets after 9 p.m.
The curfew was announced in the belief fighting between
govern- ment troops and Khun Sa's MTA will escalate.
It was not known how many days the curfew will be in effect,
but government troops were prepairing 10 bunkers and M16
machineguns and 60 mm mortor bases yesterday on the banks of
Mae Sai River opposite Chaing Rai's Mae Sai District.
The Government forces have blockaded a major MTA stronghold at
Doi Phadaeng Luang on three side - in the west at Ban Pang
Kor, in the north at BAn Phak Kud 4km away, a border soruces
said. Another 400 heavily armed MTA troops moved to Doi
Phadaeng Luang yesterday morning from Doi Lang opposite Chaing
Mai's Mae Ai District through an area opposite Ban Huoy Yuak
in Mae Fah Luang District to help defend the bae, the sources
said.
Mae Sai district chief Phakdi Rattanaphon called on local
people yesterday to prepare for possible shelling form the
fighting and to keep emergency lights handly.
Armed Forces Chief of Staff Gen Suthep Siwara , who inspected
the border area in Mae Sai yesterday with Third Army Region
Commander Maj Gen Ithiphol Sirimonthon, said the expected the
situation to deteriorate in Burma.
He denied the Burmese Government had asked Thailand to help
put down Khun Sa's army , saying Thailand would not interfere
in the internal affair of Burma by supporting either side.
(BP)
BURMESE BRACING FOR NEW KHUN SA ATTACK, WHILE TOWN REFUGEES
REMAIN IN THAILAND
28 March 1995
Burmese junta troops were searching homes and bolstering their
garrison at the border town of Tachilek yesterday, as Rangoon
anticipated Shan guerrillas attacks to coinci de with its
National Military Day.
Burmese border guards sealed off the town on Sunday, closing
the Tachilek borde r checkpoint with Thailand's Mae Sai
district, a centre of trade in the area, an official wi th the
Mae Sai district chief's office said.
By early yesterday no reason had been given for the closure,
thopugh the Thai o fficial said it was assumed that the
Burmese were anticipating a raid by the Muang Tai Army (MT A),
the insurgent force loyal to opium warlord Khun Sa.
A week ago, an MTA strike team infiltrated Tachilek and
launched a surprise raid on government positions with rockets
and machine guns, killing at least three Burm ese troops
according to Radio Rangoon, and five civilians according to
London-based human rights group Amnesty International.
Rangoon has said that six MTA soldiers were killed in the
attack as well. Yesterday, a border source in Mae Sai said
that Rangoon soldiers appeared to be conducting
house-to-house searches across the Sai River. Rangoon has said
it suspected MTA guerrillas in last week's attack may have
hidden in private homes before striking. Thai military-run
television reported on Sunday that Rangoon had also reinforce
d its garrison in tachilek with fresh troops, light and heavy
weaponry, and supplies for all-o ut war against Khun Sa's
forces.
Khun Sa is the self-proclaimed leader of the Shan ethnic
minority, and has dema nded gather autonomy from Rangoon. His
MTA controls large part of the opium growing Shan St ate and
is allegedly financed by revenue from the drug trade.
It had been predicted for weeks that the junta would use
Burma's National Military Day yesterday to attack the
country's strongest insurgent groups the MTA to the eas t and
the ethnic Karen rebels to the south.
Tachilek refugees, now sheltered at Buddhist temples along the
Thai-Burmese bor der, have also been convinced that the MTA
would strike again. Official Thai radio report ed that the
number of refugees had swelled to some 800 by midday.
Fighting has been reported at several sites along a
five-kilometre front north of Tachilek. On
Sunday, Rangoon artillery and aircraft were heard supporting
their latest assau lts, Thai television reported. Thai Army
Lieutenant Colonel Suphachai Maikaew, commander of the 18th
Ranger Detachment, told Channel 9 that the Burmese junta has
suffered some 400 casuali ties about 100 dead and 300 injured
since it began its dry-season offensive against Khun S a in
mid-March.
Twenty MTA personnel were killed, 40 injured and 33 others
fleeing the war were captured and have been detained by Thai
authorities, he added.(TN)
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BURMESE INVESTMENT FUND DRAWS ASIAN, UK COMPANIES
28 MArch 1995
A SINGAPORE-BASED fund set up to promote investment in Burma
has attracted US$ 30 million in capital from Asia and British
compa- nies, the funds initiator, Kepple Corp Ltd, said
yesterday. The Myanmar Investment Fund would undertake direct
investments through equity stakes in foreign -Burmese joint
ventures, as well as 100% foreign owned projects, officials
said.
"We will have a diversified portfolio of investments,"
Kepple's group finance director Teo Soon Hoe said.
Teo identified the property, tourism and agriculture\food
related industries as having the gratest potential, although
the fund was also looking at manufacturing and infrastructure
projects. Kepple did not identify the Asian and British
companies that had stakes in the fund.
Officials said that the Singapore Government investment arm
Temasek Holdings was among participants in the 20-year-team
fund. The Burmese fund is the second capital investment fund
by Kepple, which in 1992 launched the VIetnam Investment Fund
and is
currently involved in setting up similar vehicles for China
and the Philippines.
Publicly-listed Kepple is developing a five-star hotel in
Rangoon and has signed a memorandum of understanding to
develop another hotel in Mandalay. (BP)
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VIETNAMESE RUBY TRADE GETS SUPPORT
28 MArch 1995
By Errol De Silva
AFTER a year's worth of persistent effort the Vietnamese push
to gain Thai support for its rough ruby trade is beginning to
pay off, said Mohamed Jabir, a gemstones adviser for the bank
of Vietnam.
Mr Jabir, who has made several recent visits to Bangkok, told
Business Post yesterday that he has helds discussion with
senior members of the Thai Gem & Jewelry Traders Association
(TGJTA), which represents the gem traders in the kingdoms.
Vietnam is believed to have stockpiled several million carats
of rough rubies whose quality is reportedly as high as that of
Bur- mese rubies. However, the VIetnamese have not been able
to suc- cessfully market these gemstones through global gem
trade
centres.
Vietnam would like ti auction off the rough rubies, bur Mr
jabir says Thai traders have told him they would prefer
bilateral trading transactions.
Mr jabir said he is currently organising auction to be
conducted by Sotheby's of London. He add VIetnam was very
optimatic the event would be a success, main because of the
high quality rubies which would be offered for sale.
While no firm auction date has yet been set, it is expected to
be held in the autumn when several thousand oversea gem buyer
converge on Southeast Asia for a dozen or so gems and
jewellery trade fair.
The trader have avoid auctions because of bad experience they
have had with them.
A 1989 international auction held in conjunction with the
Bangkok Gems & Jewelry Fair failed to generate much interest
and seller who put up valuable items expressed serious
misgiving about auction sales.
As well, Thai gen traders who attended the auction at Burma's
gems, pearls and jade emporium earlier this month were outbit
by other regional traders from Hong Kong and Taiwan