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BurmaNet News 4th May #164
------------------------- BurmaNet ---------------------------
"Appropriate Information Technologies, Practical Strategies"
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The BurmaNet News: 4th May 1995
Issue #164
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Contents:
--------------------------THAILAND----------------------------
THE NATION: BURMESE RAIDERS KILL 3 POLICEMEN
BKK POST: CALL FOR BURMA POLICY REVIEW
THE NATION: ILLEGAL ALIENS HELD
-------------------------INSIDE BURMA------------------------
THE NATION: DIPLOMAT CALLS ON THAILAND TO PUSH SLORC INTO PEACE
TALKS
THE NATION: FORMER SOCIALIST PRIMER MAUNG MAUNG KHA DEAD
THE NATION: LAO PRESIDENT TO VISIT BURMA
THE NATION: JAPAN TRADE OFFICIAL MEETS SLORC
THE NATION: PROPOSAL MADE TO REVOKE ASEAN STATUS OF BURMA
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DIPLOMAT CALLS ON THAILAND TO PUSH SLORC INTO PEACE TALKS
Blames policies of regional groupings for Rangoon's hard line
4 May 1995
A Rangoon-based diplomat has urged Thailand to seek peace
talks with Burma as a means to defuse rising tensions on the
border and put an end to frequent intrusions onto Thai soil.
The diplomat, speaking on condition of anonymity, blamed the
Asean policy of "constructive engagement" and the European
Union's approach of "critical dialogue" for failing to
pressure the Burmese military regime, the State Law and Order
Restoration Council (Slorc), to introduce reforms and bring
about democracy in the country.
He said the integrity of both policies has been eroded because
economic interests have outweighed genuine political will on
the part of international community.
He said the Association of South East Asian Nations (Asean)
"constructive engagement" policy could be effective but not
while guerrilla warfare is being waged in Burma.
"The current Slorc policy has forced Thailand to bear a
tremendous burden and has threatened its neighbour's security.
Thailand has to accommodate 70,000 Karen refugees and has to
be alert to subsequent border tensions.
In this respect, constructive engagement does not work," the
diplomat said.
He said Asean should do away with the policy of "constructive
engagement" in its current form and adopt a clearer and more
pragmatic stance towards Burma.
The diplomat said as a friendly neighbour Thailand should tell
Slorc that if it continues to indirectly support the
Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA) it would diminish the
credibility of not only the Slorc, but also Thailand and
other Asean countries, the proponents of "constructive
engagement".
The DKBA has repeatedly raided and set ablaze a number of
Karen refugee camps in Tak over the past few months.
"The heightened tension on the Thai-Burmese border is a result
of Slorc's failure to bring about genuine national
reconciliation. The use of force to solve conflicts only
further tarnishes Slorc's image.
"Thailand should exert some pressure on Slorc and stop fearing
that this would have a negative effect on its constructive
engagement policy. Even though Slorc would be dissatisfied, it
would have to listen," he said.
Since the pro-democracy uprising in 1988, which was brutally
suppressed by the Burmese military, the West has officially
cut off assistance to Burma and has based the resumption of
economic aid on the precondition that Burma improves its human
rights record and restores democracy.
"Foreign investment has increased in Burma despite
international human rights pressure against doing business
with Slorc. Most of them [the investors] are from the US,
European, Thai and Singaporean private sectors," the diplomat
said.
He said the Asian Development Bank last week expressed
interest in funding Slorc to develop the mammoth Salween
hydroelectricity scheme.
Additionally, an international consortium, comprising the
French-based Total and Californian-based Unocal companies, and
the Petroleum Authority of Thailand, have invested in the
Yadana gas project supplying the Electricity Generating
Authority of Thailand's power plant in Ratchaburi over a
period of 30 years.
Singaporean investors have attempted to gain a foothold in the
hotel and timber businesses in Burma. (TN)
BURMESE RAIDERS KILL 3 POLICEMEN
Outraged Wimol says Army has lost its patience
4.5.95/The Nation
Three policemen were killed early yesterday morning in a gunfight
with heavily armed Burmese ethnic troops who crossed the border
into Mae Hone Son in the latest and most violent rampage yet on
Thai soil.
Police and Thai officials suspected that the intruders were
members of the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army [DKBA], a splinter
minority Karen group reportedly backed by Rangoon.
The incident, in which another refugee camp was also attacked,
fuelled the outrage of the government and Army ,and caused
widespread panic and anger among Thai villagers along the
frontier . Many villagers said they were organizing protests to
highlight the government's failure to ensure a safe border.
" The Army has lost patience, " Army chief Wimol Wongwanich said.
" It is our right to deal with this outlawed group whatever way
we want. We don't need to seek cooperation from Burma. We can do
it all our way and drastically .We will do it . Just watch and
see."
Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai said he had given the military
" absolute authority" to combat armed incursions into Thailand .
He was firm yesterday in announcing the military would not need
to seek specific approval to retaliate once intruders had been
identified .
Interior Minister Sanan Kachomprasart said : " Since they can
kill us ,we must kill them". The DKBA faction has claimed
responsibility for repeated raids on Christian Karen refugee
camps in Mae Hong Son and Tak provinces , and over the weekend
threatened new assaults unless all Karen refugees were moved back
into Burma.
The gunfight erupted when between 10 and 20 intruders armed with
M-16 and AK-47 assault rifles encountered a checkpoint in Mae
Ngao village of Sop Moei distruct about I am , officials said .
Five policemen manning the house that served as a border
checkpoint put up a fight but were out -gunned . Three police
privates were found dead after the 10 minutes shootout , while
the other two narrowly escaped.
The victims , the first Thai casualties of the on-going
aggression, were identified as paichit Jitti, Somkiat Tistaeja
and Pipat Harnmuangjai.
About 4 am , 30 or 40 armed men crossed from Burma and stormed a
refugee camp in tambon Mae Samlab, also in Sop Moei district. The
men , wearing green uniforms, burned down more than 100 shelters,
torcheda small Thai market and robbed a Thai family before
crossing the Salween River back into Burma.
Sop Moei district chief Prasert Osathaphan said the refigee camp
had been largely abandoned before the attack. He and Assistant
Mae Hong Son Governor Niphon Kampa said they suspected the DKBA
were behind the reid and the deaths of the policemen .
The DKBA has mounted a series of violent cross- border raids into
Thailand since it broke away from the Karen National Union [KNU]
guerrilla group and joined forces with Burmese government troops
late last year. Last week the DKBA burnt several Karen refugee
camps on the Thai side of the border leaving thousands homeless .
The Army has reinforced the border in Tak with troops ,
helicopter gunships and armouren personnel carriers. But until
yesterday's asault the Mae Hong Son border remained largely
vulnerable . Three gunships took off from an Army base in Tak
yesterday in search of the Mae Hong Son raiders . Ground troops
were also dispatched but there were no reports of clashes.
The latest incident is likely to increase criticism of the Army
, which has been accused of ignorance, poor intelligence and
being too diplomatic.
" Sometimes it's hard to tell a guerrilla from a villager. When
they throw away their weapons , they become villagers .And it's
so easy to set fire to the make-shift refugee shelters, " he
said.
Wimol said Thailand had two options. "We have to make a decision
on how to undo the knot - whether to patiently try to work it out
, or to cut the rope, " the Army chief said.
Foreign Minister Krasae Chanawong said Thailand could apply
diplomacy along with military measures to deal with the
situation, but emphasized the need for care "or a friend will
turn into a foe".
Chuan said he had been beiefed about the predawn reid by
Defence Minister Vijit Sookmark, but the ministry had not yet
identified the attackers.
The prime minister was adamant tne military must keep a strict
vigil to ensure that such an incursion was not repeated.
Chuan acknowledged that the military wanted the Karen refugees to
return to Burma, but he noted the refugees evidently did not want
to go back. Wimol said the Karen refugees should remember that
they were visitors taking shelter in Thai territory and that they
should not create problems bere . " We do not force them to stay
in our country . If they want to go home ,we will repatriate them
. However , they are very happy to live here . They don't have to
work, yet they get food to eat and receive medical aid ," the
general said .
Wimol said he would like international organizations to give
assistance to Karen inside Burma, rather than those residing in
Thailand .
Responding to questions about relations between Burma and
Thailand , Wimol said the Burmese government still had not
acknowledged that the intruders along the border were Burmese
troops .
We have to thing that they are outlaws. So, we can legitimately
take action against those who intrude into out country,: he said.
Wimol admitted , however ,that there was still a shortcoming in
military intelligence, but said it would be improved .
A Thai Army official said yesterday that thousands of Karen
refugees would be moved form camps adjacent to the border with
Burma to new sites some 10 kilometers inside Thai territory , a
proposal floated by Wimol .
The Army , the National Security Council [NSC] , and the interior
and foreign minostries agreed late on Tuesday that a recent spate
of violent reids from Burma warranted the shift to new location ,
the official said.
CALL FOR BURMA POLICY REVIEW
4 May 1995
House foreign affairs Committee Chairman Suthin Noppakate
yesterday urged the Government to review engagement policy
with Burma and to drop an invitation for the reclusive country
to observe the ASEAN foreign ministers' meet in Brunei next
month.
His statement followed a briefing of the latest situation
along the Thai_Burmese border, including the recent intrusion
and burning of Karen refugee camps on Thai soil by members of
the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army.
The briefing was given to the committee by Pratyadavi
Tavedikul, deputy permanent secretary of foreign affairs.
The briefing said Thailand, at the ASEAN foreign ministers'
meet in Bangkok last year, initiated a move that Burma should
be invited as an observer to the next meet in Brunei in July,
in order to give the Burma the opportunity to be exposed to
changes in other countries with the hope that Rangoon could be
led towards the democratic path.
"But recent developments showed that our efforts have been
futile," he said, adding that the committee strongly felt that
Thailand's constructive engagement policy towards the ruling
State Law and Order Restoration Council (Slorc) should be
reviewed.
Thailand he continued, should drop its initiative to invite
Burma to observe the ASEAN meeting in Brunei.
The committee feels that response towards Burma over recent
border incidents was too slow and not strong enough, said Mr
Suthin, adding that there is a lack of coordination among
agencies involved in dealing with Burma.
The committee,said Mr Suthin, suggested the Ministry of
Foreign affairs take the lead role in the coordination.
"If we resort to armed confrontation or violence, the
situation would get worse. Every party wants to see a
negotiated settlement. In this case, the Foreign Ministry
should take the lead role," said the committee chairman. (BP)
FORMER SOCIALIST PREMER MAUNG MAUNG KHA DEAD
4 May 1995
Maung Maung Kha, Burma's former socialist prime minister, died
on April 30 in Rangoon, and his body was entombed inn a common
cemetery in the capital on Tuesday, official media reports
said yesterday. He was 75.
An army engineer, Maung Maung Kha became prime minister in
March 1977, succeeding Brig Gen Sein Win who had been primer
since a military junta was replaced in 1974 by a socialist
party led by Gen Ne win.
Agence France-Presse adds from Cox's Bazar in Bangladesh:
Bangladeshi and UN officials have found that more than 20,000
Burmese refugees were missing from camps in Bangladesh, the
refugee office here said yesterday.
A census conducted by Bangladesh and the United Nation high
Commissioner for Refugees in southern Cox's Bazar province
found that 22,427 of the Muslim refugees were missing, leaving
77,006 people in nine camps. (TN)
LAO PRESIDENT TO VISIT BURMA
4 May 1995
The President of Laos, Nouhak Phoumsavan, will pay a goodwill
visit to neighbouring Burma soon, the state-run Myanmar News
agency reported yesterday.
The news agency did not say when the visit will take place nor
did it provide any other details about the trip except to say
the Nouhak will be accompanied by his wife. (TN)
JAPAN TRADE OFFICIAL MEETS SLORC
4 May 1995
A senior official of the Japanese trade ministry, Katsusada
Hirose, paid a visit on Tuesds day to the chairman of the
Burmese investment commission, Vice Adm Maung Maung Khin, a
state-owned newspaper reported yesterday.
National plaining and Economic Minister Brig Gen David Abel
was also present at the meeting.
Hirose, director general of the Ministry of International
Trade and Industry (MITI), arrived in Burma on Monday
accompanied by three officials.
The MITI delegation also met with trade minister lt Gen Tun
Kyi on Tuesday, The New Light of Myanmar reported. (TN)
PROPOSAL MADE TO REVOKE ASEAN STATUS OF BURMA
4.5.95/The Nation
The House committee on foreign affairs resolved invite Burmese
representatives, as guest observers, to July's Asean Ministerial
Meeting in Brunei, due to the continuous incursions by armed
intruders from Burma , the committee chairman said yesterday .
Thailand initiated the invitation to Burma to observe the Asean
Ministerial Meeting in Bangkok last year, to give Burma the
chance to acknowledge democratic changes throughout the world and
develop such guidelines in its own country .
MP Suthin Noppaket [ PDP-Bangkok ]said such a policy was now
thought to be unworkable. The committee resolved that Thailand
retract its invitation to the meeting .
The committee has also invited the deputy permanent secretary at
the Foreign Ministry to explain the intrusions in the northern
provinces, where Karen refugee camps have been brunt and a number
of people killed of abducted , Suthin said .
The committee said that the Foreign Ministry should lead and
coordinate with other agencies concerned a peotest against the
Burmese government , Suthin said .
The government should be courageous and publicy announce
worldwide the country's stance against such behaviour , Suthin
said. Meanwhile, Democrat MP Alongkorn Palabutr [ Phetchaburi]
lodged an urgent motion yesterday with the House committee on
military affairs , demanding the committee consider the series of
intrusions on to Thai soil, violating the nation's sovereignty
adn integrity .
Alongkorn called for urgent action against foreign troops
crossing to provinces in the North , where they have killed Thais
and destroyed government property.
The fact that three Thai policemen were killed early yesterday
morning and two others wounded at their border check-point in Mae
Hong Son by a group of heavily armed intruders was also mentioned
in the letter .
For this reason , Alongkorn said , the House committee should set
out a clearcut policy in response to such intrusions from the
agencies concerned, particularly the Defence and the Foreign
Ministries.
837 ILLEGAL ALIENS HELD
3.5.95/The Nation
Burmese nationals constituted the majority or about 80 per cent
of the total of 837 illegal immigrants arrested by Thai
Metropolitan Police during the past week.
This was announced at yesterday's press conference by Police
Chief Gen Pote Boonyachida.
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NEWS SOURCES REGULARLY COVERED/ABBREVIATIONS USED BY BURMANET:
ABSDF-DNA: ALL BURMA STUDENT'S DEMOCRATIC FRONT [DR. NAING AUNG]
ABSDF-MTZ: ALL BURMA STUDENT'S DEMOCRATIC FRONT [MOE THEE ZUN]
AMNESTY: AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
AP: ASSOCIATED PRESS
AFP: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
AW: ASIAWEEK
Bt.: THAI BAHT; 25 Bt. EQUALS US$1 (APPROX),
BBC: BRITISH BROADCASTING CORPORATION
BF: BURMA FORUM
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 EAST ECONOMIC REVIEW
GOA: GOVERNMENT OF AUSTRALIA
IRRAWADDY: NEWSLETTER PUBLISHED BY BURMA INFORMATION GROUP
KHRG: KAREN HUMAN RIGHTS GROUP
KNU: KAREN NATIONAL UNION
Kt. BURMESE KYAT; UP TO 150 KYAT-US$1 BLACK MARKET
106 KYAT US$1-SEMI-OFFICIAL
6 KYAT-US$1 OFFICIAL
MOA: MIRROR OF ARAKAN
MNA: MYANMAR NEWS AGENCY (SLORC)
THE NATION: A DAILY NEWSPAPER IN BANGKOK
NCGUB: NATIONAL COALITION GOVERNMENT OF THE UNION OF BURMA
NLM: NEW LIGHT OF MYANMAR (DAILY STATE-RUN NEWSPAPER,RANGOON)
NMSP: NEW MON STATE PARTY
RTA:REC.TRAVEL.ASIA NEWSGROUP
RTG: ROYAL THAI GOVERNMENT
SCB:SOC.CULTURE.BURMA NEWSGROUP
SCT:SOC.CULTURE.THAI NEWSGROUP
SEASIA-L: S.E.ASIA BITNET MAILING LIST
SLORC: STATE LAW AND ORDER RESTORATION COUNCIL
TAWSJ: THE ASIAN WALL STREET JOURNAL
UPI: UNITED PRESS INTERNATIONAL
USG: UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT
XNA: XINHUA NEWS AGENCY
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