[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index
][Thread Index
]
BurmaNet News 10th May #169
------------------------- BurmaNet ---------------------------
"Appropriate Information Technologies, Practical Strategies"
--------------------------------------------------------------
The BurmaNet News: 10th May 1995
Issue #169
Contents:
NATION: BURMA'S KAREN BUDDHISTS PEACE-SEEKERS OR GUERRIL-
LAS?
NATION: A LAND OF POTENTIAL AND ABIDING BACKWARDNESS
NATION: THE CALL TO ARMS
NATION: ARMY SPOKESMAN: WE ARE NOW IN A WARFARE SITUATION'
NATION: EX-GENERALS UNSURE ABOUT THAILAND'S CHANCE IN WAR
AGAINST BURMA
BKK POST: THAI FORCES BEEFED UP, PUT ON ALERT
NATION: LAO LEADER ARRIVES FOR BURMA VISIT
NATION: OPPOSITION PUSHES FOR URGENT DEBATE ON KAREN INCURSIONS
NATION: BURMESE REBELS PLEDGE TO CEASE CROSS-BORDER RAIDS
NATION: BURMA SAYS THAIS `COOPERATE' WITH ITS FOES
NATION: HOUSE PANEL AGAIN CALLS FOR RETHINK OF POLICY FOR BURMA
NATION: BURMA, LAOS SIGN TRADE, FARM PACTS
BKK POST: BURMESE MUSLIMS CLAIM TO HAVE BEEN UNLAWFULLY TAXED
BKK POST: OPIUM `BEHIND POLICE KILLINGS'
BKK POST: KAREN REFUGEES MOVED DEEPER
BKK POST: AMBUSH NETS SUSPECT, HEROIN
BKK POST: SECURITY CENTRES PLANNED TO STOP FOREIGN INVASIONS
BRC(Jap): INVITATION TO 17TH YOMIURI INTERNATIONAL CARTOON CONTEST
--------------------------------------------------------------
o-------------------------------o
The BurmaNet News is an | |
electronic newspaper | Iti |
covering Burma. Articles | snotpo |
from newspapers, magazines, | werthatcor |
newsletters, the wire | ruptsbutfea |
services and the Internet as | r.Fearoflos |
well as original material | ingpowercor |
are published. | ruptsthosewhoare |
The BurmaNet News is | subjecttoit...Theef |
e-mailed directly to | fortnecessarytoremain |
subscribers and is | uncorruptedinanenvironm |
also distributed via | entwherefearisanintegralpar |
the soc.culture.burma | tofeverydayexistenceisnoti |
and seasia-l mailing | mmediatelyapparentto |
lists and is also | thosefortunate |
available via the | enoughtolivein |
reg.burma conference on | statesgovern |
the APC networks. For a | edbytherule |
free subscription to | oflaw...fear |
the BurmaNet News, send | is ahab it. |
an e-mail message to: | Iam |
| no |
majordomo@xxxxxxxxxxx | taf |
| ra |
In the body of the message, | id. |
type "subscribe burmanet-l" | Aun |
(without quotation marks) | gSa |
| nS |
Letters to the editor, | uu |
comments or contributions | Ky |
of articles should be | i. |
sent to the editor at: o-------------------------------o
strider@xxxxxxxxxxx
In Washington:
Attention to BurmaNet
c/o National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma
(NCGUB)
Information Office
815 15th Street NW, Suite 609
Washington D.C. 20005
Tel: (202) 393-7342, Fax: (202) 393-7343
In Bangkok:
Attention to BurmaNet
c/o Burma Issues
PO Box 1076, Silom Post Office
Bangkok 10500 Thailand
Tel: (066) (02) 234-6674, Fax: (066) (02) 631 0133
The NCGUB is a government-in-exile, formed by representatives
of the people that won the election in 1990.
Burma Issues is a Bangkok-based non-governmental organization
that documents human rights conditions in Burma and maintains
an archive of Burma-related documents. Views expressed in The
BurmaNet News do not necessarily reflect those of either NCGUB
or Burma Issues.
--------------------------------------------------------------
===== item =====
BURMA'S KAREN BUDDHISTS PEACE-SEEKERS OR GUERRILLAS?
7 May 1995
The Burmese junta's assertion it has no involvement in the
repeated attacks on Karen refugee camps in Thailand is highly
questionable because the incursions are being carried out by
the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA), which is supported
by Rangoon.
The DKBA has become stronger and better equipped with the help
of the ruling military junta, the State Law and Order Restora-
tion Council (Slorc).
The renegade army comprises former members of the Karen
National Union (KNU) who defected in December, claiming they
were being discriminated against by the KNU's Christian lead-
ership.
Slorc forces managed to overrun the KNU headquarters at Maner-
plaw and another strategic stronghold at Kawmoora early this
year with the help of the Karen defectors, who led them
through the defences. Both bases are now major DKBA
strongholds.
The renegades' political wing is known as the Democratic Karen
Buddhist Organization (DKBO).
In recent months Slorc has tried, through its control of the
media, to paint the renegade group as a peace-seeker and the
KNU as a supporter of violence and criminal activities. On
this basis, Rangoon has given assistance to the DKBA, which it
said shares the a common goal_an end tio internal conflict and
a lasting peace.
In radio broadcasts, the junta has praised the activities of
the DKBA, contrasting them with the "policies" of the KNU
leader, Gen Bo Mya, and his followers.
None of which answers the question: how can the DKBA
repeatedly cross the river into Thailand, with seeming
impunity, to attack and burn the refugee camps?
On the Burmese side, at least, there would seem to be no bar-
riers. It is reported that the DKBA have been supplied with
uniforms by the Burmese government and responsible for patrol-
ling the border adjacent to Mae Hong Son and Tak provinces.
Gen Surachet Daechawongse, commander of the Thai Army's 3rd
Region, on Thursday rejected suggestions the incursions could
not have occurred without the collaboration of at least some
of his subordinates.
DKBA leader admit their forces have abducted Christian Karens
living in the camps and burnt down their makeshift shelters in
an effort to terrorize the inhabitants to return to Burma.
A prominent monk, U Thuzana (one of the group's leaders), has
played a major role in attracting people to the DKBA from the
KNU, from the camps in Thailand and inside Burma. Many of Gen
Bo Mya's followers have defected to the DKBA, particularly
those who are Buddhists.
Before he defected, the KNU prohibited Buddhist activities and
banned the construction of a Buddhist temple in the KNU head-
quarters, according to military sources.
The DKBA forces are supplied with food and medical items by
the Burmese government, partly because they are afraid to
cross the border to buy them from Thai villagers.
Thailand has been dragged, unwillingly, into the decades-old
internal conflict between the Rangoon government and the mi-
nority Burmese ethnic groups.
It is the taxpayers of this country who have had to shoulder
the burden every time the Burmese government launched a major
offensive against the Karens, resulting in tens of thousands
of people fleeing the fighting by retreating into Thailand.
The care of these "displaced people" has been left in the
hands of local authorities.
The Foreign Ministry has lodged a series of protest notes with
the Burmese government about the repeated crimes of the DKBA.
All to no avail. Rangoon has denied any involvement with them
and claimed it had no control over the movement. (TN)
===== item =====
A LAND OF POTENTIAL AND ABIDING BACKWARDNESS
7 May 1995
Hurtling down the road to Mandalay, the eugenia leaves
attached to our hired car flap wildly as Buddhist insurance
against accidents. American rap and Michael Jackson boom from
the cassette player.
Thank the Lord Buddha for the leaves because our smiling, sa-
rong-clad driver, Khin Maung aye, tends to take one hand off
the wheel to dip into a box of betel nut, the nonhabit-forming
stimulant widely used in Asia. Swaying to the music, he misses
oncoming, World War II-era trucks by centimetres.
Around us, farmers work the fields with wooden plows. Ox-
carts, the prime means of rural transport, stir up swirls of
dust across the parched plains. Youngsters flag down passing
cars, asking for a little cash to repair the countless pagodas
that seem to spring from the very soil.
It's a mystic landscape.
Behind us, in ancient Pagan, the ruins of 2,200 pagodas, stup-
as, monasteries and other buildings bear mute testimony to
what was once of Asia's most wondrous cities. Only a few farm-
ers live there now.
Nearby looms Mount Popa, abode of both nasty and being super-
natural beings - the "nats"-to whom even modern day generals
and scholars pay proper homage. Ahead is Mandalay, Burma's
last royal capital, where barbarity and deep piety mingled.
"This is Burma, and it will be quite unlike any land you know
about," British author Rudyard Kipling wrote a century ago,
and most visitors of today agree.
The last of the sacred eugenia sprigs - fastened to rearview
mirrors - have blown away by the time we reach Mandalay. They
severed their purpose. Cattle, dogs, vehicles and monks had
narrowly survived Khin Maung Aye, who suffered only one flat
tire.
Between Mandalay and Burma's capital, Rangoon, you can now fly
in antiseptic comfort on Air Mandalay - a recent Singapore-
Burmese way, the so-called express train.
It seemed like a bargain. US$30 for a 700-kilometre journey,
in an "upper class" car no less. The trip was scheduled to
take "about" 12 hours.
Mandalay station at pre-dawn is a medieval scene of
candlelight, families huddled under dirty up for scarce seats
on antiquated trains.
Aboard, the train's halting progress is accompanied by non-
stop betel nut chewing, throat-clearing, cheroot smoking and
snack eating. Fueling the munchathon is an army of hawkers who
descend on the train at every stop, shoving quails eggs,
chicken curry, sweets and fruit through the windows.
One enterprising man on board rents out Burmese comic books
and magazines that feature "nat" tales alongside gossip about
the love lives of Hollywood stars like Michael Douglas and
Julia roberts. It's five kyat (5 cents) a read.
By mid-afternoon a torpor hangs over the passengers. Heat,
dust and a goodly number of insect species invade through the
empty windows from the vast spaces of central Burma - a land
of great potential and abiding backwardness.
Sunset, nightfall and frequent unscheduled stops in the middle
of nowhere. "Engine failure," the conductor explains calmly.
"It happens all the time."
Finally we limp into Rangoon, after 18.30 hours on the track.
Burma's capital, the cliche went, was where clocks stood
still. But now, with the country's long closed borders open-
ing, the skyline encompasses both satellite television dishes
and the golden spire of Shwedagon Pagoda, which legend says
was built 2,500 years ago.
On Rangoon's tress you can buy edible betels, have your ears
cleaned or get your Macintosh computer serviced. If you're
illiterate, a battery of pavement typists will compose your
love letters.
Economic liberalization, albeit by a dictatorial junta, has
ushered in Karaoke bars, computer games, credit cards, Filipi-
no bands and traffic jams, all unheard of just a few years
ago.
although eager for foreign cash and tourists, the military
regime is fighting a rear-guard action against some of the
thing that invariably come with opening up.
Attacking "decadent alien culture", the generals recently an-
nounced a nine-point dress code for entertainers. It bans
earrings and shabby along hair for men and decrees that women
cannot wear sarongs shorter than 15 centimetres above the an-
kle.
Facts on visiting Burma
*GETTING THERE: Round-trip fight from Bangkok to Rangoon,
US$230 (Bt5,750).
*HOTEL: Double room at renovated colonial classic The strand,
US$300 (Bt7,500) a night. Double at small, well-kept private
hotel, US$50 (Bt1,250).Hostels, a few dollars.
*FOOD: Meal, without drinks, at strand and other first-class
hotels, US$20 (Bt500) and up a person. Meal at typical Burmese
restaurant, US$1-5 (Bt25-125). (TN)
===== item =====
THE CALL TO ARMS
7 May 1995
There has been abundant speculation as to why the army has
allowed increasingly violent cross-border incursions. Wassana
Nanuam sifts through the scorn being heaped on the military in
a bid to find the truth.
Thailand is once again in the spotlight for allowing Buddhist
Karen forces backed by Burmese government troops to cross the
border to burn down refugee camps and intimidate karen
refugees.
karen and Thai casualties have been the grim result.
The liberty with which the intruders have carried out their
repeated incursions and pillages during the past two weeks
leads many to believe Thailand is without a strong army
defending its sovereignty and territorial integrity.
It has seemed inn recent weeks that anybody can trespass onto
Thai soil at will to commit acts of aggression and still go
unpunished.
In view of the prevailing Thai policy of appeasement toward
Burma, the question is: do the security forces along the
Burmese border secretly allow the incursions to take place?
Army Commander in Chief Wimol Wongwonich is known to be one of
the staunchest allies of the Burmese military regime inn
Rangoon.
"I don't care what other countries think about our relations
with Burma,' he has said on several occasions. "They don't
have to live with Burma the way we do. We can't really stop
people trading with one another. We have the policy of being
friendly to all neighbouring countries regardless of their
ideologies. we don't interfere with the internal affairs of
other countries."
Following the embarrassing incursions by Buddhist karen
insurgents, Wimol went out his way to defend the Rangoon
government, saying it "insisted there were no Burmese
government troops involved in the trespasses into Thai
territory".
But Wimol in recent days has toughened his stance, saying the
Thai Army reserves the right to take drastic action against
intruders.
The most puzzling question: what has the Army been doing to
allow such humiliating incursions by intruders? The Army's
standard response: it is impossible to prevent such incidents
because there aren't enough troops to watch the entire 200-km
border.
The army has standing orders to guard Thai territory against
trespasses:
First, security forces along the border must provide
protection to refugees fleeing into the country. Armed aliens
are to be disarmed at the border.
Second, in case fighting spills over onto Thai soil, such as
stray artillery shells, they are required to fire warning
shots back.
Third, if spillovers cause casualties or damage, the local
Army commander, with the approval of regional command, has the
right to respond with live ammunition on retaliation.
Fourth, each time there is an incursion, security forces have
the duty to gather information and evidence as well as record
damage done to Thai property and report to headquarters for
further intrusions.
One reason frequently cited by Wimol for the Army's failure to
respond in accordance to these clear rules of engagement is
the warm relations between Thai soldiers and citizens and
troops on the other side of the border.
Now that Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai has publicly given the
Army the green light to do whatever is necessary to deter
further incursions, all Army units along the border are
awaiting specific orders from Wimol.
"We will take drastic action, just you wait and see," Wimol
said, "but we will have to wait unit we can identify them and
locate their hide-outs. We don't have to treat these karen
guerrillas with respect. They're just a bunch of bandits. The
Army can handle the problem. If we can't get rid of them,
there will be need for Thailand to have soldiers."
But skeptics in the Army say blaming these problems on poor
intelligence-gathering is just another excuse, or a
smokescreen covering a secret deal the Army may have struck
with Rangoon to allow Buddhist karen insurgents to intimidate
refugees in Thailand.
Admissions by the Army of inadequate intelligence-gathering
is not good news for villagers living near the border, who
have long complained that security forces cannot protect them
outside threat. (TN)
===== item =====
ARMY SPOKESMAN: 'WE ARE NOW IN A WARFARE SITUATION'
7 May 1995
Yaowarer Sutthapinthu talks to army spokesman Col Palangkul
Klaharn to try to find out how good the Army is at defending
the country.
How do you explain the repeated incursions onto Thai soil by
alien forces, particularly during the past two weeks?
First of all, one has to understand that under peacetime con-
ditions, friendly countries don't deploy a massive military
presence along their borders. As for Thailand, we maintain
only a small number of border patrol police and paramilitary
troops, whose main duty is to provide protection to refugees
from Burma. But this has changed with the repeated incursions.
Army Commander in Chief Wimol Wongwonich has ordered the Thai
Army Region to send in reinforcements and take military ac-
tion if necessary to stop the violations.
But shouldn't the Army maintain a high level of preparedness
even in peacetime?
In all peaceful countries the world, soldiers are trained in
their camps. The main armed forces will be mobilized and de-
ployed only in warfare situations.
What is the Army doing on the Burmese border now?
The army has already sent its main troops to the problem spots
on the border. Our soldiers respect honour as much as their
forefathers. They will die defending the country is they have
to. They will carry out orders given by their superiors. There
is no question about it. If we must fight, we will make sure
we win the battle. from this moment on, we have set into mo-
tion our military apparatus. We are now in a warfare
situation. We will identify and then we will strike them. We
will defend our territorial integrity.
Why has the Army been so slow in reacting to the violations?
It may seem slow in the eyes of the public, but we can't
discuss all military plans in public. Also we have to exercise
extreme caution before taking any dramatic action. The Army
chief used to say he doesn't want to be a hero unnecessarily.
We are prepared to go to war immediately, but again, we need
time for careful planning. Army troops are now massing at the
problem spots. They will do whatever necessary to achieve
their objectives.
Still, many people question the Army's defence capability
following its failure to stop the intruders from crossing the
border in the first place.
One must understand that before the tens of thousands of
Karens fled across the border in December, they posed no
problem for Thailand. The problems only developed after the
Karen were split into Christian and Buddhist factions more
recently.
When the Karens come into Thailand en masse we have no way of
telling who is who. Buddhist Karens don't necessarily have an
amulet around their necks and their Christian counterparts
don't wear a cross. That's why it was easy for some people to
carry out acts of sabotage at refugee camps. All said, we have
to admit that our intelligence gathering still has room for
improvement.
How do you rate the Army's defence capability?
It 's never been so strong. The reason we haven't take drastic
action is not because we're afraid of losing to the Burmese.
Once the Thai Army goes to war, we're sure will emerge the
winner. We are 100 per cent prepared in terms of manpower and
weapons.
Our troops undergo vigorous training all year round, but we
don't act like hot-blooded youths. We need time for careful
planning. I would like the people to wait and see what
happens next.
It's widely believed that some Army officers are involved in
illegal activities such as the contraband trade and
gunrunning, and that the could be one the of reasons why
they're reluctant to take action against intruders who could
be their trading partners on the other side of the border.
I believe there will always be some bad people among the
honest majority who are doing their best to serve the country.
The overwhelming majority of Army officers are good men, but
even so, the Army still has a policy of rotating officers
assigned to border areas every one or two years. (TN)
===== item =====
EX-GENERALS UNSURE ABOUT THAILAND'S CHANCE IN WAR AGAINST
BURMA
7 MAY 1995
Thailand should use military action to resolve problems along
its borders only as a last resort, having exhausted all diplo-
matic and political means, according to former army generals
interviewed by The Nation.
Bur some of them. siting budgetary constraints and
insufficient manpower, said the Thai Army is capable only of
the conducting limited, small-scale warfare.
Retired Gen Yutthaphan Makaramanee, former chief of the
Territorial Defence Force, said one of the reasons the Army
has to exercise extreme caution in dealing with problems on
the Burmese border is because Burma has a stronger army.
"Burma has a very strong army because it can buy advanced
weapons from China at 'friendship prices'," Yutthaphan said.
"If we were not careful, we could be beaten and humiliated."
The general said Burma is obviously military stronger than
Thailand and continues to maintain greater bargaining power in
bilateral relations.
"With existing manpower and weapons, we are fully prepared to
handle the small problem of frequent incursions by Karen
guerrillas. The problem is we are not prepared if the problem
escalates into a large-scale conflict."
But Yutthaphan expressed sympathy for the Third Army Region,
which is in charge of security on the the long and porous
Burmese border, because he knows it's difficult to guard
against sporadic intrusions by small, highly-mobile ethnic
insurgents.
Yutthaphan said the Third Army is unable to deploy enough
soldiers to guard the border because of limited manpower and
financing.
But he insisted that Thai soldiers have high morale and are
ready to lay down their lives to uphold the country's
territorial integrity.
Retired Gen Siri Thiwaphan, former Commander of the Third Army
Region, said that during his tenure, he consistently took
swift and decisive action against intruders from Burma
regardless of what faction they belonged to.
"We have every right to take military action against armed
intruders. First we would warn them not to trespass on our
territory, and if they did cross the border we insisted on
disarming them. If they disobeyed our order we simply shot
them."
Siri said repeated incursions in the past two weeks underlines
the need for the Third Army Region to improve intelligence
gathering and reinforce security forces guarding the border.
He does not see Burma is as a threat to national security
despite the border problems, saying overall bilateral
relations between Thailand and Burma remain amicable.
Siri believes current Army commander in Chief Wimol Wongwanich
is considering options for a military strike against the Karen
intruders as soon as they are located inside Burma.
"Every time Thai villagers, policemen and soldiers are killed,
all members of the Army feel personally hurt. Even a retired
army officer like me is hurt by the Thai casualties resulting
from the border incidents," he said.
Some past border incidents with neighbouring countries stemmed
from business disputes between people involved in the illicit
trade contraband, weapons and humans, according to former
supreme commander Saiyud kerdphol.
Gen Saiyud suggested that the failure by border security
forces to curb the smuggling explains why some business
disputes lead to incursions by alien forces into Thai
territory.
He believes some members of the Thai security forces are
themselves involved in the illegal deals.
"I have always said we must keep a close watch on our own
people working in the border areas to make sure they're not
involved in smuggling. We have to make sure acts of revenge
inn business disputes don't escalate into a national dispute,"
Saiyud said.
He think the Thai army should reintroduce an intelligence-
gathering network among villagers, paramilitary troops and
soldiers. It was scrapped several years ago. (TN)
===== item =====
THAI FORCES BEEFED UP, PUT ON ALERT
9 MAY 1995
Fresh Burmese troops sent to border.
THAI security forces along the Thai-Burmese in Tak and Mae
Hong Song provinces have been beefed up and placed on alert to
prevent acts of sabotage by the pro-Rangoon DK BA.
The reinforcement came amid reports that more Burmese soldiers
had been sent to the border opposite the two provinces.
Additional troops also been sent to positions opposite Sop
Moei District of Mae Hong Song where the DKBA forces attacked
a Thai police outpost last week, killing three policemen.
Border sources said reinforcements of Border Patrol Policemen
and V-150 armoure d personnel carries were deployed at Ban Sop
Moei yesterday following an intelligence repor t that some 200
fresh Burmese troops have been sent to the area.
The report said Sop Moei and Mae Sariang districts could be
sabotage targets of the DKBA which during the recent weeks
conducted a series of cross-border raids into Tha iland kidnap
members of the anti-Rangoon Karen National Union and set their
refugee camps on fire.
Pol Col Anudit Attha, Deputy chief of Mae Hong Son police,
said he has instruct ed his men to coordinate with the
district authorities in setting up a police command headqua
rter in Mae Sariang to ensure safety residents following a
threat by the DKBA to attack the border district town.
The command headquarters will be manned by some 500 policemen
from Mae Sariang and nearby district as well as volunteers and
army-traced rangers. Businessmen in Tak Province yesterday
lodged a petition with Deputy Interior Mi nister Udon
Tantisunthorn urging him to instruct officials concerned to
beef up safety meas ures for residents living along the
border.
The petition was handed to Mr Udon as he accompanied Interior
Minister Sanan Ka chornprasart on a visit to Ban Rimmoei of
Mae Sot District. The Petition was drawn up after s group of
six armed Burmese robbed a Thai vill agers and shot dead a
public health official at Mae Pa on Sunday afternoon before
escaping wit h three motorcycles and cash.
The Burmese authority later handed back the stolen motorcycles
after a formal c ompliant was lodged through the Thai-Burmese
local border Committee. Meanwhile, Defence Minister Maj-Gen
Vijit Sookmark said yesterday there id no t ruth in the
allegation made by a senior Burmese officer that Thailand had
allowed Khun Sa's MTA to use its territory for troop movement
s and as a staging ground for raids into Burma .
The Defence minister said the allegation was baseless as it
was internationally recognized that the Thai Government had
provide full cooperation in suppressing the illegal nar cotics
trade along the border area with Burma.
Burmese regional commander Brig Gen Kyaw Win said on Sunday
that he might order his forces to cross the border in hot
pursuit of Khun Sa's forces because he believ es that take
shelter in Thailand. (BP)
===== item =====
LAO LEADER ARRIVES FOR BURMA VISIT
9 May 1995
The president of Laos arrived here yesterday for a four-day
goodwill visit at t he invitation of the Burmese government.
Nouhak Phoumsavanh, president of the Lao People's Democratic
Republic, was met at Rangoon Airport by Gen Than Shwe,
chairman of the State Law and Order Restoration Council, the
Burmese ruling junta. The Laotian president was accompanied by
his wife and a 15-member delegation.
The two countries share a border in the Golden Triangle region
of Southeast Asia.
Gen Than Shwe visited Laos in June 1994 at the invitation of
President Phoumsav anh.(TN)
===== item =====
OPPOSITION PUSHES FOR URGENT DEBATE ON KAREN INCURSIONS
9 May1995
Vijit cool to holding hopen House discussion of 'sensitive matters'.
The opposition yesterday filed an urgent motion calling for a
House debate on t he violent border incursions by the
Democratic Karen Buddhist Army. In a letter submitted to House
Speaker Marut Bunnag yesterday, the opposition s aid the
government to take swift action to prevent repetition of the
incursions, which have terrorized Thai villagers along the
border.
The letter also called on the House committee on local
administration to invest igate the incidents. The guerrillas
have burned Karen refugee camps, abducted their leade rs and
robbed Thai villagers.
The murder of three Thai police last Wednesday prompted the
Thai Army to retali ate by attacking a DKBA base opposite Mae
Hong Son's Sop Mei district. "The problems need to be resolved
quickly by authorities to restore security an d protect
villagers' lives and properties. In addition, these are
sensitive matters conce rning peace and order as well as
national sovereignty," the letter said.
The letter was signed by opposition MPs from the Chat Thai,
Chat Pattana and Ne w Aspiration parties. Local MP Panya
Jinakhan (Chat Thai-Mae Hong Son) was also a signatory.
Since March, the border raids have disturbed the lives of
villagers from Sop Mo ei, Mae Sariang, Mae La Noi and Khun
Yuam districts in Mae Hong Son province. However, their
request for security to be stepped-up along the border has not
b een met simply because the security forces have insufficient
manpower, the letter said. The House committee already begun
its own investigation into the border inciden ts at the
request of Panya.
CPP leader Gen Chatichai Choohavan last week criticized the
government and the Army for their failure to use existing
channels to stem the violent incursions by the DK BA. Rangoon
has denied any responsibility for the killings, claiming it
does not su pport the DKBA, which it said is out of its
control. The DKBA itself blamed its former ally, the Karen
National Union for the slayin gs.
It was unclear whether the debate could take place during this
week's two-day H ouse session but Defence Minister Vijit
Sookmark said government officials will testify on t he
government's reaction to the border violence and the
coordination among all relevant agencie s. However, Vijit was
guarded about open debate on the issue, contending that nati
onal security matters could not be made public.
Meanwhile, the exiled Burmese government has called on the
international commun ity, especially the Thai government, to
take tough action against Rangoon's brutal c rackdown on Karen
refugees, or face riskier consequences. The
democratically-elected National Coalition Government of the
Union of Burma, in a letter dated May 5, lambasted Rangoon for
its attacks on Karen refugee camps in Thaila nd. It said the
State Law and Oreder Restoration Council (Slorc) had shown no
restraint and lit tle regard for human lives despite protests
by Thailand and the international community.
"The International community should not be surprised that
beneath its mask Slor c has bared its fangs," the statement
said. "For Thailand, already much has been lost and there is
much more at stake. It s hould start to act now and show Slorc
that these brutalities will have to end." (TN)
===== item =====
BURMESE REBELS PLEDGE TO CEASE CROSS-BORDER RAIDS
9 May 1995
Mae Ta Waw, Burma - renegade rebels from Burma who have been
attacking Karen re fugee camps in Thailand said yesterday they
were not ready for war with Thailand and would cease their
cross-border raids.
A commander of a rebel faction which broke away from Burma's
anti-Rangoon Karen guerrilla army and joined Burmese
government forces in December said their religious lead er, a
Buddhist monk, had ordered them to cease the attacks.
"U Thuzana has ordered us to cease all operations for the time
being and wait t o see the Thai reaction on the refugee
issue," said Maj Toe Hlaing, a local commander of the D
emocratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA). "Our leader said we are
not ready to declare war with Thailand but we can defen d
ourselves if necessary," he said in the forest on the Burmese
bank of the Moei River, which forms the border with Thailand.
Toe Hlaing admitted his group was responsible for raiding
several refugee camps in Thailand last week and burning down
hundreds of bamboo-and-thatch refugee dwellings. The raids
angered Thailand and prompted an official complaint to Burma's
ruling military body.
Thailand also moved in more than 1,000 reinforcements and a
formidable array of military hardware to reinforce the
frontier. Thai Army helicopter gunships, firing machine guns
and rockets, attacked a grou p of DKBA guerrillas dug in on a
northwestern Thai border mountain on Saturday. Thai
helicopters also attacked a DKBA amp in Burma late last week,
firing salvo s of rockets into the rebel position at the
confluence of the Salween and Moei rivers. The DKBA was formed
in December by hundreds of Karen guerrillas who mutinied ag
ainst their leaders in the Christian-led, anti-Rangoon Karen
National Union (KNU). Th e DKBA says its raids on the refugee
camps in Thailand were aimed at forcing the 70,000 Kar en
refugees, many of whom are KNU supporters, back to the
government's zone of control in Bu rma.
Toe Hlaing said he did not object to a Thai plan to move the
refugees away from the border to safer locations deeper in
Thailand, but he wanted Thai authorities to ensure th at no
KNU guerrillas were among them. He said his faction would
demand that Thailand hand over any KNU members found on Thai
soil. Meanwhile, a Burmese colonel told Thai reporters on the
Burmese side of t he border that Rangoon troops on alert at
the frontier were instructed to shoot down any Thai military
aircraft that violated Burma's air space.
"The order from the Slorc [State Law and Order Restoration
Council] is clear, t hat we must shoot down aircraft
trespassing our air space without having to wait for shooti ng
order," the colonel said. Meanwhile, Interior Minister Sanan
Kachornprasart said he believes the border s ituation is under
control and no further violence is expected. Sanan, just
returned from a border inspection, said the Army and combined
secur ity forces are on full alert and well prepared to deter
further raids by armed groups from Bur ma. "They are prepared
and ready to respond to whatever the Burmese government inte
nds to do," Sanan said.
He said it has not yet been determined who killed three Thai
border police last week, but investigators should be able to
find out by examining the bullets. "If the bullets are proven
not to be from the Thai Army, a conclusion could eas ily be
reached as to which side fired them," Sanan said.
Defence Minister Vijit Sookmak said the border situation is
now stabilized and expects the current military operation
against the raiders will not hurt Thai-Burmese relat ions.
Vijit backed the proposal to relocate refugee camps to Burma
but said there is need to get Burma's agreement. (TN)
===== item =====
BURMA SAYS THAIS `COOPERATE' WITH ITS FOES
10.5.95/The Nation
RANGOON- A Burmese military spokesman yesterday alleged that Thai
cooperation with anti-Rangoon groups was behind the current
tensions at the border between the two countries.
Col Kyaw Win, deputy military intelligence chief, told reporters
that alleged drug baron Khun Sa National Union [KNU] leader Bo
Mya have for years enjoyed safe refuge in Thailand whenever
Burmese forces have attacked their bases in Burma.
" Continued harbouring of such elements will continue to
precipitate similar problems ," Kyaw Win warned.
He said there are no problems between the armed forces of Burma
and Thailand, and that problems instead were due to " political
developments".
"If political changes take place, these problems will disappear,"
he said, without elaborating. He added that Burma would under to
circumstance contemplate joint military operations.
Kyaw Win said " terrorist organizations" have numerous camps
along the border, an apparent reference to camps inside Thailand
for refugees from Burma.
He blamed the KNU, the largest of Burma's ethnic-based guerrilla
movements,for attacks on refugee camps by the breakaway
Democratic Kayin Buddhist Organization [DKBO] , saying the KNU
had refused to allow families to return to Burma.
" The government of Myanmar has at no time become involved in
these problems and has not at any time encouraged any
organization to oppose any neighbour" .
Asked whether the DKBO or KNU, singly or together, would be
offered a peace accord such as that offered to 14 other former
insurgent groups, he said Rangoon's peace offer still stands.
" However, we are not considering it at this time because things
are still unclear between the DKBO and the KNU," he added.
===== item =====
HOUSE PANEL AGAIN CALLS FOR RETHINK OF POLICY FOR BURMA
10.5.95/THE NATION
The House committee on foreign affairs repeated its call
yesterday for the government to review its " constructive
engagement " policy with Burma.
"The policy was aimed at reducing violence by Burma, but in fact
Burma is still using violence. That means the policy was
unsuccessful. So it should be reviewed." said the committee
chairman Suthin Noppaket [Palang Dharma-Bangkok].
He called for government-level negotiations with Burma as local
authorities alone could not deal with the border problem. " If
the problem grows, it may escalate into a war," he warned.
Suthin asked the Foreign Affairs Defence and Interior ministries,
and the National Security Council to cooperate in the
negotiations with Burma.
If negotiations with Burma failed, Suthin proposed the government
bring the issue up in an international forum, such as Asean, or
in the event of failure there, the United Nations.
" Thailand should stop providing aid to Burma and ask for help
from the international community to resist Burma's violations,"
he said.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai yesterday dismissed as an
attempt to " distort the facts" an allegation made by the Burmese
junta that Thailand had assisted drug warlord Khun Sa.
" Khun Sa is irrelevant to Thailand .He is Burma's internal
problem . His army is one of the resistance groups opposed to the
Burmese government and fighting between the two groups has
resulted in heavy losses for both sides," Chuan said.
The premier insisted the current tensions along the Thai-Burmese
border can be handed by local officials because it is not a
national problem.
Over the weekend, a Burmese junta military commander threatened
to send troops into Thailand if Khun Sa's guerrillas continued a
series of cross-border attacks into Burma.
The Burmese have accused Thailand of allowing Khun Sa's Mong Tai
Army to use its territory to move its troops and act as the
platform from which to launch raids into Burma.
Khun Sa's headquarters is in the Burmese town of Homong, but
Burmese military authorities said he also has an "office" in Mae
Sai.
A Burmese student leader said yesterday his group would submit a
written protest with Burmese Embassy in attacks by the Buddhist
Karen rebels on Karen refugee camps in Thailand.
Three Thai policemen were killed in an one of the attacks last
Wednesday.
The students believed Burmese military authorities were behind
the attacks by the soldiers of the Democratic Karen Buddhist
Army [DKBA], a breakaway faction of the Karen national Union
allied with the Burmese government.
John Aung, secretary-general of the Onsob student group , said he
was grateful to the Thai government for planning to relocate
Karen refugee camps further away from the border to prevent the
possibility of attacks by Karen rebels.
Opposition leader Banharn Silapa- archa said yesterday the
opposition was " still not content " with the government's
reaction to the border violations.
===== item =====
BURMA, LAOS SIGN TRADE, FARM PACTS
10.5.95/The Nation
Rangoon- Burma and Laos have signed bilateral agreements on trade
and agriculture on the first day of a visit by Laotian President
Nouhak Phoumsavanh, state- run Rangoon radio reported.
There were no details of the accords , but the Laotian leader
described them as " of fundamental importance for the short-and
long-term relationship and cooperation" of the two countries, the
radio said late on Monday.
Senior General Than Shwe, speaking at an official dinner, was
quoted as saying that bilateral cooperation had " intensified
noticeably at all levels during the tenure of the State Law and
Order Restoration Council [Slorc]"
The Slorc is the official name of the ruling military junta in
Burma.
Last June, the two countries signed three bilateral agreements on
border demarcation, tourism and the establishment of a joint
commission for bilateral cooperation during Than Shwe's visit to
Vientiane.
===== item =====
BURMESE MUSLIMS CLAIM TO HAVE BEEN UNLAWFULLY TAXED
10.5.95/BANGKOK POST
Muslims in Burma claim that they have been unlawfully taxed for
the animals slaughtered on the holy feast day of Eid Al Adha
which marks the end of a three month long fasting period by the
Islamic communities in the country .
Eid will be celebrated in Thailand today and most probably in
Burma tomorrow depending on the time of the sighting of the new
moon signalling the end of the fast. The times vary from country
to country because of the proximity of the regions.
Muslims worldwide are exempted from paying tax when they
sacrifice animals on this particular day because it is a
religious rite.
Burma is no exception. But last year the ruling State Law and
Order Restoration Council decided to levy tax on every animal
killed.
One Burmese Muslim said, " It's not correct to tax us for our
religious beliefs. It's down-right discrimination against the
Muslims".
The meat of the slaughtered animal is shared among family
members, friends and the poor. It is given away free as a form of
merit -marking according to Islamic religious laws.
The source also said the income from the tax is distributed among
the Rangoon and district municipality officials and the brokers
who help obtain slaughter permits for the animal.
The sources alleged that the idea to impose municipal tax on
cows, buffaloes, sheep and goats killed at Eid was the brainchild
of Rangoon Mayor Ko Lay. Ko Lay is chairman of the Yangon
[Rangoon] City Development.
The cost of slaughtering a cow or a buffalo has been raised from
700 to 1,000 kyat, and 250 kyat each for a sheep or a goat. Of
the 1,000 kyat levied, the broker is alleged to keep 500 kyat for
himself while the rest goes to the municipality .
A buffalo or a cow in Rangoon today costs between 812,000 kyat,
while the smaller animals are being sold for about 3,000 kyat a
head.
===== item =====
OPIUM `BEHIND POLICE KILLINGS'
10.5.95/BANGKOK POST
The killing of three Border Patrol policemen in Mae Hong Son
Province last week was prompted by an earlier seizure of opium
from Buddhist Karen leaders, Police Department Deputy Director -
General Chumphol Atthasart said yesterday.
Pol Gen Chumphol denied a military report that the killing of the
policemen at a police border outpost at Ban Sop Moei was
connected with illegal logging. The report was submitted to
Interior Minister Sanan Kachornprasart.
The border policemen killed were among a group of police who had
arrested Buddhist Karen leaders during an opium delivery. The
mission had already been written down in a daily record of border
police missions in the area , Pol Gen Chumphol insisted.
Asked to describe the current situation along the Thai-Burmese
border , he said some armed Karen troops still remained and would
need to be pushed out of Thai territory.
He said he had told border police in all provinces along the
Thai-Burmese border to keep on the alert at all strategic points.
Large or important infrastructure sites and weapons stocks in
police stations must be guarded strictly to prevent sabotage, Pol
Gen Chumphol said.
===== item =====
KAREN REFUGEES MOVED DEEPER
10.5.95/BANGKOK POST
OFFICIALS concerned yesterday began relocating Karen refugee
camps deeper inside Thailand to prevent further attacks by
foreign troops, a border source said.
Karen National Union refugees were moved from the Kaborlekho camp
and Ban Huay Manoke, which had been torched by troops of the
Democratic Karen Buddhist Army, to Bae Kola camp about 10 Km from
the border. The camp is naturally protected by mountains, the
source said.
Tha Song Yang District chief Wallop Siriphan said he would like
to move Karen refugees from five six other camps to the
controllable Bae Kola camp which is about 25 km south of the
district office and about 59 km from Mae Sot District.
Situated between km 59-60 on the Mae Sot -Tha Song Yang Highway ,
the Bae Kola refugee camp is better suited to house a large
number of Karen refugees as the area covers about 1,200 rai, he
said.
Mr Wallop said he initially planned to relocate about 15,000
Karen refugees from different camps in Tha Song Yang District to
Bae Kola camp.
"Despite opposition by military figures, the relocation is
necessary because scattered, uncontrollable Karen refugees may
cause trouble to Thai villagers, Mr Wallop said.
Over 20,000 Karen refugees living in the three camps of Mae Usu,
Mae Sarid and Mae Sokho villages in Tha Song Yang District have
not yet been moved to the new location.
Mr. Wallop said that those refugees would be moved to Bae Kola
camp in about three days and would have completed facilities for
them.
Bae Kola camp would be initially governed by Border Patrol Police
and when the relocation settles, the camp could be monitored by
volunteers, he said.
Meanwhile the Karen National Union launched another retaliatory
effort against Burmese government troops after the KNU had in
vain proposed a ceasefire, said the KNU's commander of the
Seventh Division Htay Maung.
Retaliation was inevitable as KNU troops had been attacked in a
border area opposite Tak last Saturday, he said.
Actually, the KNU did not want to fight the Democratic Karen
Buddhist Army but would like to convert them so they switch sides
again, Brig-Gen Htay Maung said, adding that such a thing would
take time.
Over 100 troops of the Burmese Government and the pro-Rangoon
Democratic Karen Buddhist Army encroached on Thai territory in
Tha Song Yang District, Tak Province, yesterday, according to a
border source.
Those troops settled in a banana plantation in Mae Ork Pharu
village about 25 kilometers from the Tha Song Yang District
office while another 100 pro-Rangoon troops were mobilised at
border areas opposite Tak, it was reported.
Mr Wallop reported the intrusion to Thai military officers
concerned but no action was taken.
Yesterday's encroachment came amid speculation the Kaborlekho
Karen refugee camp in Tha Song Yang District would be attacked
again. The feared intrusion was also tipped to reach Sulu camp in
Tha Song Yang District near Bae Kola camp where Karen National
Union leader Col Tin Maung is taking refuge, the source said.
Meanwhile, Third Army Region commander Lt-Gen Surachet
Dechatiwong, Border Patrol Police commander Pol Lt-Gen Kowit
Wathana, and Sixth Police Region commander Po Lt-Gen Prasarn
Wontrict of Tak yesterday on an urgent mission to inspect the
border situation.
===== item =====
AMBUSH NETS SUSPECT, HEROIN
10 May 1995
A Burmese drug trafficking suspect was arrested and 10
kilogrammes of heroin seized after a gunbattle yesterday in
which two defence volunteers were seriously wounded.
The incident took place around midnight on Monday, according
to Fang District Chief Arkhom TUladilok.
He said two district officers and five district Or Sor
volunteers on a routine patrol received a tip-off that heroin
would be smuggled along a transit route from Ban Mae Soonnoi
for sale to drug dealers and Fang town.
The district force set an ambush along the route and soon saw
a man leading 10 heavily-armed men who reset to stop when
challenged. The suspected drug-runners rgen opened
drug-runners then opened fire at the officers.
After trading gunfire with the law enforcer the armed men said
to be of a mixed Wa minority group melted into the surrounding
jungle.
Two volunteers seriously wounded were rushed to Fang Hospital
Hospital and then taken to Nakhonping Hospital in Mae Rim
District. They were identified as Pravit Thongkham and Chamras
Boonchu. (BP)
===== item =====
SECURITY CENTRES PLANNED TO STOP FOREIGN INVASIONS
10 MAY 1995
Joint border security centres are to be set up in all
districts here in a bid to protect local people and to crack
down on illegal entry foreign troops, refugees or aliens.
Chiang Rai Governor Khamron Buncherd disclosed, after a
meeting with the Thai-Burmese Border Committee in Mae Sai
District, that the committee had briefed him about the border
situation so that proper measure security along the border.
To safeguard the border area, the committee has agreed that
joint border security centres be set up, each manned by a
combined unit of civilian, military and police personnel and
defence volunteers, said Mr Khamron.
"In Chiang Rai township, the security centre is located at the
Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC) building, whereas
along the border those centres will be set up either at
district offices or other suitable areas as a precautionary
measure to cope with the tense and unusual situation," he
said.
Illegal entry by Burmese minority groups to take refuge in
Thailand was also raised for discussion at the meeting, said
Mr Khamron, adding that Burmese refugees would be provided
with humanitarian assistance while on Thai soil but would have
to return immediately to Burma once the situation returns to
normal.
In an effort to minimise the problem of illegal entry during
both war and peace, the meeting proposed that border barriers
such as barbed wire fences and walls be built at vulnerable
spots along the border, he said.
He said he would forward the proposal to the Interior
Ministry for consideration and further action.
Another major issue discussed at the meeting was the problem
posed by several groups of tribesmen living in Chiang Rai, he
said. He added that the tribesmen are subject to controls and
eligible to hold only minority identity cards.
If they want to leave Town, they must seek permission from
provincial authorities and the trips must be made under
official supervision.
But apparently a large number of tribsmen have managed to
illegally move out of strictly-controlled areas by using
counterfeit documents.
The governor said he has ordered agencies concerned to look
into the matter and mete out measures to cope with the
problem. (BP)
===== additional item =====
INVITATION TO 17TH YOMIURI INTERNATIONAL CARTOON CONTEST
In previous years political cartoons from Eastern Europe etc.
have had great impact and wide circulation through this
contest. We have seen the work of some outstanding Burmese
cartoonists and artists in the democracy movement. Here is a
potential forum for the message of human rights and
democracy in Burma. BRC--J
Cartoonists are invited to submit entries to the 17th Yomiuri
International Cartoon Contest, the annual competition that
drew about 10,000 entries from 71 countries last year.
Amateur and professional cartoonists from Japan and abroad
should submit work in either the Theme or Free category. The
theme this year is "Compare." The verb "compare" allows a
wide range of interpretations as any two things can be
contrasted in any number of ways. Entrants should use their
creativity and imagination in developing this theme.
Cartoonists of middle school age or younger are invited to
submit work to the junior division, but entries are limited to
the Free category. High school students should submit work to
the adult division.
The junior division consists of two categories: one for entrants
of primary school age and younger, and one for middle school
students. Overseas entrants to the junior division should be 15
or younger.
The winner of the Grand Prize will receive 2 million yen. The
runner-up will receive the Hidezo Prize of 1.5 million.
A Gold Prize of 500,000 yen will be awarded to one entrant
each in the Free and Theme categories. Selection Committee
Special Prizes of 300,000 yen will be awarded to a total of five
entrants selected from both categories. Thirty entrants will
receive Excellence Prizes of 100,000 yen each.
The winners will be announced in The Yomiuri Shimbun and
The Daily Yomiuri in late December and prizewinning
cartoons will run in both papers in January.
Deadlines: Entries for the junior division should arrive by
October 10 and entries in the adult division by Oct. 25.
Submit entries (maximum three entries per person and no
larger than 297 mm x 420 mm) to:
The 17th Yomiuri International Cartoon Contest
The Yomiuri Shimbun
1-7-1 Otemachi
Chiyoda-ku
Tokyo 100-55
+ 81- 3-3242-1111 extension 3769
--------------------------------------------------------------
BURMANET SUBJECT-MATTER RESOURCE LIST
BurmaNet regularly receives enquiries on a number of different
topics related to Burma. The scope of the subjects involved is
simply too broad for any one person to cover. BurmaNet is
therefore organizing a number of volunteer coordinators to
field questions on various subjects. If you If you have
questions on any of the following subjects, please direct
email to the following coordinators, who will either answer
your question or try to put you in contact with someone who
can:
Arakan/Rohingya/Burma- [volunteer needed]
Bangladesh border
Art/archaeology/: [volunteer needed]
Campus activism: tlandon@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Boycott campaigns: tlandon@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Buddhism: Buddhist Relief Mission,
c/o NBH03114@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Fonts: [volunteer needed]
History: [volunteer needed]
Kachin history/culture: 74750.1267@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Karen history/culture: [volunteer needed]
Mon history/culture: [volunteer needed]
Naga history/culture [volunteer needed]
[Burma-India border]
Pali literature "Palmleaf", c/o burmanet@xxxxxxxxxxx
Shan history/culture: [volunteer needed]
Tourism campaigns: bagp@xxxxxxxxxx "Attn. S. Sutcliffe"
World Wide Web: FreeBurma@xxxxxxxxx
Volunteering: "Volunteer coordinator", c/o
burmanet@xxxxxxxxxxx
--------------------------------------------------------------
Information about Burma is available via the WorldWideWeb at:
BurmaNet News webpage:
http://taygate.au.ac.th/web/michael/bnn/bnn.htm
Burma fonts: http://www.cs.bham.ac.uk/~lka/burmese-fonts/moe.html
BurmaWeb http://www.uio.no/tormodl
FreeBurma website http://199.172.178.200/freebrma/freebrma.htm.
[including back issues of the BurmaNet News as .txt files]
--------------------------------------------------------------
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
--------------------------------------------------------------
PGP Key for BurmaNet [Supersedes Version 2.3a key]
------BEGIN PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK-----
Version: 2.6.i
mQCNAi+RbhwAAAEEANum24Ex7wnGasUpF5CqnUTGMA5msyE2io+BHfsJrwv/UiZl
ZsVXOe/lVmZBCayrTjTJUqIqKPQx24PLcPnboR4PDORxDuapZnIt4bOw7fDcCDNA
BRdZa9YaHFbm4tCRU1o4+LFFLiD+LNnPHetQdJBYLwJSq0o/VvFcDnL2aXxJAAUX
tB1TdHJpZGVyIDxzdHJpZGVyQGlnYy5hcGMub3JnPg==
=/jW/
------END PGP PUBLIC KEY BLOCK-----
--------------------------------------------------------------