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BurmaNet News: July 8, 1996
-------------------------- BurmaNet -------------------------------
"Appropriate Information Technologies, Practical Strategies"
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The BurmaNet News: July 8, 1996
Issue #461
Noted in Passing:
HEADLINES:
==========
STATEMENT: 34th ANNIVERSARY OF THE 7th JULY MARTYRS
CFOB REPORT: HEALTH SITUATION IN BURMA
REUTER: POPE URGES RESPECT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS IN BURMA
BKK POST: SUU KYI LAUDS SUPPORTERS
BKK POST: PERSPECTIVE-AN OPEN SOCIETY FOR BURMA
FEER: ASEAN NEARING FOUNDERS' VISION
BKK POST: FTI BRANCH PROPOSES JOINT SCHEME WITH BURMA
REUTERS: ANA TO GO AHEAD WITH BURMA ROUTE
EURO-BURMANET: MSF UPDATE, JUNE 1996
BKK POST:LETTER - FAILED POLICY
BKK POST: VOYAGES END IN MISERY OF BURMESE JAILS
NATION: KHUN SA'S WHEREABOUTS IN BURMA UNKNOWN
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STATEMENT: 34th ANNIVERSARY OF THE 7th JULY MARTYRS
July 6, 1996
from: absdf-mtz <lurie@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
7th July, 1996 marks the 34th Anniversary of the massacre
and the demolishing of Student Union at Rangoon University by the
Burmese military regime.
Only four months after the military coup in 1962 by General
Ne Win, he dismantled U Nu's democratic government, and blew up
the Student Union building, along with hundreds of students
inside. At that time, this historical Student's Union was a proud
symbol of Burma's Independence struggle against the hegemony of
the imperialist, and anti-colonialism.
The heroic defiance with which the unarmed students faced
the dictatorship demonstrates their sheer dislike for the
dictatorial rules that is denying their academic freedom.
Throughout history, the students of Burma have always been
in the forefront of the struggle for independence, democracy and
human rights. Hundreds of students have made their supreme
sacrifice in university, prisons, battle fields, alleys and on
the streets for the restoration of democracy and human rights in
our motherland.
For more than three decades, the military dictators have
repeatedly shown their brutality by imprisoning, torturing,
killing, and forcing thousands of people into labour camps.
In designing to enshrine the military's leading role in the
country's constitution, it arrested the NLD representative who
opposed the National Convention and charged with section 5 (J)
which is yet another manifestation of military's cruelty and
odious greed, in their desire to hold on to power.
We would therefore like to urge the people of Burma.
1) To preserve the spirit of 7 July ,
2) To support Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the NLD,
3) To boycott the sham National Convention,
4) To call for the release of all political prisoners,
5) To work towards the transfer of power to the elected
representatives of 1990 elections and
6) To continue the struggle until democracy is achieved.
We would also like to request the international community
1) To impose trade sanctions and an arms embargo on the Burmese
Junta,
2) To support Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the NLD, and
3) To pressure the SLORC to stop the gross violations of human
rights which they are now perpetrating throughout the country.
The ABSDF strongly demands the SLORC:
1) To abolish the sham National Convention,
2) To release all political prisoners including prominent student
leader Min Ko Naing,
3) To cancel all unjust laws and all forms stop human rights abuses,
4) To enter dialogue with NLD led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and
ethnic leaders to bring national reconciliation, democracy and
lasting peace to Burma.
We also ask the rank and file of the Burmese Armed forces to
go back to their barracks and rightfully restore the dignity of
the Armed forces that had existed during the days of General Aung San.
In addition, we the ABSDF pledges to the people of Burma,
that we will continue the struggle until victory is won, and are
ready to sacrifice anything come what may.
*********************************************************
CFOB REPORT: HEALTH SITUATION IN BURMA
July 5, 1996 (Canadian Friends of Burma)
Canadian Friends of Burma report, July 1996
Health situation in Burma
SLORC's idea of AIDS education is a big sign on the street that reads "AIDS
KILLS, STOP AIDS". It adequately reflects the degree of concern the SLORC
holds for the state of the nation's health--none.
The apathy on the part of SLORC to maintain a proper health care system is
explicitly shown in its allocation of only 1.2% of the national budget to
health care compared to that of over 60% to the military. This figure
roughly translates into 3 kyat (2 cents) being spent on each person per
year. Some analysts believe that the presence of international NGOs in Burma
enables the government to rely on these organizations to take on the full
responsibility of overseeing and administering national health care services
and basically let SLORC off the hook.
Burma is a country with a high case load of malaria, tuberculosis and
HIV/AIDS--this last disease due to lack of proper awareness, high rates of
needle-sharing amongst drug users, no blood-screening before transfusions
and little use of or access to condoms. This country is inching itself
closer to a health catastrophe of drastic proportions which will occur, if
the current trend of government apathy continues, in the relatively near
future.
Signs of SLORC's negligence towards health care can be easily found through
a walk down the halls of any government hospital. Very few medicines exist,
perhaps a few bottles of anesthesia which are used only in the most urgent
cases. Syringes are rare and the ones that exist are used many times over.
One top level Rangoon doctor reported that syringes in his hospital are
sometimes used 30 times over and his policy is not to use syringes on his
patients unless absolutely necessary. He will first try to find a medicine
that can be taken orally.
People are scared to be hospitalized because most often they and their
family get into a situation of debt as they need to borrow money to pay the
cost of the treatment. If a patient cannot afford the initial examination
by the doctor to find out what is wrong, often the incorrect diagnosis is
given as well as the wrong medicine and the person gets even more sick. If
admitted, patients have to supply all of their own food, clothing and
medicine for the entire length of their stay. Families have to first decide
whether they can handle the financial burden and time commitment before
admitting a loved one to the hospital. As there isn't enough staff in the
hospitals, it is up to the family and often friends to give the necessary
round-the-clock care to the patient. If a family cannot afford for one of
its members to take on this full-time job, then they might decide to take
the person for a one-time only visit to a private clinic which, in the end,
may cost less than a full stay at the hospital.
The private clinics are expensive and are generally oriented to serve to a
wealthy clientele. One visit to this type of a clinic costs 2000-3000
kyats. Yet, even if people can afford the expenses of the private clinic and
medicine, the scarcity of medicine in Burma hinders many from achieving full
recovery. In general, however, due to the high cost of the visit, a person
will buy the prescribed drugs and keep on buying the same drug each time
similar symptoms occur. In other words, people will not return for another
check up but will instead become their own doctors and buy the same medicine
as recommended before with the hope that it will do the trick. People will
also recommend the drug to friends with similar symptoms and basically help
treat each other to avoid the cost of going to a doctor.
Many doctors work in private clinics due to the inadequate salaries they
receive from their hospital jobs. On average, the salary for a government
hospital doctor is 750-2000 ($6-$16) per month and doctors find that their
income is raised considerably if they work in a clinic as a second job.
However, this second job takes them away from providing full service at the
hospital and thus, the quality of care in the hospitals deteriorates even
more. As one Rangoon resident stated, people are considering hospitals as a
last option as it is often seen as a place to be taken to die.
The medical profession used to be the most popular choice of career amongst
students. Now, it has dropped to fourth place behind such professions as
engineering and computer science. One doctor said that a third of Burma's
medical students don't practice medicine because they are afraid of
contracting the HIV virus due to the high-risk environment of the hospitals
in which they would have to work. Rather, many prefer to go into the
pharmaceutical business as it is more lucrative and profitable than
practicing medicine and yet allows them to maintain a career within the
medical realm. This decision by many of the students is one which
perpetuates the shortage of doctors actually practicing medicine and
providing the much-needed health care services in the country. Many more
medical graduates are attempting to leave Burma to practice abroad. Others
do not feel confident as doctors due to the poor education which they
received in university and so another percentage do not practice for fear of
doing more harm to the patients than good. The university professors have
to fulfil a quota of 95% successful graduates each year and so will pass a
student even though that student may not be worthy of the degree. The
government is more concerned with quantity and showing a high
productivity rate from the medical schools rather than with the actual
quality of education.
Government statistics show that there are 13,000 doctors practicing but
Burmese doctors are quoted as saying that there are currently only 9000
doctors along with 9000 nurses and 9000 midwives practicing in a country of
45 million. As well, the government gives the statistic that there is a
doctor for every 3700 people. While the ratio of patient to doctor is
higher in the city, in the rural area, the average ratio is one doctor to
every 40,000 people. Due to the lack of doctors in these areas, it is
common that in many villages, the medical workers tend to be "village
quacks" who are ex-army compounders (people who mixed drugs for the army and
have no real medical knowledge or qualifications).
The current health situation in Burma is deplorable. The combination of
SLORC's apathetic approach to health care along with the growing rate of
disease and deterioration of people's health is a recipe for disaster.
**********************************************************
REUTER: POPE URGES RESPECT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS IN BURMA
July 6, 1996
VATICAN CITY, Pope John Paul urged military-ruled Burma on
Friday to respect human rights and said the Catholic Church must not
neglect a role it could play.
The Pontiff, in a speech to Burmese bishops at the Vatican,
encouraged efforts to make Roman Catholics "ever more aware of the
part they can play in your country's development."
He said that was "a development which should embody respect for
human rights and for cultural and religious values, as well as the
promotion of justice and the service of the common good."
"The safeguarding and promotion of human dignity and inalienable
human rights, and in particular the right to religious freedom, is a task
which the Church must never neglect," the Pope added.
The United Nations and organisations such as Amnesty International
have alleged widespread human rights violations under Burma's ruling State
Law and Order Restoration Council. Amnesty called the rights situation
"critical" last October.
************************************************************
BKK POST: SUU KYI LAUDS SUPPORTERS
July 7, 1996
PRO-DEMOCRACY leader Aung. San Suu Kyi praised a crowd of
about 5,000 at a regular public gathering outside her gate Saturday for
their bravery in the face of increasing intimidation by the
Burmese junta.
The public meetings have gone on every weekend since the National
League for Democracy (NLD) leader's release from house arrest
almost one year ago, despite the antagonism of the military
government.
Aung San Suu Kyi confined herself to answering questions from the
public in the run-up to the first anniversary of her release on
July 10 and the 49th anniversary of Martyrs Day on July 19.
Her father, national hero Aung San, and his cabinet were murdered
on July 19, 1947, just six months before Burma gained its
independence from the British.
In response to a question about Martyr's Day, Aung San Suu Kyi
said Burma needed many martyrs, people who were willing to make
sacrifices for their beliefs and for truth.
"Please instill in yourselves this spirit of sacrifice because
Burma has a need of it, especially at this time," she said.
Everyone had the capacity to be brave, the Nobel laureate added.
"Your presence here proves it," she said.
The NLD party chief said she had heard local authorities in
several townships were making residents who came to the weekend
meetings sign papers admitting they had attended.
*********************************************************
BKK POST: PERSPECTIVE-AN OPEN SOCIETY FOR BURMA
July 7, 1996
SIR: A story carried in Post Business section of June 30 ("Soros
backing for Suu Kyi") erroneously reported that I provide
financial support for Aung San Suu Kyi and the National League
for Democracy.
I would like to state for the record that this is simply not
true. I do not, personally or institutionally, directly or
indirectly, or in any other way, provide financial support for
Aung San Suu Kyi or the National League for Democracy.
I do, however, through the Open Society Institute, support the
New York-based Burma Project, which helps promote the development
of an open society in Burma through a variety of educational,
media and communications initiatives.
Among the activities currently funded by the Burma Project
include the following: frequent round-tables and seminars on
Burma for policy makers, academics, and journalists interested in
Burma issues; broadcast training courses for refugee students who
wish to be "stringers" for the Democratic Voice of Burma, once of
the few sources of independent radio news sources in Burmese; a
multi-faceted cultural preservation programme to encourage the
collection of oral and written histories of Burma's minority
ethnic groups, including the writing of textbooks and
dictionaries, common writing systems, and documentation of
traditional culture; and supplementary grants for more than 150
Burmese students studying in Thailand, Western Europe and the
United States. I am proud to lend my support h these efforts to
foster the development of open society in Burma, I would call on
other businessmen to do the same.
George Soros
*********************************************************
FEER: ASEAN NEARING FOUNDERS' VISION
July 7, 1996 (abridged)
After 1997 Burma may be the only non-member in the region
July 11, 1996
The reported plan by Burma to become a full member of the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations by 1998 suggests that
Asean's founding fathers' dream of having all 10 Southeast Asian
countries as its members may be met well ahead of the informal
target date of 2000.
A year ago, Vietnam was admitted into Asean, becoming the first
communist country to be admitted into what was traditionally a
non-communist, if not anticommunist, organization. Laos and
Cambodia applied for membership this past spring, and will become
full members next year. That leaves only Burma.
Recently, however, Sukhum Rasmidatta, director-general of the
Thai Foreign Ministry's Asean Department, said Burma had
reaffirmed that it wanted to be an observer at this year's Asean
Ministerial Meeting and had strongly indicated that it would seek
Asean membership in 1998.
At previous Asean ministerial meetings, Burma had been present in
a less official capacity, as "guest" of the host country. Last
year, Burma along with other countries subscribed to Asean's
declaration on making Southeast Asia a zone free of nuclear
weapons. Later this month, when Asean meets in Jakarta, Burma
will be given the status of observer, with full membership the next step.
Clearly, Asean is proceeding with its policy of constructive
engagement with Burma, despite American misgivings. Moreover,
Burma's ties to Asean will also be strengthened this month when
it is admitted to the Asean Regional Forum along with India. The
grouping, which discusses political and security issues, with
then included 21 countries.
This means that, despite American efforts to isolate Burma
internationally because its government refuses to hold a dialogue
with opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, Burmese representatives
will be sitting down at the same table as delegates from the
United States, the European Union, Australia, Japan and the
countries of Southeast Asia.
In addition to drawing Burma closer into its orbit, Asean is also
strengthening its ties with China. This month, China will become
a full dialogue partner of Asean. As a dialogue partner, China
will, in the words of Indonesian Foreign Minster Ali Alatas, be
"substantively more engaged" with Asean and will take part in
meetings of senior officials through the year.
Asean officials say there are no plans for the organization to
expand further after absorbing Laos, Cambodia and Burma. It is
likely that Asean will need to spend time adjusting to its new
members before considering whether to expand further.
This time next year, when Asean marks its 30th anniversary, it
may well be a grouping of nine countries, with the 10th, Burma,
poised to join in a matter of months. That would be an occasion
of great rejoicing for Asean, which was formed during the Vietnam
war by countries that did not want to become communist and, at
the same time, were wary of dominance by the US. Now, Asean still
refuses to be dominated by anyone and, instead, it is sought out
by all countries that matter in the affairs of Southeast Asia.
********************************************************
BKK POST: FTI BRANCH PROPOSES JOINT SCHEME WITH BURMA
July 5, 1996
THE Kanchanaburi branch of the Federation of Thai Industries
(FTI) will submit the Tavoy projects, a proposed joint
development scheme with Burma, to Deputy prime Minister Amnuay
Viravan for consideration before his trip to Burma on August 5-7.
The proposal calls for a new road system to link Tavoy, a major
coastal town in southern Burma to Kanchanaburi. As well, an
industrial estate and deep seaport would be built on 1,000 rai of
land in Tavoy.
Kanchanaburi branch president Singh Tangcharoenchaichana said
Burmese authorities had expressed interest in the scheme during a
recent mission by branch members to Burma.
The mission met with Deputy premier Vice Admiral Maung Maung
Khin, Minister of National Economic Planning and Development
Brigadier General David Abel, Minister of Transport Lieutenant
General Thein Win and Trade Department director-general Aung
Myint.
Singh said a study of the economic viability of the project had
been completed and submitted to the National Economic and Social
Development Board for consideration. He said the project site had
also been inspected by the Japan International Cooperation Agency.
A Burmese trade mission, which will include representatives from
the private sector, is scheduled to visit Kanchanaburi on July 8-
11. The mission will also pay a courtesy call on Commerce
Minister Chucheep Harnsawat.
*********************************************************
REUTERS: ANA TO GO AHEAD WITH BURMA ROUTE
July 7, 1996 (abridged)
Japan's All Nippon Airways (ANA) said on Friday it would go ahead
with its plan to open a new route to Burma unless the political situation
there worsened.
Japan's Transport Ministry gave the company permission in
late June to begin the flights, despite calls by Burma's
opposition for countries and companies not to do business in the
country until its military government makes democratic changes
and improves its human rights record.
An ANA spokesman said the twice-weekly flights would begin
on July 16, but added that there was still the possibility ANA
would reconsider the plan if the political situation in Burma
worsened before then.
The United States and other nations have protested against a
renewed crackdown on Burma's pro-democracy movement by
Rangoon's military government
.
Denmark said this week it would lobby other countries to
impose trade sanctions against Burma following the death in
custody in Rangoon last month of its former honorary consul
there, who was the godfather of pro-democracy leader Aung Suu
Suu Kyi.
The ANA spokesman said the flights between Rangoon and
Kansai International Airport near Osaka would be the first
direct service between the countries.
ANA expects to carry 37,000 passengers on the route in the
first year of operation.
********************************************************
EURO-BURMANET: MSF UPDATE, JUNE 1996
July 6, 1996 (abridged)
Euro-Burmanethas received information from the Dutch Burma desk of MSF
(Medicins sans frontieres), the international organisation of women 3 000
volunteers working in 64 countries throughout the world. The French
section of MSF has been having a hard time with Slorc, having sent an
investigatory mission last year, whose results and approach to Slorc was
rejected last September. MSF France was forced to shut down their Rangoon
office in January. MSF France currently has five missions in Thailand,
and one on the Thai-burmese border camps to aid Karen and Mon refugees
battling malaria.
Since 1992, MSF has been active in Bangladesh, bringing aid to the
Rohingya refugees; MSF denounced forced repatriation of Rohingyas to
Burma by the Bangladesh government in a report published in January 1993.
Today, Euro-Burmanet received the following information to be soon
published in the 1995/1996 Annual Report - from the MSF Burma desk,
Dutch Section, in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
(11) Burma (Myanmar)
1/ Medical facilites for minorities without rights
2/ Burma has been subject to repression and poverty for years. Daily life
is controlled by the military junta which is firmly in charge. Forty per
cent of the Burmese population belongs to one of seven enthic minorities
who are virtually without any rights: no right to full citizenship; no
right to paid work; no right to health care. In recent years, hundreds of
thousands of Burmese civilians have fled to Bangladesh and Thailand. In
1992, Burma reopened its borders after 26 years of international
isolation. In 1993, MSF started a medical aid programme for the very
poorest.
4/ Rangoon project
5/ start February 1993
" / Rangoon's townships are the direct result of the Burmese government's
'tidying mania'. Over the past years, an estimated 250,000 people have
been banished from Rangoon to former rice paddies on the far side of the
river. The townships that were erected there are flooded for half of the
year. Living conditions in this boggy area are appalling. There is little
if any medical care, a shortage of medicines, medical supplies and clean
drinking water, and there are no sanitary facilities. In February 1993;
MSF started an aid project in these townships, initially focussing on
support for the small hospitals, outpataient clinics and health posts in
the townships of Hlaingthayar and Shwepyitharen and the improvement of
the water supply and sanitary facilities. Since surveys pointed to very
high sickness and mortality rates, MSF is providing essential drugs and
medical and surgical supplies, as well as training for the local health
workers. Because women and children are the most vulnerable groups in the
townships, the MSF team has set up two small mother and child care
clinics. In two feeding centers, malnourished children are given
supplementary rations. The organisation also carries out a
tuberculosis-control programme in a hospital and two health cneters and
gives information about AIDS prevention.
4/ Arakan project
5/ start January 1994
" / Because MALARIA is the MOST SERIOUS HEALTH PROBLEM in Arakan
Province, MSF has set up a malaria-control progrmme. Existing medical
facilities were provided with the necessary lab equipment for an accurate
and quick diagnosis of malaria. Local medical personnel are trained in
how to treat malaria patients. According to a recent MSF survey, most of
the population has become resistant to the existing drugs.
In 1996, malaria prevention and a study into the effect of other
medicines will therefore be a priority.
In 1995, many tens of thousands of Rohingyas, Burmese Muslims who fled to
Bangladesh, were forcedly repatriated. MSF wants to closely monitor the
health and living conditions of these people and to try and set up
medical provisions for this group.
This from the " 1994/95 MSF Activity Report "
Burma (The Union of Myanmar)
Context
The Burmese people continue to be victims of political repression and
international isolation. Although, in 1992, the country opened its
borders, change has been very slow in coming and the international
perception of Burma is that of a military regime which flouts universal
conventions on human rights and systematically represses its people. The
many reported cases of forced labour and child labour worry human rights
organisations. Forty percent of the population belong to one of the seven
ethnic groups in the country and, thus, have no right to full citizenship,
income or health care. Persecution and fighting have caused hundreds
and thousands of Burmese to flee to the neigbouring countries of
Bangladesh and Thailand.
MSF Rangoon project was launched in February 1993 (and closed down this
year, in January, after a long difficult relationship with Slorc
-ed.Euro-Burmanet). The emphasis was on making medical care accessible to
the shanty town dwellers. In the past few years, 250,000 people have been
forced by the Burmese government to move to Hlaingthayar and Shwepyithar;
two townships near the capital. Lilving conditions are abominable. Health
structures are lacking in medicine and medical material and have little
or no equipment. MSF supports
hospitals, outpatient clinics and health centres in the two townships.
An important part of the project is the registration of illness and
mortality rates. MSF supplies the necessary medicine and medical supplies
and sometimes surgical materials. Malnutrition is rife. Two feeding
centers were set up by MSF in Hlaingthayar and staff training provided.
In May 1994, MSF ran an anti-cholera campaign when the epidemic broke out
in two districts.
The Arakan project was launched in Janurary 1994. Malaraia, the country's
worst health problem, is endemic in this region which is near the border
with Bangladesh. MSF has provided existing medical structures with
necessary laboratory equipment and provided staff training.
Funding: MSF, WHO, UK Australian and Japanese governments
Expatriates: 14
This also from the Medecins Sans Frontieres Activity Report 1994-1995 :
SPEAKING OUT
Medecisns Sans Frontieres considers that speaking out on wide scale or
systematic human rights abuses to which it is a witness is an important a
part of its mission as its work in the field. There are two principal
purposes to such speaking out.
INFORMATION
In general, Medecins Sans Frontieres promotes the defence of humanitarian
principles and the right to humanitarian aid (free access to victims and
the right to control the distribution of aid). But MSF also attemps to
draw the attention of the international community to the plight of
populations in danger, particularly when they are given little media
coverage. In certain cases, MSF will encourage an international
humanitarian response (Rwanda 1995).
DENUNCIATION
Denunciation is not a tool used by MSF as a matter of course, It is its
rarity value which contributes to its effectiveness. When MSF considers
it to be in the interest of the vicims, it will denounce massive and
repeated violations of human rights and /or of humanitarian law, such as
the crime of genocide, forced movements of population, genocide, crimes
against humanity and war crimes, etc.
MSF is very aware of the ever present conflilct between giving assistance
and acting as a witness in such situations. Each case is treated
individually as MSF weighs up the impact of witnessing against the effects
it might have in the field.
When acting as a witness in this way, all evidence and public statements
must be in agreement with the events and situations which are being
denounced, either because they have been experienced at first hand by
MSF, or because they involve massive violations of which MSF has
knowledge.
*********************************************************
BKK POST:LETTER - FAILED POLICY
July 6, 1996
The Asia Forum for Human Rights and Development (Forum Asia), the
Asian Cultural Forum on Development (ACFOD), Amnesty
International (Thailand), Union for Civil Liberty (UCL) Thailand,
Thai Action Committee for Democracy in Burma (TACDB) and other
NGOs, academics and individuals wish to express strongly our
grave concern on continuing human rights violations in Burma.
We strongly condemn the recent actions of the State Law and
Order Restoration Council. These actions should be of concern to
all the governments and people of Asean.
Additionally, such repressive actions clearly demonstrate that
the Slorc has no intention of initiating a process of national
reconciliation with the political opposition or promoting a
transition to democratic rule. The generals have rejected all
attempts by Aung San Suu Kyi to enter into a meaningful political
dialogue, responding instead with more arrests and intimidation.
We have concluded, therefore, that Asean's policy of constructive
engagement with the Slorc has failed to promote a solution and
condoned the repression of human rights.
We believe the people of Burma have suffered enough at the hands
of this regime. The time has come for Asean and its dialogue
partners to demonstrate leadership in promoting human rights and
a democratic transition in Burma.
In Cambodia, Asean played a leading role in bringing about peace
and democracy. Asean should play a similar positive role in
Burma.
Forum-Asia
Bangkok
**********************************************************
BKK POST: VOYAGES END IN MISERY OF BURMESE JAILS
July 6, 1996
THE quest for good catches has landed many fishermen in Burmese
jails where conditions are harsh.
The plight of 137 Thais serving jail terms in Rangoon and Mergui
is familiar to Rachen Pleng-vittaya, a businessman, who was freed
after serving a four-year term with 100 others on April 24.
Mr Rachen was arrested on January 25, 1992, after he crossed from
Mae Sot, Tak with a .38 revolver to go looking for minerals.
Charged with illegal entry, violating a restricted zone and
carrying a firearm, he was sentenced by a Myawaddy court to 12
years and six months, which was reduced to six years after a
senior Thai Army officer negotiated on his behalf.
Mr Rachen started his term on April 5, 1992 at Burma's second
largest jail, in Moulmein, where he met 37 Thais 90 percent of
them fishermen.
Moulmein jail, built for for;eign and political prisoners, was
overcrowded, he said, with five men to a cell including a Burmese
assigned to spy on the others.
Each prisoner was provided with two shirts, two sarong.s, a
small, thin blanket and a mat. The only meal of the day, a small
can of porridge, was handed out at 7 a.m. before the inmates
would go out to work on roads, gardens and on cleaning duty.
The penalty for breaking the rules, for example, possessing
a pen or a piece of paper or tealing vegetables, was whipping.
The accommodation blocks were built 80- 90 years ago with walls as
thick as two feet that retained humidity and caused a large
number of inmates to suffer skin diseases.
Medical facilities and supplies were in short supply and only the
seriously ill would be sent to hospital. Thai prisoners were sent
medication by their embassy in Rangoon but the supply dried up
for budget are reasons.
On February 20,1994, the 38 Thais were moved to Insein prison in
Rangoon at the request of Bangkok so the embassy could have
easier access to them. Rangoon does not allow diplomats to travel
60 miles beyond the capital.
The move should have been good but it was not, said Mr Rachen.
Instead of looking after the Thais, the of ficials took the
opportunity to take advantage of them.
"After I was released, I made a list of Thais in Insein and
submitted it to the Government. Certain Foreign Ministry
officials were heard demanding money from trawler operators and
relatives of fishermen for their release. Some paid 30,000 baht," he said.
Mr Rachen suspected that bribery was an important factor in the
release of Thai prisoners, most of them fishermen and drug
addicts who had served less than two years.
The names of those serving long terms and the old and sick rarely
appeared on release lists, he said. Those people are mostly poor
and came from communities along the border.
On April 7, Vivat Phanpinit from Surin, died after learning that
his name was not on the release list. According to Mr Rachen,
since August 1994, 17 Thais have died in Insein mostly of malaria
dysentery and AIDS.
The medical unit in Insein normally uses the same needle on at
least four patients, said Mr Rachen, spreading the HIV infection
that can lead to AIDS.
Conditions were tough in Moulmein, where all prisoners work every
day. In Insein, foreigners were not forced to work unlike
criminals and political prisoners.
They were allowed to cook vegetables they grew there and could
spend 200 kyats -37 baht at the black market rate -sent by
relatives over 15 days.
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NATION: KHUN SA'S WHEREABOUTS IN BURMA UNKNOWN
July 7, 1996
RANGOON - Burma's generals vowed that if they caught him, they
would hang him. But more than six months after the opium warlord
surrendered to Burma's army the question remains: Where is Khun Sa?
He's wanted in a US court on 10 counts of heroin and narcotics
trafficking, and he hasn't been seen since Burma's military
government took him into custody and disbanded more than 10,000
of his troops in January.
But international narcotics agents say his signature product -
cheap and potent heroin is flooding neighbourhoods from America
to Australia at record levels.
When the generals arrested 262 followers of democracy leader Aung
San Suu Kyi in late May, they drew a barrage of international
condemnation. The political turmoil also shifted the spotlight
away from questions about Khun Sa - whether the junta plans to
make good on its promise to punish him and why huge quantities of
drugs still flow from Burma.
A slight 61-year-old man with a penchant for military fatigues,
Khun Sa may not have been seen recently but his name is heard
often around Rangoon. Rumours fly about his whereabouts, doings
and dealings.
The United States has offered US$2 million (Bt50 million) for
Khun Sa's capture and has asked Burma to extradite him to face
drug trafficking charges. Burma has refused, saying he will be
dealt with under Burmese law.
Technically, Khun Sa has been defeated. But he's more of a
phantom now than he was as a criminal at large, when he reigned
over the isolated jungles of Shan State and occasionally gave
interviews to reporters who made the arduous eight-hour mule ride
from the Thai border to his headquarters in Homong.
Khun Sa claims his rebel army was fighting for the autonomy of
his Shan ethnic minority. American officials say he was one of
the biggest drug traffickers in the Golden Triangle, a
mountainous jungle where the borders of Burma, Thailand and Laos
meet. About 60 per cent of the heroin in the United States comes
from the region.
Burma's generals insist that Khun Sa, whose real name is Chiang
Chifu, is in a military security camp in Rangoon being debriefed.
There are many military camps and compounds in the capital,
however, which makes it difficult to pin down his whereabouts.
One diplomat, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Khun Sa
is in a military compound, living with the generals. Some people
speculate he's in the same heavily guarded compound as Gen Ne
Win, the strongman who ruled Burma for 26 years until stepping
down in 1988. Ne Win, 85, has not been seen in public for years.
Some reports say Khun Sa suffered a heart attack and is near
death from diabetes. Still others say they've seem him dining at
local restaurants and that he has golfed with the generals.
To be fair to Burma's generals, they face a dilemma in dealing
with Khun Sa. How can they achieve peace and reconciliation with
warring rebels while not jailing them for the opium trafficking
that funded their fight? Those sympathetic to the regime say the
generals are doing the right thing with Khun Sa but look like
hypocrites because of previous pledges never to deal with him.
Critics accuse the generals, who are desperate for foreign
exchange to fund their military buildup, of laundering Khun Sa's
drug money.
Military officials have denied this charge, but they've granted
amnesty to other major drug traffickers, such as Lo Hsing Han,
and helped them convert their black fortunes into legal
businesses. A company belonging to Lo's son is building a hotel
and port in Rangoon.
Rangoon residents say Khun Sa has his own bus line linking Burma
with Thailand and China, the two principal routes for heroin
leaving the country. They say he has gem mines, clothing shops,
restaurants and a share in a five-star hotel near Suu Kyi's home.
Few people believe he will be punished.
"A pardon is a possibility," Col Kyaw Thein, a senior
intelligence officer, said recently. He justified it on the
grounds that Khun Sa has cooperated completely since his surrender.
They may also need him to negotiate with thousands of Shan
soldiers who are still fighting in the rugged hills. It is
unclear if the rebels alone are responsible for the large
quantities of heroin seeping out of an area the Burmese army
supposedly controls.
Josef Silverstein, a professor at Rutgers University, in New
Jersey, and a noted author on Burma, predicted that after a show
trial Khun Sa will probably end up as a liaison between the
government and the Shan people.
"Khun Sa is a clever man," Silverstein said. "He's probably two
steps ahead of the people who arrested him."
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