Daw Suu asks EU to impose sanction

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Subject: Daw Suu asks EU to impose sanction on Burma

03Oct96 MALAYSIA: ASEAN VOICES CONCERN ON BURMESE CRACKDOWN. 08:47 GMT  
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 3 (Reuter) - The Association of Southeast Asian Nations is
concerned about Burma's crackdown on democracy and next month will hold
talks on the touchy issue of admitting Rangoon as a member, Malaysia's
foreign minister said on Thursday.
But this did not necessarily mean that ASEAN would review its constructive
engagement policy with Burma -- which requires Rangoon's military government
to improve its human rights record -- or waiver from admitting Burma as a
member by 1997, Abdullah Badawi said.
"Myanmar's (Burma's) opportunity (to join ASEAN) is still there...it's not
closed," Abdullah told reporters after opening a two-day ASEAN officials'
meeting in Kuala Lumpur to discuss the group's activities for next year.
"But we need a full consensus, and may need a discussion at the informal
level," Abdullah said.
On Wednesday, Philippine President Fidel Ramos said ASEAN might review its
constructive engagement policy with Burma at the ASEAN summit in Jakarta in
November.
Abdullah played down Ramos' statement and declined to say categorically if
ASEAN members were divided over allowing Burma into the grouping, which
comprises Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and
Thailand and Vietnam.
"We view what is happening in Burma with some concern and hope the
government of Burma will be able to deal with it in a manner acceptable to
all," Abdullah said.
"But it's too early to decide on Burma's membership as they only sent in
their application in August. Thailand is also unable to give its decision
now as it is forming a new government," Abdullah said.
He said the informal meeting could be held before the Jakarta summit.
Burma's joining ASEAN is part of a plan to expand it into a 10-member
association, with Laos and Cambodia to follow.
Western trading partners of ASEAN are strongly opposed to Burma's membership
due to its supression of the pro-democracy movement led by Nobel Peace Prize
winner Aung San Suu Kyi.
Burma's military government said on Wednesday that it had released 163 of
the more than 400 pro-democracy activists it had detained last week.  
(c) Reuters Limited 1996
REUTER NEWS SERVICE




03Oct96 BURMA: RISING TENSION NOT SEEN LEADING TO SUU KYI ARREST. 07:43 GMT  
By Deborah Charles
RANGOON, Oct 3 (Reuter) - Tension between Burma's military government and
opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi reached a peak this week, but diplomatic
analysts said on Thursday that the standoff was unlikely to result in her
re-arrest.
Although diplomats agreed that tension had mounted with the government's
latest crackdown -- among the toughest since it seized power in 1988 -- and
Suu Kyi's outspoken criticism of the regime's actions, no one expected her
to be arrested again.
Suu Kyi, who won the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize for her non-violent efforts to
bring democracy to Burma, lived under house arrest for six years for
outspoken attacks on the military.
"Nobody wants to see her arrested, not even the SLORC," said one diplomat,
referring to the ruling State Law and Order Restoration Council. "It would
elevate her to martyr status."
In a move to prevent a three-day meeting of pro-democracy politicians, the
government arrested up to 800 members or supporters of Suu Kyi's National
League for Democracy (NLD) and set up armed barricades to prevent access to
her house, where the congress was to be held.
SLORC said it only detained 573 activists for questioning to prevent unrest
that could have resulted from the September 27-29 meeting. Suu Kyi said the
number was closer to 800.
After being muzzled for five days due to the barricades and the loss of her
telephone line, Suu Kyi slipped by the blockades to hold a news conference
on Wednesday where she lashed out at the government and vowed to continue
fighting for democracy.
Diplomats say the SLORC's latest crackdown could not have come at a better
time for Suu Kyi, who has been struggling the past few months to breathe
life into her democracy movement and convince the world that the NLD had not
been marginalised.
"It was a gift," one diplomat said. "The NLD was looking pretty directionless."
Many diplomats and analysts have said the NLD was losing support due to
effective intimidation tactics by the SLORC. They also said the party lacked
clear cut policies and plans.
Suu Kyi chided people for saying support for her party was flagging.
"Do you think it is not enough that so many people get themselves arrested?
What do you want us to do? You want us to die out on the streets?" she asked.
"It is very irresponsible...that people wait to see blood on the street and
violence before they can accept that something is very, very wrong," she said.
But Suu Kyi admitted the government's latest moves have been a help to the
democracy movement.
"What has happened over the last week has been a great help to us," she
said. "People are fed up with this kind of stupid behaviour and the
international community agrees now the SLORC is getting worse, not better."
The arrests came as the U.S. Congress debated a sanctions bill against Burma
and at the beginning of the United Nations General Assembly, which regularly
issues a statement condemning Burma's military government for human rights
abuses.
The crackdown also came at a time of sensitive regional negotiations, as
Burma seeks early entry into the seven-member Association of Southeast Asian
Nations (ASEAN).
Philippine President Fidel Ramos said on Wednesday that ASEAN might review
its policy of "constructive engagement" towards Burma at its November
summit. A senior Philippine diplomat said the developments could impair
Burma's chances of early entry into ASEAN.
Diplomats said the strong attacks made by Suu Kyi at her news conference on
Wednesday and the SLORC's tough comments about her earlier this week show
neither side is willing to budge from their positions, and that progress
toward democracy was not expected to come soon.
"Neither side gave us much comfort or encouragement that there would be room
for negotiations. Neither side will give concessions," a diplomat said.
"It's all short-term positioning. But the question is what is going to
happen in the long run?"  
(c) Reuters Limited 1996
REUTER NEWS SERVICE




03Oct96 THAILAND: SUU KYI SEEKS EUROPEAN SANCTIONS ON BURMA. 06:41 GMT  
BANGKOK, Oct 3 (Reuter) - Democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi has urged the
European Commission to adopt sanctions against Burma for using forced and
child labour, an international trade union group said on Thursday.
The International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) said in a
statement received here that Suu Kyi made the call in a filmed interview
that was smuggled out of Burma to Brussels and shown at EC hearings on Monday.
The hearings could lead to Burma being denied access to the European
Generalised System of Preferences, the Brussels-based ICFTU said.
The EC began an inquiry into forced labour in Burma earlier this year after
complaints from the ICFTU and the European Trade Union Confederation.
Witnesses from non-governmental organisations active in Burma have testified
against the government at the hearings.
Suu Kyi said in the interview that strong sanctions were needed to loosen
the grip of the ruling State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) on
the nation.
The ICFTU report on Burmese forced labour says that many Burmese have been
killed or reported missing after being recruited by the army as forced
labourers.
Suu Kyi and the SLORC were involved in a standoff this week in Rangoon. The
military government cut off access to her house and detained 559 National
League for Democracy (NLD) members to prevent them from holding a congress
at her home.
The Burmese Embassy in Bangkok said this week that 88 of those detained had
been released.
But on Wednesday, Suu Kyi slipped past police cordons and met reporters. She
said up to 800 of her NLD members and supporters were being detained.  
(c) Reuters Limited 1996
REUTER NEWS SERVICE




02Oct96 USA: U.S. DENIES BURMA INTERFERENCE CHARGES. [CORRECTED 20:25 GMT]
18:57 GMT  
WASHINGTON, Oct 2 (Reuter) - The United States on Wednesday dismissed
charges by Burma's military government that the U.S. charge d'affaires in
Rangoon, Marilyn Meyers, had interfered in the country's affairs.
A senior official in Burma's foreign ministry said Tuesday that comments by
Meyers warning that action against opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi could
spark a negative reaction in the United States were regarded as unwanted
interference.
"Those allegations are groundless. It's ridiculous to characterise her
contacts with Burmese government officials or with others in this way,"
State Department spokesman Glyn Davies said.
"She's been carrying out her diplomatic role on instructions from
Washington. She's shared information with the Burmese government about the
status of legislation pending in Washington that could affect our relationship."
The U.S. Congress this week passed a Foreign Operations Appropriations bill
which includes an amendment allowing for possible sanctions against Burma
because of its human rights record. (Corrects to make clear that bill has
now been passed)
Although Meyers is leaving Rangoon next weekend and retiring from the
diplomatic service, Davies denied what he said was a report circulating in
Rangoon that she had been declared persona non grata.
"This was a decision made months ago," he said.
Her replacement, Kent Wiedemann, is due to arrive in Rangoon in the next
couple of weeks, he said.  
(c) Reuters Limited 1996
REUTER NEWS SERVICE




03Oct96 THAILAND: SUU KYI SEEKS EUROPEAN SANCTIONS ON BURMA. 
BANGKOK, Oct 3 (Reuter) - Democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi has urged the
European Commission to adopt sanctions against Burma for using forced and
child labour, an international trade union group said on Thursday.
The International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) said in a
statement received here that Suu Kyi made the call in a filmed interview
that was smuggled out of Burma to Brussels and shown at EC hearings on Monday.
The hearings could lead to Burma being denied access to the European
Generalised System of Preferences, the Brussels-based ICFTU said.
The EC began an inquiry into forced labour in Burma earlier this year after
complaints from the ICFTU and the European Trade Union Confederation.
Witnesses from non-governmental organisations active in Burma have testified
against the government at the hearings.
Suu Kyi said in the interview that strong sanctions were needed to loosen
the grip of the ruling State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) on
the nation.
The ICFTU report on Burmese forced labour says that many Burmese have been
killed or reported missing after being recruited by the army as forced
labourers.
Suu Kyi and the SLORC were involved in a standoff this week in Rangoon. The
military government cut off access to her house and detained 559 National
League for Democracy (NLD) members to prevent them from holding a congress
at her home.
The Burmese Embassy in Bangkok said this week that 88 of those detained had
been released.
But on Wednesday, Suu Kyi slipped past police cordons and met reporters. She
said up to 800 of her NLD members and supporters were being detained.  
(c) Reuters Limited 1996 
REUTER NEWS SERVICE




03Oct96 BURMA: MILITARY LEADER TO VISIT CAMBODIA IN OCTOBER. 
Source: National Voice of Cambodia, Phnom Penh, in Cambodian 0200 gmt 2 Oct 96
Text of report by Cambodian radio
Leader of the military regime in Burma, Gen Than Shwe, plans to visit
Cambodia in October.
The Burmese general had planned to visit Cambodia early this year but
postponed the trip because Cambodia's monarch His Majesty King Norodom
Sihanouk, was ill then and away from the Kingdom of Cambodia.
(c) BBC Monitoring Summary of World Broadcasts. 
BBC MONITORING SERVICE 
BBC MONITORING SERVICE: ASIA-PACIFIC 3/10/96 



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