The BurmaNet News February 17, 1997

[strider@xxxxxxxxxxx]

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"Appropriate Information Technologies, Practical Strategies"
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The BurmaNet News: February 17, 1997
Issue #641

HEADLINES:
==========
THE NATION: REFUGEES ON MOVE AFTER BORDER CLASHES
ABSDF: CIVILIANS ARRESTED FOR PORTERAGE IN MON STATE
THE NATION: 'WE ARE NOT GOING TO GIVE UP'
THE NATION: KAREN BLAME DEFECTS ON BO MYA
BKK POST:ARSON SUSPECTED AFTER CAMPS GUTTED IN BORDER
ASIAWEEK: 'SANCTIONS HURT PEOPLE'
BKK POST: SENSITIVE ISSUES CAN BE DISCUSSED
BKK POST:CHAVALIT URGED TO ASK RANGOON TO IMPROVE
ABSDF: JOINT SNLD/SSPC STATEMENT
BURMA RELIEF: BORDER UPDATE
THE NATION: BITTER HARVEST FOR SLORC'S RICE POLICY
BKK POST: EDITORIAL- EU COWARDICE KEEPS SLORC ALIVE
------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

THE NATION: REFUGEES ON MOVE AFTER BORDER CLASHES
February 17, 1997
AP

Thousands of ethnic Karen refugees remained trapped inside Burma yesterday,
unable to flee to Thailand due to sporadic fighting between Burmese troops
and Karen rebels.

Aid workers reported that up to 20,000 refugees had either crossed into
Thailand or were desperately trying to after Burma's military govnerment
launched a major offensive against the rebels last week.

An estimated 5,000 govnerment troops captured Teakaplaw, the headquarters of
the rebel Karen National Union, on Thursday, just two days after launching
the offensive.

The guerrillas, unable to defend the camp in the face of a much larger
force, abandoned the base after setting it afire. The loss of Teakaplaw,
headquarters of KNU leader Gen Bo Mya, was the biggest military defeat for
the guerrillas since the Burmese army over-run their long-time headquarters
of Manerplaw in December 1994.

Karen officials reported that sporadic fighting between government soldiers,
supported by mortars, and KNU guerrillas was continuing yesterday around
Teakaplaw and other points inside Burma.

One refugee, who gave her name as Pawa, said she and 150 other people living
in Teakaplaw had fled into Thailand on Wednesday. They were astonished at
the swiftness of the Burmese advance.

"I had to leave when mortar rounds started falling near the village," said
Pawa, 45. "We couldn't take much. We lost all the chickens and pigs we have."

Pawa and the other refugees have joined nearly 90,000 Karen and other ethnic
refugees who have lived in camps along the Thai border for years. Thailand
allows refugees entry if they are not armed.

Aid workers, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that refugees
continued to cross into Thailand at different points on the long border as
permitted by breaks in the fighting.

Many were stuck in Thai villages just along the border, in danger of attack
by Burmese troops and renegade Karen allies who have attacked refugee camps
inside Thailand since late January.

The Karen have battled the central govnerment in Rangoon for more autonomy
for half a century. They have downplayed the loss of Teakaplaw, saying that
fixed bases are less important after Manewrplaw fell.

The govnerment offensive follows a series of peace talks that reportedly
failed on the KNU's insistence that the military regime open a political
dialogue with Aung San Suu Kyi, Burma's pro-democracy leader and winner of
the 1991 Nobel peace Prize. (TN)

*******************************************

ABSDF: CIVILIANS ARRESTED FOR PORTERAGE IN MON STATE
February 16, 1997
caroline@xxxxxxxxxxxx

	For the on-going major offensive of the SLORC against the Karen National
Union, thousands of civilians in Mon State have been rounded up in towns and
sent to the KNU sixth Brigade and fourth Brigade areas.
	The male civilians have been rounded up at market places, video halls and
on the streets in Belin, Thaton, Paung, Mudon, Thanbyuzayat and Ye, Mon
State.  People have been taken from Moulmein, city of  Mon State in last
week and it has been the first time that porters to be collected massively
by the SLORC army, according to the local people from Molmein. 
	Eyewitnesses told that convoys of military vehicles, comprising about
300vehicles arrived to Moulmein on February 7, 1997 and headed to the south
from Moulmein and Mudon on  February 8, 1997. The vehicles carried the large
numbers of heavy military equipment and ammunitions, said the eyewitnesses.
People were rounded up at Moulmein Central Market, Railway Station and piers
on February 8, 1997. 
	20,000 kyat is required as ransom to pay the soldiers for one people taken
as porter. Moreover, 200 Kyat have been collected from each house in
Moulmein as porter fee. If the family members from each house was unable to
pay, one porter per house was taken. 
	South-Eastern Region Military Command, based in Mon State has ordered that
all ten townships in Mon State have to recruit 400 porters each for this
military offensive. The price of substitute porter is between 20,000 to
35,000 kyat as people attempted to avoid the forced porterage by hiring
substitutes. 
	So far there have about 5,000 male age between 13-60, been taken as porters
in Mon State by the Slorc military Division 11,22,44,55 and 99. For that
reason, many towns in Mon state were deserted of men, according to the local
people from Mudon.

All Burma Students' Democratic Front

*************************************

THE NATION: 'WE ARE NOT GOING TO GIVE UP'
February 17, 1997

Despite losing his remaining camps to a lightning offensive by Burmese
government troops last week, Karen National Union leader Gen Saw Bo Mya says
the guerrilla group will never surrender. Aung Zaw spoke to the KNU chairman
on Friday. 

Bo Mya went underground with the KNU in 1949. He became chairman of the KNU
in 1976. He is also chairman of the Democratic Alliance of Burma. He
predicted in December that a Slorc offensive was imminent after the KNU
rejected Slorc's demands in their last round of peace talks. 

Slorc is attacking the KNU ­ but they also say they want peace ­ do you
think there will be genuine peace in Burma? 

I don't think the military government wants peace. What they want is a peace
based on a ''master-and-slave relationship." What we want is genuine peace
based on justice and fairness. 

What do you mean by master and slave? 

The Slorc considers us like slaves. If the Slorc attacks more and more
violently the KNU and the Karen people will suffer a lot. 

What is your future strategy? Will you continue to fight or surrender? 

We will continue to fight since they are attacking us. In fact, we are
defending ourselves. We must not surrender because they are cruel. In any
case, we have to counter the offensive. We are not going to give up. 

What do you think of the Slorc's mottos: non-disintegration of national
solidarity and non-disintegration of the union? 

Though they always claim to be building up national solidarity they always
suppress the people. They are ruthless. Because of this we can never build
up national solidarity. As it is, many ethnic minorities feel the same way.
They don't have faith in the military government. 

Do you think the Karen state will achieve peace through the offensive? 

No. Definitely not. 

How will you react if the Slorc uses military pressure to force KNU to sign
a cease-fire agreement? 

We won't do anything that is futile. If we agree to cease fighting we must
discuss political problems, ethnic conflicts and union affairs. But it is
hopeless since the regime always refuses to discuss the important issues
facing the country. So we won't make any deals. 

Your organisation has urged the [Association of Southeast Asian Nations] not
to admit Slorc. But it is obvious that Burma will become a member of Asean.
Does the KNU have any message for the leaders of Asean? 

Yes. I would like to ask Asean and the international community to
distinguish between right and wrong. The Slorc government is the worst
violator of human rights, they oppress our ethnic minorities. They have
forced our villages to relocate, destroyed everything and robbed from the
people. They have killed a lot of innocent people. It is needed that Asean
should send a strong message to the junta. 

The Slorc does not represent the people of Burma. The association should not
admit Burma. But if there is genuine change, then Burma should be admitted.
Asean countries should also know how the Slorc has been abusing its own people. 

Every government must be the protector of its countrymen but the Slorc is
the complete opposite. They have treated the people very badly. We have seen
porters beaten to death. 

We, the ethnic minorities, have suffered a lot. What the Slorc has been
doing is to prolong the military dictatorship therefore I would like to
request the international community and Asean to consider the suffering of
the oppressed Burmese people, not the Slorc.(TN)

**************************

THE NATION: KAREN BLAME DEFECTS ON BO MYA
February 17, 1997
Reuter

UMPHANG, TAK- A split appeared to be emerging within the Karen National
Union (KNU), Burma's biggest rebel group, with senior rebels blaming leader
Bo Mya for a string of military defeats and calling for his removal.

The apparent split comes as guerrillas sources report that morale in one of
the world's most entering rebel groups has plummeted.

They said crushing defeats last week left many dismayed rebels quietly
conceding that the KNU was finished. The KNU has steadily lost ground in
recent years to the military govnerment in Rangoon.

"Actually, the KNU was finished three years ago and Gen Bo Mya should bear
full responsibility for that," a KNU politburo member said.

In the latest blows suffered by the rebels, Burmese soldiers overran three
key KNU camps last week and attacked a fourth on Friday. The fighting has
driven more than 20,000 Karen refugees into neighbouring Thailand.

Burma on Friday vowed further attacks until all Karen camps were taken.

"We will never revived as long as General Bo Mya is still not dead," a top
KNU official, who requested anonymity said.

He added that Bo Mya, KNU president since 1974, was to retire after a rebel
congress in 1995 and be replaced by Vice President General Shwe Seing, who
is regarded as more pragmatic. But the transfer of power never took place.

"So the KNU is now left in a very disorderly state. We waited for a couple
of years believing the old man might get too old or die and that a second
generation would be allowed to carry on the KNU's cause and oversee its
survival," he said.

Despite dissatisfaction among Bo Mya's deputies, the 71-year-old leader has
not been challenged because of his record of executing those questioning his
authority, he said.

But Col Htoo Htoo Lay, KNU vice secretary, denied the Karen are finished.

"Yes, it is true we have lost all our last footholds but we will continue
fighting until the last man like the Palestinians, who did not control any
land but fought until Israel gave them back the country."

The predominantly Christian KNU has fought the Burmese military govnerment
for greater autonomy for the eastern Karen state since Burma gained
independence from Britain in 1948.

During its heyday in the 1980s, it was the biggest of the armed rebel groups
fighting Rangoon, controlling more than 40,000 guerrillas operating from at
least 14 border camps along a 400 km stretch of Burma's northeastern border.

But since 1992, Burmese troops gradually gained the upper hand, overrunning
several KNU camps. The group faced its biggest setback in January 1995, when
a Buddhist faction opposed the KNU's Christian-dominated leadership.

The Buddhist faction defected to the govnerment and in March 1995 helped
Rangoon seize the KNU headquarters at Manerplaw and its last entrenched
stronghold at Kawmoora.

The top KNU member said moderates in the group had recently started talks on
reuniting with the Buddhist splinter group, called the Democratic Karen
Buddhist Army (DKBA).

"Without him [Bo Mya], we can be reunited with the DKBA and we can begin to
bargain with Burma," he said, adding that pragmatic KNU members are prepared
to negotiate with Rangoon after Bo Mya's death or retirement.

Bo Mya's personal secretary denied a rumour that the KNU leader was gravely
ill and admitted to a hospital in Bangkok.

"I was with him yesterday. He was fit and strong and I don't believe he has
suffered from sudden illness," Ma Tha said on Saturday. (TN)

*******************************

BKK POST:ARSON SUSPECTED AFTER CAMPS GUTTED IN BORDER DISTRICTS
February 17, 1997
Supamart Kasem

Two refugee camps in Tha Song Yang and Phop Phra districts in Tak province
caught fire over the weekend causing over 500 Karen refugees to live without
shelter.

The first fire broke out at the Sho Klo camp in Tha Song Yang at 3.30pm on
Saturday, gutting 125 shelters and forcing over 500 refugees there to live
in a nearby forest.

Another blaze occurred at the Mawkier camp in Phop Phra at 4pm yesterday,
destroying 20 shelters before being extinguished by refugees. Officials
initially assumed that the blazes were accidents caused by cooking at the
camps. However, they have not yet ruled out the possibility of arson by
agents of the renegade Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA) troops, who are
backed .

Sources in the rival Karen National Union (KNU) said the fire incidents took
place a day after Thai soldiers and border patrol police had searched for
weapons at the camps.

A new refugee camp will be built in Umphang district, Tak, to serve 6,500
Karen refugees who had just fled several KNU bases overrun by Burmese
government troops earlier this month.

Tak governor Pongpayom Vasputi said the establishment of the new refugee
camp was a conclusion reached in his meeting with some 30 representatives
from non-governmental organisations in Umphang yesterday.

The meeting was also attended by John Croley who is deputy refugee
coordinator from the American embassy in Thailand.

The new refugee camp will be located on a 400-rai plot of land at Ban Nupho
village in Tambon Mae Chan, Umphang. It is 13 kilometres from the
Thai-Burmese border and easy for Thai authorities to secure, Mr Pongpayom said.

The camp will be completely fenced. Administrative officials and volunteers
will maintain order inside the camp while soldiers and border patrol police
will take care of surrounding areas.

The location is in a deteriorated forest area which will not affect any
forest reserves and the presence of Karen refugees at the camp should not
annoy Thai villagers either because there is enough water sources to
supplythe camp, he said.

Diarrhoea outbreaks were reported at makeshift camps along Umphang-Perng
Khlerng highway and at Ban Klor Thor village.

Public Health officials said that the refugees were sick after consuming
dirty water beside the highway. Officials transported clean water for the
refugees yesterday.

In another development, livestock officials worked hard over the weekend
detaining hundreds of cattle brought in by new Karen refugees. The
officials' action came in the wake of an outbreak of anthrax disease in
Thailand.

Tak governor Pongpayom ordered the officials to separate the cattle from the
refugees and examine and vaccinate them.

Also, Umphang district chief Charoen Singhayakul quoted a report from border
officials that a Burmese helicopter had intruded six kilometres into Thai
territory at Ban Nong Luang village opposite KNU headquarters.

The intruding flight was spotted at about 3pm on Saturday.

The report has been forwarded to the Interior Ministry so that it can
coordinate with the Foreign Ministry to file a complaint with the Burmese
government.

Over 100 border patrol police have been sent to Ban Perng Khlerng village to
secure the bordering area as battles between Burmese government soldiers and
KNU troops still continue on opposite sides and keep approaching the borde
line. (BP)

**************************

ASIAWEEK: 'SANCTIONS HURT PEOPLE'
February 21, 1997

Unocal tries to defend a controversial project

Should foreign companies invest in Myanmar? The California-based energy
multinational, Unocal, is at the heart of that vigorous debate.

Unocal has joined with Total of France, the state-owned Myanmar Oil and Gas
Enterprise and a unit of the Petroleum Authority of Thailand to co-develop
an offshore natural gas field in the Andaman Sea.

The $1 billion venture, called Yadana (Treasure), involves piping the gas
through a land corridor stretching across southern Myanmar into Thailand,
where the gas will be used to generate electricity.

It's no simple power project. Yadana's is an explosive issue. Its critics,
including Nobel Prize-winning democracy activist Aung San Suu Kyi, charge
that the pipeline helps prop up the country's military junta, known as the
State Law and Order Restoration Council (Slorc). Through U.S.-based
opponents of the regime, a group of villagers has even field suit in a
California court against the consortium.

International public opinion has already forced many high-profile Western
companies to abandon business plans for Myanmar. But the Yadana partners are
not budging. In fact, they seem to have decided that the best defense is
offense.

In recent months, Unocal's president, John Imle (pronounced "eye-mull_), has
traveled and spoken widely to try to change antagonistic perceptions of the
investment.

In doing so, he often disputes what Suu Kyi and many other activists say,
and persistently denies negative information regarding Unocal. Senior
Correspondent Alejandro reyes caught up with Imle, 56, recently in Hong
Kong. Their conversation reflects the continuing controversy over Unocal and
Myanmar.

Opponents of Slorc tell us forced labor is being used on the Myanmar section
of the pipeline, that entire villages have been relocated, and that only
Slorc will benefit. How do you respond?

Everyone who has done work on this project or on the roads supporting this
project has been paid. There have been no relocations of villages to
accommodate this pipeline.

Period. I can't speak about what the government is going to do with the
revenues. But there won't be a net profit until four or five years after gas
begins flowing. Today, there's a net outflow of money.

What about assertions that Slorc mistreated the local population before you
got to the area? We understand people were killed.

I reject that. We're not in any area that has been hotly contested, that has
seen any fighting, if ever.

The regime's opponents say the efforts the consortium has made to ensure
Yadana conditions are good occurred only because of the complaints and
protests they raised.

That's not right. These are the things we normally do on a project of this
sort. They can visit Thailand, the Philippines or Indonesia, where we have
projects in areas that are very underdeveloped. We've done the same thing.
We've trained thousands of Thais, Filipinos, and Indonesians, without any
pressure placed on us. It's good business.

Would you like to see the Slorc govnerment become more democratic?

What I would like to see is a continuation of economic progress for the
people of Myanmar. That requires sensible govnerment policy. We have seen
some progress in the creation of jobs and income, not only in our project
but in general.

I see that as positive and I would like for that process to accelerate.
Sanctions would inhibit it. If they attain their stated goal - and I don't
think they do - they would take jobs away from Myanmar. I don't think
sanctions would help the people. They hurt people and do not change the
leadership.

What if the leadership did change. Would that create problems for your
investment?

When there is a sharp change in govnerment, there is always a period of
examining business relationships. But we maintain the highest standards in
community projects.

We do not engage in any kind of corruption. We honor the deals we make. And
time after time, we've never been asked to leave. We work with civil
servants who are going to be there no matter what govnerment is in power.

Have you made contact with Aung San Suu Kyi?

No.

Do you want to?

It would not be easy at this stage. It's hard to communicate with a very
vocal opposition leader who is more diametrically opposed than a normal
opposition.

How do you view the lawsuits taken against Unocal in the U.S.?

We believe the lawsuits are politically motivated. We believe they are
totally without merit. And we plan to defend ourselves to the fullest extent
possible. But those suits are not going to affect our business.

The U.S. congress has tried to impose sanctions on Myanmar, and there may
well be further attempts to do so. What will you do?

When the time comes, we'll be educating - to the extent that we can - the
entire congress to help it make an informed decision. I believe the State
Department's [general] position is that engagement is better than isolation.
What I can't judge is whether Congress will agree to that in the case of
Myanmar. (AW)

***********************************

BKK POST: SENSITIVE ISSUES CAN BE DISCUSSED
February 16, 1997
Nussara Sawatsawang and Saritdet Marukatat, Singapore

Forum willing to admit more members

Asian and European foreign ministers agreed yesterday to advance the
progress of the Asia-Europe forum meeting by opening doors to sensitive
issues and admitting new members.

The decision was made at a one-day meeting in Singapore yesterday aimed at
promoting follow-ups.

Singapore Foreign Minister S. Jayakumar, who co-chaired an earlier meeting
with the Netherlands, said all sensitive issues could be taken up on the
grounds that they would not cause conflicts among members.

"We will discuss issues which will pull us together instead of pulling us
apart," he said, citing the issue of Burma which was discussed at the
Asean-EU meeting in a "constructive manner", he added.

The situation in Burma was discussed at a meeting of foreign ministers from
Asean and the European Union ending on Thursday.

The ministers discussed global issues such as terrorism, drug trafficking
and environmental problems.

In a separate chairman's statement issued by Singapore they strongly
condemned terrorists such as the group holding people hostage at the
Japanese ambassador's residence in Lima, Peru.

They passed a motion that the terrorists release all hostages.

Besides Japan, members of Asem include China, South Korea and the seven
nations of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

The European countries are Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France,
Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the
United Kingdom.

On the expansion of the forum, Mr Jayakumar said Asian and European
officials would explore "the right formula for new members to join to put
forward to their leaders at the second Asem summit to be held in April next
year in London".

Australia, New Zealand, India and Pakistan wants to join the forum on the
Asian side, while Russia and some western and eastern European countries are
interested in seeking membership.

Asian leaders had no objection to Australia, New Zealand, India and Pakistan
joining, Hidehiko Hamada, spokesman of the Japanese delegation, said.

But they agreed that expansion should be opened for countries from Asia first.

The chance of Burma joining Asem looks slim because of strong opposition
from Europe.

"I doubt there will be consensus on the admission of Burma in Asem. We (the
European side) have something to say on the accession of Burma in Asem, not
Asean," Dutch Foreign Minister Hans van Mierlo told reporters.

"If Burma becomes a member of Asean, it will not be automatic that it will
become a member of Asem," added Mr Mierlo, who is the EU president.

New members needed consensus from Asian and European countries, he stressed.

The Asian and European ministers also endorsed the setting up of an
Asia-Europe Vision Group to map out strategy on the future of the continents
in the short and long run.

The expert group, initiated by South Korea, is expected to be launched at
the London summit.

Yesterday Asem ministers also launched the Asem Foundation in Singapore to
boost cooperation in culture and education - with financial support coming
from the US, Japan and the European Commission.

The Thai government has approved a $500,000 budget to support the
foundation, while Brunei, France, Germany, Luxembourg and the United Kingdom
would also make personal donations.(BP)

*****************************************************

BKK POST: CHAVALIT URGED TO ASK RANGOON TO IMPROVE RIGHTS
February 16, 1997
Saritdet Marukatat and Nussara Sawatsawang, Singapore

Prime Minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh should use his close ties with the "top
brass in Rangoon to persuade the Burmese government to improve democractic
rights," Japanese Foreign Minister Yukihiko Ikeda said yesterday.

"Thailand knows the situation in Myanmar very well and also Thailand has an
influence on it, especially Prime Minister Chavalit who has very strong ties
with Slorc," Hidehiko Hamada, spokesman of the Japanese delegation, quoted
him as saying.

However, he opposed isolation, saying that "Burma should not be isolated in
international society."

The Japanese minister expressed his view to Foreign Minister Prachuab
Chaiyasarn during their 20-minute talks yesterday in Singapore where both
attended the first meeting of Asem foreign ministers.

Asem is a forum to foster ties between 15 members of the European Union and
seven members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations plus China,
Japan and South Korea.

Gen Chavalit said before and after winning the election that many senior
military officers in the State Law and Order Restoration Council are his
close friends.

The Japanese minister emphasised Japan's willingness to boost ties with
Thailand and join the country in regional and international cooperation, the
spokesman told reporters,

Mr Prachuab affirmed that Thailand was engaging with the ruling military
government and the opposition party led by Aung San Suu Kyi, according to
deputy permanent secretary for foreign affairs Sukhum Rasmidata.

Earlier this month, he urged western countries to convince the opposition
leader to soften her position so that talks with the junta could take place.

Mr Prachuab, however, said that he told his Japanese counterparts to respect
the difference of culture values which led to different approaches on human
rights and democratic practice in Burma.

He added that Thailand's priority is to help develop economic performance in
Burma so that it would not face an influx of refugees and those who
illegally flee to Thailand to seek jobs.

He said Mr Ikeda agreed with him.

Mr Prachuab's comment came amid a recent offensive against Karen rebels
which drove another 15,000 Karen refugees into Thailand in addition to 8,000
taking refuge from Burmese troop attacks earlier this month.(BP)

*****************************************************

ABSDF: JOINT SNLD/SSPC STATEMENT
February 16, 1997
"All Burma Students' Democratic Front" <lurie@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>

AGREEMENT OF THE MEETING BETWEEN SHAN NATIONAL LEAGUE FOR DEMOCRACY AND SHAN
STATE PEACE COMMITTEE
 
 The SNLD and the SSPC held a meeting on 6.6.96 aiming to build up a
peaceful developed future federal Union of Burma. In the meeting, the following
 agreements were made.
 1.Only when there is unity among the Nationalities of the Union can  the
Union be protected from any dangers and the Union will have peace. The  SNLD
and the SSPC believe that there must be peace to build up a longstanding
Federal Union. 
2.The future development of the Shan State and the Shan Nationalities and
the development of the whole Union can only be brought about through
cooperation. 
3.Believing as above, the SNLD and the SSPC agreed to discuss how to carry
out their future work.
4.The SNLD and the SSPC both believe that there must be Liberty, Equality,
Love and Justice to form a longstanding Union.
 5.The SNLD and the SSPC believe that the current political problems can
only be solved by peaceful political means with all the Nationalities of the
Union working together.
 
 The SNLD and the SSPC had another meeting on 25.1.97 and made the
 following agreements.
 1.It was agreed that the SNLD and the Shan State Army (Special Region 3)
would continue to attend the ongoing (1993) National Convention which is
being held in Rangoon. While attending the meeting, the SSA and the SNLD
will state which convention rules and regulations need to be changed in
order to achieve increased unity and solidarity among the ethnic
nationalities of the Union.
 2.The SNLD and the SSPC agreed to take part as far as possible in the
 effort to build up a genuine Federal Union.

*****************************************

BURMA RELIEF: BORDER UPDATE
February 16, 1997
<brelief@xxxxxxx>

Reliable eye-witnesses report that three girls in Azin were first raped and
then killed by the Slorc soldiers. One male civilian was also killed. Many
people in Dupalaya District are trapped and fighting is still going on. One
9th grade student has died of shrapnel wounds. There are substantial rumors
of further DKBA attacks on Maw Kel Refugee Camp soon.

***************************************

THE NATION: BITTER HARVEST FOR SLORC'S RICE POLICY
February 14, 1997
Aung Zaw

Set Maung, a senior economic adviser to Burma's military regime told a
foreign reporter last year that he wanted see his country once again become
the "rice bowl" of Asia. Set Maung's wish is unlikely to be fulfilled in the
near future.

On Jan 3, a day before Independence Day, farmers from Depeyin township in
Sagaing division northwest of Burma took to the streets. The reason: Farmers
who make up 65 per cent of the population, are forced to sell the bulk of
their rice to the military government at below-market price. 

Burmese opposition sources in India and merchants in Kalay township claimed
that more than 3,000 farmers took part in the rally. 

Tin Win, a member of All Burma Students' Democratic Front based in
Burma-India border said: "The farmers in this district were upset because
they have not received enough fertiliser from the government". But this is
not the only problem .  Last year's rice production is in decline because of
insect infestations, floods, and the government's push to grow two
rainy-season crops while there is inadequate water for the rice fields.

According to Associated Press report, Burma's paddy fields were severely
attacked last year by the lesser grain borer and grain moth, which wiped out
as much as 85 per cent of rice in storage. The scale of the infestations was
unprecedented.

Opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi has claimed that the overall situation
for rural people is declining quickly. The govnerment, however, continues to
demand farmers sell their rice to its ricebuying centres at 40 per cent of
the market price.

The govnerment pays farmers 165 Kyat per basket whereas they can get between
300 to 400 kyats selling privately, Tin Win said.

The show of defiance by the farmers in Sagaing division was a reflection of
the injustice of the system, said an India-based opponent. "They can no
longer tolerate it," he said. 

The protest began in the afternoon, hundreds of farmers from Inpin village
began a march to Depeyin township. On the way they were joined by farmers
from Ohn Da Bin, Kanda, Paukdaw and Mae Tha villages. The crowd swelled to
almost 3,000 by the time it neared Depeyin.

The local authorities did not know how to react sources said. According to
Tin Win's account, U Tin Htoo, chairman of the Depeyin township Law and
Order Restoration Council and a police officer Than Oo, attempted to block
the road to prevent the farmers entering the  township.

But the farmers marched passed them and entered the Saya San hall. (Saya San
was an independence hero who organised farmers to fight back the British. He
was later captured and beheaded. Today he remains as a symbol of farmers'
insurrection.)

As the farmers entered the hall they were filmed so that the government
could have a record of each participant sources said.

Shortly after they have arrived, Maj Gen Hla Myint Swe, commander of North
West region came to see the farmers. Burma's agriculture minister, Lt Gen
Myint Aung and senior government officials from Rangoon also later came down
later to investigate the situation. Clearly the protest had caught Rangoon
unprepared.

According to reliable sources, the farmers made the following requests to
the govnerment officials: 

To stop unjust repression upon peasants, reduce heavy taxation upon farmers,
stop forced-buying of crops at low prices. The farmers were also said to
have complained about the false statistics published by local authorities
and about corruption within the irrigation department.

The local official were apparently ready to accommodate some of the farmers'
demands. At least six people from the Irrigation Department were fired.

Additionally, the govnerment promised to meet the representative of the
farmers' protest in the future. Finally, the farmers went back home.

But according to some merchants who often travel to the India-Burma border,
that same night at around 11 o'clock, local officials came to search the
houses of some of the farmers who organised the rally.

Opposition sources claim that about 30 farmers including a female university
student from Mandalay University were apprehended. It was not clear why she
was arrested or how she was involved.

Tin Win said it was likely that if the govnerment continues to practice its
forced buying of the paddy more protests will follow.

Since last year the govnerment has faced numerous problems in the
agricultural sector. More than one million tonnes of rice was exported but
analysts said this fell far short of its target as a result of insect
infestations, floods, and poor management.

Govnerment officials claims they have has assisted farmers with increased
supplies of equipment such as Chinese-made tractors, water pumps, and
fertiliser.

But activists on the Burma-India border said that in some areas farmers must
bribe local officials to obtain water for their rice fields. Additionally,
army officers who came to oversee the Irrigation Department and rice fields
had no qualifications to fix the mounting problems.

The govnerment is very sensitive about agriculture. Last year, a close aide
of Aung San Suu Kyi, Win Htein, was arrested and received a long jail term
for allegedly taking part in a conspiracy to smuggle out a videotape
purportedly showing the failure of the summer rice crop in Heazada.
Sentenced with him were two farmers from the Irrawaddy division.

Suu Kyi claimed last year that there are many farmers who cannot afford to
eat two meals a day. The government has denied these charges as
fabrications. Nevertheless, coming on the heels of renewed student unrest in
December, the Sagaing disturbance will bring little comfort to the generals
in Rangoon.(TN)

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BKK POST: EDITORIAL- EU COWARDICE KEEPS SLORC ALIVE
February 16, 1997 (abridged)

A tragic cave-in by European Union delegates to last week's Asem ministerial
summit may have squandered the global community's last hope of halting
Rangoon's murderous march. (pullout) Lengthy talks on the matter, insisted
British Foreign Secretary Malcolm Rifkind, "reflected the seriousness" of
the situation and the level of the EU's concern. And they accomplished nothing.

Never mind that Amnesty International had just red-flagged Burma's continued
and blatant abuse of the rights of its citizens throughout 1996, the worst
year yet.

Never mind that European delegates arrived in Singapore with extensive
documentation of those abuses and well-thought-out plans for altering
fundamental Asian policy toward Rangoon.

Never mind that Portugal mustered a solid offence against the tragic state
of human rights affairs in Indonesia's East Timor colony, and was ultimately
left standing alone.

The fact remains - glaringly self-evident - that at the close of this week's
Asean-Europe summit, the formidable (on paper, at least) European Union
backed down on one of the global community's last crucial chances to
dismantle the increasingly bizarre concept of "constructive engagement" with
Rangoon, and to pressure the State Law and Order Restoration Council into
embracing democracy.

The EU tribe has gone home muttering about a possible veto of Burma's
planned admission into the pan-continental family this year, but, as one
Asian delegate put it matter-of-factly, all concerned "finally could smooth
it out".

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