The BurmaNet News, July 17, 1997

[strider@xxxxxxxxxxx]

------------------------ BurmaNet ------------------------     
"Appropriate Information Technologies, Practical Strategies"     
----------------------------------------------------------     
 
The BurmaNet News: July 17, 1997        
Issue #774

HEADLINES:        
==========   
REUTER: THOUSANDS OF BURMESE MOSLEMS FLEE 
ABYMU STATEMENT: SLORC ACTION AGAINST MONKS 
AP: SUU KYI'S PARTY DENOUNCES  TERRORISM
THE NATION: DISSIDENTS LOBBY ASEAN 
REUTER: BURMA OPPOSITION PUBLISHES ACCOUNT OF ABUSES
THAILAND TIMES: STUDENT ACTIVISTS TO PRESSURE GOVTS
THAILAND TIMES: SLORC IMPLEMENTS TOUGH MEASURE
SLORC: INFORMATION SHEET A- 0061
BKK POST: OTTAWA WARY ON AID OVER BURMA WOES
THE NATION: ASEAN WALKS CAMBODIAN TIGHTROPE
THE IRRAWADDY: BURMESE EXODUS
THE IRRAWADDY: NO HOME NO FUTURE
IMAGES ASIA: BURMA POSTERS AND POSTCARDS FOR SALE
AUSTRALIA BURMA COUNCIL: STATEMENT ON LANDMINES
----------------------------------------------------------------- 

REUTER: THOUSANDS OF BURMESE MOSLEMS FLEE INTO BANGLADESH
July 15, 1997
By Mohammad Nurul Islam

 COX'S BAZAR, Bangladesh, July 15 (Reuter) - Nearly 15,000 Burmese Moslems,
driven by hunger and military persecution, have fled into Bangladesh in the
past three months, officials and border guards said on Tuesday.
	 ``It has been an endless trickle,'' Lieutenant-Colonel Rafiqul Hannan of
the Bangladesh Rifles (BDR) border force told Reuters.
	 He said the BDR had arrested some 2,000 non-registered Burmese Moslems,
called Rohingyas, over the past three months and pushed them back across the
frontier Naf river.
	 The new influx began as Bangladesh was awaiting to repatriate some 21,500
Rohingyas who have been living in refugee camps in Cox's
 Bazar district, bordering Arakan, for more than four years.
	 More than 250,000 Rohingyas fled to southeastern Bangladesh in early 1992
from Arakan, Burma's only Moslem-majority province, complaining of military
persecution and forced labour.
	 Repatriation, supervised by the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees
(UNHCR), began in September that year following an agreement between Dhaka
and Rangoon.
	 The process stopped in early April. Bangladesh blamed the ``reluctance''
of Burmese immigration officials in giving clearance to the home-bound refugees.
	 Mohammad Yunus and his 10-member family arrived in Bangladesh from Arakan
on July 2, along with 30 other families. They have been living in shanties
built illegally on the outskirts of Cox's Bazar.
	 ``We were landless and usually bought our food by selling labour. But in
recent months food prices (in Arakan) have more than doubled,'' Yunus, 55,
explained.
	 ``And (Burmese) soldiers forced us to work at military sites and often did
not pay for it. They imposed restrictions on our movement from one village
to another,'' he said.
	 ``We have often been tortured for refusing to give forced labour.
Sometimes they detained us and kept us without food.''
	 Boyerd Solar, UNHCR representative in Cox's Bazar, said his organisation
had proposed that Bangladesh allow the 21,500 Rohingyas who entered the
country in 1992 to stay.
	 ``The proposal was made in view of lengthy delay and uncertainty we are
facing in sending these people back to their homes,'' he said.
	 He said the UNHCR had also proposed that the World Food Program and U.N.
Development Program help with the rehabilitation of the Rohingyas in
Bangladesh.	
	 ``But Bangladesh has rejected the proposals,'' he added.
	 Zafrul Islam Azizi, an official with the government's Relief and
Rehabilitation Commission in Cox's Bazar, said the refugees have grown
reluctant to go back to Burma after hearing about the UNHCR proposals.
	 ``They started resisting...and we cannot force them to leave because under
the 1992 repatriation treaty (it) has to be voluntary,'' Azizi said.

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

ABYMU STATEMENT: SLORC ACTION AGAINST MONKS 
July 16, 1997

Statement of the All Burma Young Monks' Union regarding the current action
against the Buddhist monks of Burma by the SLORC military regime

        Since the Buddhist monks uprising which started on March 16, 1997
and which was sparked  by reports that the important Buddha's image of the
Maha Myatmuni Pagoda Mandalay had been vandalized and the gems enshrined in
it were stolen, the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC), the
military regime of Burma, has escalated its oppression against the Buddhist
monks by making more arrests and forcibly disrobing the monks. The SLORC
failed to solve the problem to the satisfaction of the members of Buddhism,
and, in addition it created a religious conflict between the Buddhists and
Muslims.

1. In connection with the uprising, the SLORC has:
(a) Arrested, up to now, over 400 Buddhist monks particularly in Rangoon and
Mandalay and forcibly disrobed them in the prison;
(b) Threatened to take action against  the Buddhist monks who " fail to
abide by the Buddhist Sanghas' precepts ";
(c) Banned, all over the country, the Payiyatti Sangha examination of the
monks for indefinite period, an action which has never been taken before;
(d) Forcibly sent the Buddhist monks studying at the Payiyatti schools back
to their native places;
(e) Rounded up the Buddhist monks who have been demanding an
announcement of the date of Payiyatti examination, by June 20, 1997.

2. Therefore, the All Burma Young Monks' Union strongly protests and opposes
the above mentioned actions of the SLORC.

3. In addition, the Buddhist monks are demanding that the SLORC: --
(a) Officially expose the vandalization of the important Buddha's image
of the Maha Myatmuni Pagoda;
(b) Announce the exact number of detained Buddhist monks during the 1988
uprising, during the 1990 Pattam Nikkujana Kamma boycott, and during the
recent 1997 March Buddhist monks uprising relating to the Maha Myatmuni
Pagoda case;
(c) Unconditionally release all the detained monks.

4. The ABYMU fully supports these demands.  The ABYMU would like to remind
the SLORC that there is no other way but to comply with the demands by the
Buddhist monks of Burma and that continued violence against the Buddhist
monks would only bring more disastrous consequences.

        Unite all Buddhist monks!
        Join hands with all the people!

All Burma Young Monks' Union
July 16,1997

===========================================================================
RESEARCH AND DOCUMENTATION CENTRE OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY FOR A NEW SOCIETY
===========================================================================

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

AP: SUU KYI'S PARTY DENOUNCES  TERRORISM
July 14, 1997 [abridged]

RANGOON, Burma (AP) -- The political party of  Burmese pro-democracy leader
Aung San Suu Kyi denounced terrorism today and pledged to fight it. 
	The party's statement comes less than a month after the chief of Burma's
military intelligence accused the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize-winner of accepting
money from what he called terrorist groups. 
	``The National League for Democracy strongly condemns any act of terrorism.
It will neither encourage nor support terrorism or will ever use such
means,'' the statement said.  
	``We pledge to efface terrorism from our country together with the people.'' 
	Although the statement from the National League for Democracy, or NLD, was
released today, it was dated July 19, which will be the 50th anniversary of
Martyr's Day in Burma. 
	On that day in 1947, Suu Kyi's father, Burma's independence hero Aung San,
and six of his Cabinet ministers were assassinated by a political rival. 
	Aung San advocated democracy for his country, but his death plunged Burma
into a period of instability and insurgencies that culminated in the 1962
military coup. 

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

THE NATION: DISSIDENTS LOBBY ASEAN 
July 16, 1997
Yindee Lertcharoenchok

EXILED Burmese dissidents yesterday urged Asean members to use the same
"logic and standards" adopted to help resolve the current political
situation in Cambodia with Burma.

They called on the grouping to persuade the Burmese junta to start dialogue
with pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi and her National League for
Democracy (NLD), as well as end all human rights' abuses and atrocities.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations was also called on to delay
Burma's membership into the regional bloc and to urge the ruling Burmese
State Law and Order Restoration Council (Slorc) to transfer power to the
NLD, which won a landslide victory in the May 1990 general election. The
National Council of the Union of Burma's Tin Maung Win told a press
conference yesterday that the Burmese opposition welcomed Asean's decision
to help find a peaceful solution to the Cambodian conflict and its call for
talks between the two premiers.
     
"These [Asean] actions are right and just. For this very reason, we would
like to ask Asean to apply the same logic, the same standards and the same
pressure when dealing with Burma, including deferring its Asean membership,"
he said.

"The atrocities committed by the Slorc army are far more numerous than those
committed by Hun Sen's forces," he added.

Asean countries decided last week to delay indefinitely Cambodia's
membership into the grouping after Second Prime Minister Hun Sen launched a
violent coup to oust his political rival First Prime Minister Prince Norodom
Ranariddh.

Aung Naing Oo from the All Burma Students' Democratic Front yesterday urged
Asean, which earlier told Slorc to initiate dialogue with the NLD, to
seriously push for the talks to take place. "They [Asean] should really push
for dialogue, which we all want. It should not just be publicity or lip
service," he said.

Teddy Buri, an elected NLD MP and a minister to the exiled NLD government,
said a delay in Burma's admission would save Asean from any future
embarrassment.

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

REUTER: BURMA OPPOSITION PUBLISHES ACCOUNT OF ABUSES
July 15, 1997
 By Deborah Charles

 BANGKOK - Exiled Burmese dissidents on Tuesday released a book of letters
written by the chairman of Aung San Suu Kyi's democracy party to Rangoon's
ruling generals protesting against abuses and urging reform.

 The 33 letters collected in ``Letters to a Dictator'' were written by
National League for Democracy (NLD) chairman Aung Shwe between December 1995
and March 1997 and sent to Burma's military leaders.

 The letters were smuggled out of Burma and compiled as a book by the All
Burma Student's Democratic Front.

 The letters, addressed to the chairman of the State Law and Order
Restoration Council (SLORC), urge reform and protest against human rights
violations and repression. The letters were never answered, the dissidents said.

 The Thai-based Burmese dissidents who released the book said they did so to
ensure a public record of the SLORC's human rights violations and to
demonstrate the constraints under which the NLD has had to operate.

 ``This is a book that was never intended to be published,'' said Tin Maung
Win, vice-president of the Committee for the Restoration of Democracy in Burma.

 He said the letters were written by the NLD which expected to receive an
answer. But since no response was made and repression of the pro-democracy
party has increased, the party decided to publish the letters.

 ``I think we ... have an obligation to spread copies of this book
throughout the world and to ensure preservation of this important historical
record,'' said Tin Maung Win. ``The SLORC will surely attempt to destroy all
record relating to its brutal suppression of the NLD (and) its efforts to
bring about non-violent, lawful political change and to end the SLORC's
imposed reign of terror.''

 The NLD won a landslide victory with more than 80 percent of the seats in a
1990 election. The result was never recognised and instead the SLORC cracked
down on elected NLD politicians.

 Thousands fled the country or were imprisoned. Recently the SLORC, which
seized power in 1989 after quelling pro-democracy demonstrations,
intensified its attacks on the NLD and its leaders.

 The letters call on the SLORC to negotiate with the democracy movement. NLD
co-founder Suu Kyi has repeatedly asked for a dialogue since she was
released from six years of house arrest in July 1995.

 The book mentions death threats against Suu Kyi and physical attacks on
party leaders, forced resignation of top NLD members and various cases of
illegal detention and restriction of movement of NLD members and supporters.

 Teddy Buri, who was elected as an NLD member of parliament in the 1990
election but later fled to Thailand, said the timing of the book's release
was important because Burma was about to be admitted to the Association of
South East Asian Nations (ASEAN).

 ``Once this book gets into the hands of ASEAN leaders, and the
international community it may help open their eyes,'' he told Reuters. ``It
may help make them think about what way SLORC is repressive, in what way
they could...help to bring about changes in Burma.''

 ASEAN is due to admit Burma this month, despite protests from the West that
acceptance was tantamount to approval of the SLORC's human rights violations. 

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

THAILAND TIMES: STUDENT ACTIVISTS TO PRESSURE GOVTS AGAINST BURMA'S ENTRY TO
ASEAN
July 16, 1997 [slightly abridged]
By Boonlom Howattanapanich

BANGKOK: The Student Federation of Thailand is to cooperate with other
student assemblies from within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations
(ASEAN) in an attempt to pressure their respective governments into
objecting to the planned entry of Burma into the regional grouping.

Supphalert Kitkhachornphaibul, chairman of Thammasat University
student council, said action will be taken before the 25th of this month to
prevent Burma, currently ruled by a military dictatorship, from joining the
group.

The military junta has consistently violated the human rights of men, women,
and children, Supphalert said. He added that the situation in Burma is just
as alarming as that currently evolving in Cambodia.

Supphalert also said the Thai government should take a definite stance and
reject or cancel all joint ventures until democracy is restored in both
Burma and Cambodia.

Thai people he said can voice their opinion and react to the situation by
lobbying the Foreign Ministry and boycotting Burmese goods.

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

THAILAND TIMES: SLORC IMPLEMENTS TOUGH MEASURE PRIOR TO BRIDGE OPENING
July 16, 1997
By Assawin Pinitwong

TAK: Myawaddy authorities yesterday introduced a strict measure to control
cross-border activities in a bid to provide tight security for Thai and
Burmese leaders who will attend the opening ceremony of the friendship
bridge next month.

Lt-Col Sai Phone, who supervises security procedures in the nearby township,
called for a meeting with Burmese merchants who have commercial links with
Thai traders to make them aware of a new order on cross-border trading, a
source in Myawaddy said.

Under the new order, Burmese merchants will have limited time to engage in
cross-border trading between 6.00 am and 6.00 pm, compared with the previous
regulation which allowed trade to take place until 10 pm. The new regulation
also applies to Burmese residents who wish to cross the border for other
purposes.

Violators will face two months imprisonment or a fine of up to 78,000 kyat,
and their goods will be confiscated. 
     
Lt-Col Sai Phone said the new measure which comes into effect immediately
stemmed from a direct order from Rangoon and would be in force until after
the opening ceremony of the Thai-Burmese Friendship Bridge scheduled for
August 15.

The source said the strict measure is a direct result of Rangoon's desire to
protect the Burmese township from sabotage by ethnic rebel groups prior to
the grand opening ceremony to be presided over by SLORC chief Gen Than Shwe
and Thai Prime Minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh.

Thai merchants will also be subject to the new limit on cross-border trading. 

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

SLORC: INFORMATION SHEET A- 0061
July 16, 1997

(A) A ferry bus commuting between the town of Myawaddy and Kawkareik was
robbed by (3) armed soldiers of the Karen National Union. The incident took
place on the 15th. of July at 1:30 pm and in the event Daw Ohn Myint (42)
yrs. from Thwe Thaut Village of Mawlamyaine Township was shot in the stomach
by one of the terrorist. The (3) armed men later fled with the properties
robbed from the passengers. Responsible local security personnel are in hot
pursuit of the (3) KNUs, it is learnt.

(B) The Ministry of Mines issued an announcement on the 15th. of July on
Mineral prospecting and operation in the Third Round consisting of 12 blocks
to be permitted to foreign companies.

		? The Ministry of Mines, with the power vested by Myanmar Mines Law, under
Section 7, is desirous of developing, resources in the country especially
gold, copper, lead, zinc, silver and nickel. Therefore, the Ministry of
Mines invites foreign companies to conduct mineral prospecting and
exploration operations in the third Round consisting of 12 blocks. The most
geologically favorable areas include Kyaungle-Mansi Area, Namma-Kangon Area,
Katha-Indaw Area, Namhsan Area, Nammilaung Area, Sinbo-Nankesam Area,
Bhamo-Myothit area, Mabein North Area, Mwe Taung Area, Kanpetlet Area,
Lawksawk Area and Myesay Taung Area. Area coverage of each block is 540
square miles (1,400 sq. km). The initial stage of activity will be
prospecting and during a period of one year, a mineral occurrence should be
identified using various discipline of prospecting. It is to be followed by
a one-year exploration stage. However, 50 per cent of the original area of
the block has to be relinquished at the end of prospecting stage and it is
to be a contiguous area. Exploration stage can be extended twice of one-year
period each and at the end of initial one year and subsequent extensions,
mandatory relinquishment is 50 per cent each time. It is to be followed by a
feasibility stage of one year and if found economically feasible, joint
venture agreement will be signed.?

 ? All interested parties are to submit sealed bids on competitive basis
addressed to the Minister, Ministry of Mines, Kanbe, Yankin, Yangon, not
later than 4 pm, local time, 16th. September 1997. Summary of general terms
and conditions, instructions and information for bidders are available at
the Department of Geological Survey and Mineral Exploration and interested
parties may contact the Director- General of that department. Preliminary
reconnaissance site visit to various interested blocks may be arranged with
a request to Director-General of Department of Geological Survey and Mineral
Exploration.?

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

BKK POST: OTTAWA WARY ON AID OVER BURMA WOES
July 16, 1997 [abridged]

Help to region could stop short of SLORC 

Canada will not necessarily assist Burma and Laos when they join Asean in
two weeks, a senior Thai Foreign Ministry official said yesterday.

Director-General of Asean Affairs Anucha Osathanond said Canada, an Asean
dialogue partner, had made it clear recently that it had to consider all
aspects before deciding whether to provide help to the new members.

Although Canada did not mention either country by name, it is believed to
have been referring only to Burma, widely criticised for rights abuses and
suppression of democracy.

"This is a warning [to Asean]," Mr. Anucha said. 

The Canadian position reflected problems between Asean and its dialogue
partners, whose foreign ministers will meet on July 28 and 29 following the
annual meeting of Asean's foreign ministers and the Asean Regional Forum.

The European Union has also declined to guarantee that it will endorse Asean
projects involving Burma's ruling State Law and Order Restoration Council. 

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

THE NATION: ASEAN WALKS CAMBODIAN TIGHTROPE
July 16, 1997 [excerpts]
Yindee Lertcharoenchok 

The touchy issue of intervention was at the centre of talks held by the
regional grouping last week, Yindee Lertcharoenchok writes.

Some Asean countries, particularly the Philippines and Thailand, had for
some time predicted fighting would break out because of the tumultuous
relationship between Cambodia's two prime ministers.

Filipino Foreign Minister Domingo Siazon and his Thai counterpart  Prachuab
Chaiyasan told reporters after their bilateral meeting in Phuket in late
April that it was Cambodia's membership in Asean that was in doubt and not
that of Burma. At the time, Burma had just been shaken by a parcel bomb
explosion apparently targeting a key junta leader, Lt. Gen Tin Oo. Tin Oo
escaped the blast but his eldest daughter was killed.

Siazon repeatedly implied that the relationship between First Prime Minister
Prince Norodom Ranariddh and Second Prime Minister
Hun Sen was on the verge of collapsing beyond reconciliation.

Although Hun Sen's coup d'etat was a clear violation of the 1991
UN-sponsored agreement and thus justified intervention by the 18 signatories
who acted as guarantor of the international agreement, Asean countries were
extremely reluctant to allow international involvement in the conflict.

According to a senior Asean official at the meeting, Asean ministers were
divided and had a long debate on whether the 18 Paris signatories should be
called in to intervene.

Some countries, he said without identifying them, were concerned that
renewed international involvement in the Cambodian conflict could set a
precedent for allowing similar intervention in the future in Asean member
states, most of which have suffered similar internal political turmoil and
ethnic strife.

Asean, meanwhile, faces its own dilemma.

Although Asean ministers have repeatedly stressed the grouping's principle
of non-interference and their desire to see the Cambodians resolve their
conflicts by themselves, its latest efforts regarding Cambodia are nothing
but a direct intervention to help restore the costly peace and stability in
the country, something that country's leaders have been unable to do for about
two decades.

With its intervention in Cambodia, Asean has opened itself to strong calls
to take similar action in Burma, where the ruling regime is equally if not
more violent and brutal in suppressing democracy activists led by Nobel
Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi and her National League for Democracy
(NLD).

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

THE IRRAWADDY: BURMESE EXODUS
Vol. 5, No. 3 June 30, 1997
<waddy@xxxxxxxxxxxx>

Cover Story

Recently, outspoken Thai Democrat MP Abhist Vejajiva, expressed his 
concern over the illegal population in Thailand, saying the problem of 
illegal workers would become "more severe" in the coming years and could 
lead to social turmoil if the government does not quickly intervene by 
producing a viable and widely accepted national strategy.

The Democrat MP was invited to speak at a seminar organised by Mahidol
University's Institute for Population and Social Research and the Thailand
Research Fund. 

At "The National Seminar on Policy Options for the Importation of 
Foreign Labour into Thailand: A Study of Interested Parties, Legal Issues, 
and the State Management System", Thai academics and government 
officials stated the illegal immigrants pose security risks to Thailand  who 
should immediately develop a comprehensive national strategy to deal with 
the problem.

One year after the Banharn government legalised the employment of 
foreign workers from neighbouring countries in Thailand, a mountain of 
problems have resulted from this hasty and poorly thought-out decision.

Some Thai labour organisations aren't happy about the move.

"The government's decision is meant to allow employers to import cheap
labour to replace Thai workers and this will cause a lot of hardship,"
warned Prathuang Saeng-sang, vice-president of the Labour Congress of
Thailand which is the largest trade union congress in the country.

Under the new rules, employers are required to make guarantee-payments 
of 1000 baht [US$40] per illegal worker and register them with the 
Immigration Police Bureau and the Labour Ministry.

The current temporary measure, which allows foreign workers from Laos,
Cambodia and Burma to work legally in Thailand for two years, is
shortsighted and has failed to achieve its objectives, said observers.

"It's just that unlike immigrant labour, the local people are not willing to
take up jobs that involve dirty, dangerous or intense manual work," says 
Dr. Voravidh Charoenmlert, a labour economist at Chulalongkorn 
University. 

Thailand's border towns with Burma: Mae Sot, Ranong, Mae Hong Son 
and Mae Sai, are teeming with Burmese working as waitresses, waiters, 
cooks, housemaids, prostitutes and construction workers. They receive 800 
baht [US$ 32] a month. 

By comparison, Thai workers cost employers over 3,000 baht.

Voravidh said though the daily minimum wage of Thai workers ? even in 
urban areas ? is as low as 150 baht [US$6], impoverished migrant 
workers from Burma will often risk working illegally in Thailand for half 
that amount.

Thein Win, an 18 year-old from Rangoon now working in Mae Sot said: "I
received 60 baht a day but sometimes I  can not find work."

Besides, he risks being apprehended by the police and immigration 
officials. He has no legal papers to stay in Thailand.

But when asked if he is considering to return home in the immediate future
he shook his head saying, "Here is better than Burma." 

It is estimated that Thailand is currently home to one million illegal
immigrants, 75 per cent of which come from Burma, and the rest from 
Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam and China.

Only about 35 per cent of illegal workers are registered to work in 
Thailand legally.

Dr. Cynthia in Mae Sot said many more people from Burma are coming to 
the border towns to find odd jobs. "They say they come here just to feed 
their empty stomachs." 

Additionally, in Mae Sai and Mae Sot, more and more young girls are 
crossing the border. "If Burmese brokers can bring girls [from Burma] they 
get 1,000 baht each," says a local resident in Mae Sot. 

There are many Burmese women in border towns working at brothels, 
karaoke, massage parlours, and nightclubs.

But for men to come and work in Mae Sot they have to pay 1,000 baht to
"brokers." 

It is becoming apparent that illegal workers are staying longer and looking
to reside permanently in Thailand. Lacking any effective protection, these
immigrants have been exploited and abused extensively by both Thai
businessmen and state agencies.

Thai businessmen are not willing to see any policy changes since the 
country continues to look for cheap labour from its neighbours to maintain 
their competitive edge in the world market.

A joint study by Kusol Soonthornthada and Umphang Pattharavanich from
Mahidol University's Institute for Population and Social Research showed
that the illegal immigrant movement is following the pattern of migration
set by Northeastern Thais who left home to work and settle in Bangkok.

The study indicates that 41.5 percent of these workers had traveled to
Thailand more than twice and 50.4 per cent had stayed in Thailand more 
than two years. They have become familiar with the country, learning how 
to survive, adjusting to difficult situations, and have apparently decided to
resettle in Thailand.

Thirty per cent of those interviewed stated their wish to live in Thailand
permanently, while another 10 per cent said they were uncertain about 
their future. This group usually brought along their families, or were later
joined by their families.

Once the immigrants adapt to the country, controlling them becomes
difficult. Thai tax-payers also have to bear the cost of health services for
these aliens. About a 100 million baht was spent on illegal workers last
year, an amount that is likely to increase in subsequent years.

Thai industrial operators who   benefit most from the cheap foreign labour
appear to be free from these burdens.

Voravit and Bandit Tanachai-settawut said in their joint study on
"Industrialisation and Employment in Relation to Policy on Importation of
Foreign Labour" that Thai employers are estimated to be able to save 
around Bt35 million a day or Bt12.94 billion a year in labour costs because 
of illegal workers. 

And if the socio-econo-political situation in Burma persists, that will mean
big savings for Thai business.	
[Sources:The Nation/Bangkok Post/Irrawaddy stringers in Mae Sot]

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

THE IRRAWADDY: NO HOME NO FUTURE
Vol. 5, No. 3 June 30, 1997
<waddy@xxxxxxxxxxxx>

As many illegal immigrants wish to live in Thailand permanently, another
serious problem arises ? the growing number of stateless children. 
Between 1993 and 1996, the Mae Sot Hospital near the Thailand-Burma 
border delivered 2,202, 2,026, 2,031 and 2,077 stateless babies 
respectively.

Between 1992 and 1996, 6,209 stateless children were born in 17 provinces 
in Thailand. Kusol and Umphang also pointed out in their report that the
exploitation of illegal immigrant child workers who accompanied their
parents to Thailand had become increasingly visible during the past two to
three years.

The researchers found that about 40 per cent of male child workers in 
Ranong province had never attended school, and they did not find a single 
child who possessed more than a primary school education. The child 
workers surveyed were aged between 6 to 16, though more than half of 
them were under 10 years of age.

Almost 80 per cent of them said they worked to help feed their families
while 10 per cent said that they were simply forced to work. In 1994,
Laotian children (59.6%) accounted for the biggest number of immigrant 
child workers, but they were surpassed by Burmese children (51.8%) in 
1995.

Although they are children, they predominantly work in the three "D" 
areas like their parents. These are the most dirty, dangerous and difficult 
jobs such as garbage collection (highest), charcoal packing, household 
work, fish sorting and other fishery work.

Furthermore, many of the children have become beggars in the cities.
Statistics show that 54 per cent of child beggars arrested between 1992 to
1995 were illegal immigrant children.

These children are a socio-economic problem that will grow, since they 
have no access to proper education or health care. They will become 
unskilled illegal immigrants like their parents. They are more vulnerable to
exploitation than Thai child workers. 

For example, if arrested, they will be put in jail with adults. Besides,
their poor language skills make their situation worse. 

------------------------------------------------------------------
The Burma Information Group (BIG) was established in 1992 by Burmese
citizens living in exile and is not affiliated with any political party or
organisation. BIG produces "The Irrawaddy" newsmagazine and has 
sought to promote freedom of the press and access to the unbiased 
information.

The Irrawaddy Newsmagazine
Email address: <waddy@xxxxxxxxxxxx>

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

IMAGES ASIA: BURMA POSTERS AND POSTCARDS FOR SALE
July 16, 1997
sitthi@xxxxxxxxxxxx

A SET OF 8 BLACK AND WHITE POSTCARDS @ $3.00
A collection of high quality postcards depicting scenes from Burma by Nic Dunlop

ONE SET OF THREE POSTERS @  $6.00
Aung San Suu Kyi portrait "There will be change because all the military
have are guns"
THE GOLDEN LAND, THE GOLDEN LIE. Slorc soldier: military spending 
THE GOLDEN LAND, THE GOLDEN  LIE. Child salvaging brick - forced labour in Burma

ALL PROCEEDS WILL GO TOWARDS THE COST OF PRODUCING AN EXHIBITION OF NIC
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AUSTRALIA BURMA COUNCIL: STATEMENT ON THE USE OF LANDMINES
July 15, 1997

AUSTRALIA BURMA COUNCIL
Patron:  Mr. C G Woodard, Sir William Keys A.C., O.B.E., M.C.
National Office:  15 A, Baron Close, Kings Langley, NSW 2147
Phone/Fax:  (02) 9620 7007
Mobile Phone:  0418 610 664
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STATEMENT BY THE BURMESE DEMOCRATIC FORCES IN AUSTRALIA

Date:  15 July 1997

We appreciate the commitment of International Campaign to ridding the
world of anti-personnel landmines.  If the SLORC delegation is serious of
banning landmines in Burma, we would welcome the move.  So far they sit in
the conference without addressing the landmine problem in our country.
These landmines have been planted by the Burmese military junta they are
representing.  They are designed to maim or kill innocent children, women
and men.  We have read through the information package the colloquium has
provided for the delegates with great sadness.  Because you only mention the
landmines victims in Africa, Vietnam, Thai-Cambodia border and so on.  How
about the forgotten ethnic people on Thai-Burma border wounded by the
landmines planted by the Burmese military regime.  Don?t they deserve to be
mentioned in your information package?

We believe most representatives of non-governmental organisations must
have seen victims of SLORC anti-personnel landmines on Thai-Burma
border.  You should present the evidence to the conference so that the
illegitimate SLORC representatives can find out what they have done to those
innocent people they are suppose to be protecting.  We do not have civil war
in our country and the military regime in Rangoon is saying they have signed
peace agreements with all the armed ethnic groups except Karen National
Union.  In that case why are there large areas along the Bangladesh-Burma
border  extensively planted with landmines? The puppet of SLORC military
regime, Democratic Karen Buddhist Organisation (DKBO) has planted landmines
outside the perimeter of the refugee camps on the Thai-Burma border.  When
DKBO attack the camp the refugees have no choice, tortured and killed in the
hands of DKBO or maimed and killed in the landmines.

SLORC Defence Industries is under the direct control of the Ministry of
Defense which is the largest weapons factory in Burma at Sindare, Prome
district in lower part of Burma.  Then near Prome they have ammunition
factories at Tonbo, Nyaung-chi-dauk, Indaing in Pegu district and in
suburban Rangoon near Inya Lake.  From these factories they produce
anti-personnel landmines.  From the information we received these
anti-personnel landmines produced by the SLORC-owned ammunition
factories are not enough, they have to buy from Singapore and China. 
Why are they not actively participating and discussing with other people
if the SLORC delegation is serious in banning landmines?  Why do they
need a large quantity of landmines?  

On the front page of the SLORC newspaper and television they will use
this kind of invitation as propaganda to show the people that they have
been accepted by the international community and make the most of this
invitation to their advantage.  Don?t let them get away with it.  On behalf
of 45 million people who cannot express their opinion please ask questions
of the SLORC delegates regarding human rights violation, slave labor,
child labor, political prisoners, open dialogue with the elected NLD
party and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, raping of innocent women on the village by
SLORC soldiers.

For further information:

Mr. Terrell Oung: (02) 9620 7007
Ms Mee Mee: 0418 610 664
Mrs. Pyone: (02) 9621 8543
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PUBLIC RALLY TO PROTEST THE PRESENCE OF THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
ILLEGAL MILITARY REGIME IN SYDNEY

The Burmese community in Sydney will be rallying to protest the presence
of three representatives of the Burmese military regime, who are
currently in Sydney to attend the landmines colloquium sponsored by ICBL
Australia.

We invite you to join hands with us in condemning the brutal regime and
show them that human rights violations are not acceptable by the world
community.

The rally will take place as follows:

Venue:	96, City Road, Chipeendale, NSW 2008
Time:	1:00 p.m.
Date:	17 July 1997

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