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The BurmaNet News, August 25, 1997



------------------------ BurmaNet ------------------------     
"Appropriate Information Technologies, Practical Strategies"     
----------------------------------------------------------     
 
The BurmaNet News: August 25, 1997        
Issue #804

HEADLINES:        
========== 
PEOPLE?S DEFENSE FORCE:TOTAL EMPLOYEES RAPE MON GIRL
KNPP: BATTLE NEWS AND HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT
S.H.A.N : VILLAGERS MASSACRED AND BEHEADED IN SHAN 
ICFTU: 1997 SURVEY OF VIOLATIONS OF TRADE UNION RIGHTS
RRM: BANGLADESHI ARMY CHIEF OF STAFF VISITS RANGOON 
BKK POST: BURMA NAMES HEAD OF ASEAN AFFAIRS
BKK POST: THAILAND JOINS CHORUS
REUTER: BURMA BUYS OVER 4 BLN YEN JAPANESE EQUIPMENT
BKK POST: MYAWADDY STAYS BANNED FOR TOURISTS
BKK POST: ARMY TO HELP FIGHT 'SPEED PILL' RACKET
BKK POST: DISCOS IN MAE HONG SON UNDER 'CURFEW'
REUTER: MAHATHIR CALLS SOROS A ``MORON?
BUSINESS WIRE: INTERDIGITAL MEETS 90 DAY COMMITMENTS
BKK POST: ANOTHER TRAGIC TALE OF SLORC
KNU: KAREN BATTLE NEWS
SLORC: INFORMATION SHEET NO. A-0099(I)
ANNOUNCEMENT: BURMA WEB PAGE IN JAPANESE
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

PEOPLE?S DEFENSE FORCE:TOTAL EMPLOYEES RAPE MON GIRL August 23, 1997

BurmaNet Note: People?s Defense Force is a small, pro-democracy Burmese
group based on the Thai-Burma border.

Mon Girl Raped By TOTAL Three Employees

Mi Tin San, a 15-year old Mon girl who lives in Mi Chaung Hlaung Village,
Yebyu township in Tenasserim Division, was raped by three foreign TOTAL
Employees on June 23, 1997.

The incident took place when the three foreigners who worked for the French
oil giant TOTAL took her away in their car after buying vegetables and
fruits from her farm and raped her. However, this was not known until her
parents returned home from work in the evening and did not find her at home.
The parents went around and asked the neighbors if they had seen her. They
told the worrying parents that they saw Mi Tin San being taken
away in the foreigners' car. 

Mi Tin San's parents continued their search when she failed to show up the
following morning. Later in the day, a neighbor came to see them with a news
that Mi Tin San had been hospitalized at the TOTAL hospital. 

According to Mi Tin San, the three TOTAL employees came to their farm to buy
vegetables and fruit. She did not suspect anything unusual as they were
regular customers. However, the trio asked her to walk with them to their
car so that they could give her the money left in the car for the produce.
Unsuspecting, she went along with them. As soon as they arrived at the car,
the foreigners forced Mi Tin San onto the car and drove off. 

Mi Tin San had to have 4 stitches around her woman organ because of the
repeated rape by the three. At the time of her parents? arrival at the
hospital, she was still hemorrhaging.

The case forced to close after the three TOTAL employees compensated her
800,000 Kyat for violating her.

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

KNPP: BATTLE NEWS AND HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT
August 24, 1997

THE GOVERNMENT OF KARENNI
MINISTRY OF PUBLIC RELATIONS AND INFORMATION

24 August 1997

Battle news in No. (2) District area

>From 31 July 1997 to 11 August 1997: 17 incidents of fighting occurred
between the Karenni Army and Slorc troops. In the fighting 16 Slorc troops
were killed and one soldier belonging to LIB 102 was captured.
13 porters being used as forced labour by Slorc troops escaped to the
Karenni Army, and 2 dead porters were found.

On 20 August 1997, at 1800 hrs, Karenni troops attacked an unknown unit of
Slorc troops at Pa Long in Loikaw Township. 2 Slorc soldiers were killed and
2 G-2 rifles seized.

On 21 August 1997, at 1715 hrs, Karenni troops attacked Slorc troops of LIB
261 under the command of Lt. Major Khin Mg Htay, while the Slorc troops were
burning the buildings of lower Gay Loe village.

On 22 August 1997, the Karenni Army attacked LIB 261 again as the Slorc
troops burnt down the buildings of upper Gay Loe village. No reports of
casualties.
______________________________________________

HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS COMMITTED BY SLORC 

On 20 August 1997, Slorc troops of LIB 102 under the command of Major Win
Htwe, burnt down 25 houses of Lwe Po village including the church.

On 21 August 1997, the same troops of LIB 102 killed 5 buffaloes and 6 oxen
belonging to Bu Kho village (already burnt).

On 21 and 22 August 1997, Slorc troops of LIB 261 burnt down 70 houses of
upper and lower Gay Loe village, and destroyed 21 acres of planted rice
paddy as well as 2400 litres of brown rice.
______________________________________________

Since the end of June, Slorc troops have burnt down around 265 houses in 7
villages in the No. (2) District of Karenni (Mawchi area). This is part of
the Slorc's Myay Lan Sanit campaign (uprooting the area). Slorc troops are
under orders to kill anyone found in this area without asking questions,
including children, women and old folk. Because of this Slorc offensive,
villagers are hiding in the forest and there is a serious lack of food and
medicine. They are suffering from various illnesses especially malaria,
dysentery, and diarrhoea. Children and old folk are particularly effected.
It is very difficult for the villagers to feed themselves because Slorc
troops are systematically destroying rice stores and livestock. Any rice
hidden by the villagers is often hard to retrieve as they may be staying
some distance from the stores and the area is frequently patrolled by Slorc
troops. The farmers are also being prevented from planting the new rice
paddy and so shall be unable to feed themselves in the future.
Karenni anticipate the destruction of all villages in No. (2) District
around the town of Mawchi. The area is to be cleared of villagers with no
provision for their displacement.

In June 1997, 28 victims of forced relocation died in the Pa Long
relocation camp in Loikaw Township, from dysentery. It is believed that the
illness was transmitted from the Sha Daw relocation camp where an unknown
number of people died from the same illness.

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

S.H.A.N : VILLAGERS MASSACRED AND BEHEADED IN SHAN STATES
August 24, 1997

S.H.A.N : SITUATION IN KUNHING, VILLAGERS MASSACRED AND BEHEADED
                 ( mid-June to mid-July 1997)
 August 24, 1997
( Report from the Monthly Report, July 1997 of the Shan Human Rights
Foundation -SHRF )

After a group of unidentified Shan rebels shot dead 25 civilian Burmese
nationals on 13.6.97 at Pha Larng, Kunhing township, SLORC troops have
stepped up their military campaign against the civilian population. From
mid-June to mid-July, they have killed at least 400 people in the areas of
Sai Kao, Kaeng Lom, Kaeng Kham, Kho Lam in Kunhing township. Most of them
were villagers who had been forced to move to relocation sites along the
motor roads. These villagers are strictly restricted to the relocation
sites, and are not allowed to go farther than 3 miles to the north and 1
mile to the south of the road. However, villagers are risking their lives to
get food to survive and are being shot to death.

Maj. Thein Soe is in command of the no. 1 Tactical Command at Kho Lam and
Col. Than Htun is the commander of the no. 2 Tactical Command at Kunhing.
Maj. Thein Soe is known to have said to the villagers that he would be less
upset over a dead Shan than he would be over a lost can of fish paste. Maj.
Gen. Pyi Zone, commander of the Operational Command Headquarters at Loilem,
sent the order to shoot people on sight to Maj. Thein Soe who in turn
relayed it to Maj. Sein Thaung. Thus Maj. Sein Thaung and his troops are the
ones who have been doing most of the killing, shooting people at will in
what they assume to be a free-fire zone.

On 11.7.97, car drivers from Murngpaeng and Kaengtung came through Kunhing
and some SSA members saw along the road that branched out from the main road
to Kaeng Lom 26 corpses of villagers laid up in line with their heads cut
off and laid beside their bodies. And on 12.7.97, 17 corpses were seen along
the road between Kaeng Lom and Kaeng Tawng, laid up in the same manner.

>From mid-June until around mid-July, SLORC troops have burnt at least 41
bullock-carts of the villagers. They have also shot not less than 70-80
cattle and let their wives and children sell the meat around Ka Li, Kunhing
and Kho Lam.

During early and mid-July, SLORC troops ordered the villagers who had been
relocated along the road from Ka Li and around Kunhing town to cut thousands
of bamboo, weave 100,000 sheets of thatch for roofing, cut many hardwood to
use as posts and build new military bases at Kunhing and Ka Li. The
villagers are not allowed to take any food with them, to prevent them from
giving food to members of the resistance. They were instead instructed to
eat to their full before they went to work all day. All the rice and paddy
which the villagers had managed to bring from their old villages were
confiscated and kept at the military bases, and rationed back to them once a
week, but not their good nutritious rice. The soldiers took the villagers'
rice for themselves and rationed out poor quality rice from their supplies.

In addition to shooting cattle for meat, SLORC troops have also been
catching them alive for sale. Since there are a huge number of cattle
roaming free in the areas of Ka Li, Kho Lam, Kunhing, Kaeng Tawng, Kaeng
Kham, Ton Hoong, Nar Poi etc., the soldiers usually catch and bring them to
sell at a place 2 miles east of Ta Kaw bridge that crosses the Salween
river, at a giveaway price of about 3,000 Kyat each though they are often
big and strong cart-oxen. The buyers are mostly from Murngpaeng and Kaengtung.

On 17.7.97, a group of merchants from Kaengtung went and bought 56 heads of
cattle at the place, 2 miles east of Salween bridge, for only 3,500 Kyat per
head on average. The traders fetched 7-8,000 Baht per head at the border
town of Tachilek. All were big , strong cattle; the traders did not sell
even when they were offered 20,000 Kyat per head at Kaengtung. The SLORC
troops, from the bases in Kunhing, bring the cattle to the selling place in
groups of 10 to 20 heads.

Teak and hardwood lumber from the houses in the old villages are being
taken, using forced labour and cars of the civilian population, to sell in
towns such as Ka Li, Kunhing, Ta Kaw and Murngpaeng, by SLORC troops.

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

ICFTU: 1997 SURVEY OF VIOLATIONS OF TRADE UNION RIGHTS
August 23, 1997
Organization: Federation of Trade Unions - Burma

ICFTU Annual Survey of Violations of Trade Union Rights 1997

BURMA (MYANMAR)

Repression by the ruling State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) in
Burma's military dictatorship) worsened during 1996. There were signs of
growing discontent in the country. In May, the regime published a law
allowing it to prevent political organisations denouncing state policies or
proposing alternative constitutions. Crackdowns on the democratic movement
resulted in many arrests and the imposition of prison sentences.

There are no trade union rights in Burma. The Federation of Trade Unions
of Burma (FTUB), founded in 1991 by former trade union leaders, is
forced to operate from outside the country. It co-ordinates its activities
with the banned National League for Democracy (NLD), which won an election
in 1990 but was prevented from taking office. NLD leader Aung San Suu Kyi
has expressed her support for the FTUB and for independent trade unionism in
Burma.

The FTUB continues to work with ethnic groups in border areas and to
maintain underground structures linked to workplaces inside the country.
Its activists are under surveillance by the police and military
intelligence, and live in permanent fear of arrest and torture.

The Seafarers' Union of Burma, which forms part of the FTUB, works in
exile to assist Burmese seafarers. There have been many cases of the
regime's abuse and intimidation of seafarers who complained about
underpayment and poor working conditions on foreign ships. The regime
controls the employment of seafarers through the Seaman's Employment
Control Division.

SLORC continued to control the National Convention, from which the NLD
withdrew, in its task of drafting a new constitution for the country.
Worker representatives to the Convention are selected and controlled by
the regime.

Reports of unrest in September included news of a strike at the Myitngae
railway factory in Mandalay which ended when the authorities gave basic
foodstuffs to the workers.

There were also reports of a spontaneous strike at a joint-venture garment
factory, partly owned by the SLORC's holding company, UMEH, which took place
because the workers had not received the same holiday benefits as management.

A few minutes after the strike started, a high-ranking military officer
arrived and told the workers that if they ever went on strike again, they
would be imprisoned.

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

RANGOON RADIO MYANMAR: BANGLADESHI ARMY CHIEF OF STAFF, DELEGATION VISIT
RANGOON 
August 18, 1997 [translated from Burmese]

Major General Mohammad Anwar Hussain, Army Chief of Staff of the
People's Republic of Bangladesh, and delegation arrived in Yangon [Rangoon]
by air at 0915 today to pay a goodwill visit at the invitation of Lt. Gen.
Tin Oo, commander of the Bureau of Special Operations and chief of staff of
the Army.
The delegation was welcomed at Yangon International Airport by Army
Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Tin Oo, Navy Chief of Staff Commodore Nyunt Thein,
Air Force Chief of Staff Brig. Gen. Kyaw Than, Yangon Military Command
Commander Maj. Gen. Khin Maung Than, General Staff Officer Col. Myint Swe,
senior military officers, Bangladeshi ambassador, embassy officials, and
Bangladeshi military attaché.
Lt. Gen. Tin Oo, Bureau of Special Operations commander and Army chief
of staff, received the Bangladeshi Army Chief of Staff and delegation at
the Defense Ministry's Dagon House at 1500 and held cordial and frank talks
on good bilateral relations between the armies of Myanmar [Burma] and
Bangladesh.
The visiting Bangladeshi delegation visited the Defense Services
Museum on Shwedagon Pagoda Road at 1030 and the National Museum on Prome
Road in the evening.

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

BKK POST: BURMA NAMES HEAD OF ASEAN AFFAIRS
August 23, 1997

Burma has appointed U Aye Lwin, former director-general for Consul and
Treaties Affairs, as chief of its Asean department. He and 104 other foreign
ministry officials were promoted with Burma's entry into Asean.

The government also recruited 40 new third-secretaries to help out with
Asean affairs. Establishing an Asean department is a criterion for new members. 

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

BKK POST: THAILAND JOINS CHORUS
August 22, 1997
Anuraj Manibhandu, Nussara Sawatsawang

Experts debate the 'best' ways to bring about improvement

Thailand yesterday joined a growing call for "constructive intervention" as
a means of conducting international relations with problem countries like
Burma and Cambodia. 

But Deputy Foreign Minister Phitak Intrawithayanunt emphasised that the
threat of over spill of large-scale domestic instability, rather than moral
issues, should justify such intervention.

Mr. Phitak also defended constructive engagement as a more effective means
than sanctions for obtaining improvements in "non-conformist" states.

The points were made at a seminar on the economic and political dimensions
of constructive engagement in Asia, sponsored by the Sasakawa Southeast Asia
Cooperation Fund of Japan.

"The constituency for a morally driven, interventionist foreign policy is
large and vocal," Mr. Phitak told the gathering.

"More than ever, countries are taking it upon themselves to stand in
judgment of others," he said, in reference to unnamed Western nations.

"From human rights to animal rights, from freedom of speech to freedom for
turtles and dolphins, moral issues are playing a part in determining foreign
policy."

But large-scale domestic instability, which threatened to spill into the
international arena in terms of refugee outflows, stray artillery fire
across borders, and international diplomatic maneuvering on the part of
belligerents was possibly a "more compelling reason why intervention may
sometimes be justified".

Mr. Phitak's remark came two days after Thailand opened its doors to some
30,000 Cambodians who fled fighting in the last royalist stronghold of
O'Smach in the extreme northwest of Cambodia.

Mr. Phitak maintained that constructive engagement served to keep lines of
communication open "and ideas that come from friends are more easily
accepted than those that come from perceived foes".

Abdul Rahman Adman, director of Malaysia's Institute for Policy Research,
said constructive intervention was one way for the Association of Southeast
Asian Nations (Asean) to achieve a "human agenda" towards the establishment
of a regional community.

He defined constructive intervention as specific assistance given at the
request of concerned countries, without intervening in their internal affairs.

For example, Cambodia could be assisted in running free and fair elections,
advice in institutional development and legal reforms, and human resource
development.

J. Soedjati Djiwandono, from Indonesia's Centre for Strategic and
International Studies, cited growing interdependence in today's world as a
reason for Asean to review its non-interference principle.

The review would help prevent external powers from interfering in the
region, he said.

In the process, Asean member states should exchange views, information and
experience in order to promote good governance, and the establishment of a
civil society where basic human rights are respected.

Burma scholar Josef Silverstein advocated the use of constructive
intervention in Burma, along the lines proposed by Malaysian Deputy Prime
Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who argued that such intervention would help prevent
further deterioration of the situation in that country.

Professor Silverstein questioned Asean's constructive engagement policy,
calling it a two-tier undertaking whereby individual member states engaged
with Burma for economic reasons, while the group tried to promote national
reconciliation in the country.

Michael Vatikiotis, a Bangkok based correspondent for the Far Eastern
Economic Review, urged more attention to the human needs of Asean citizens,
and proposed a special unit be set up within the Asean secretariat to deal
with social and economic problems, as well as "specific" issues like the
IMF's rescue package for Thailand.

Zhang Yebai, senior researcher at Beijing's Institute of American Studies,
criticised the United States' "engagement" with China, saying it was
primarily aimed at obtaining "compromises" from China.

While China was not unwilling to compromise on human rights and sovereignty
issues, Chinese people "hate to make concessions under outside pressure", he
said. With 5,000 years of history, China found it difficult to take any
teaching from the US, with a history of only 200 years.

He said China supported the principle of constructive engagement, but did
not view it as the most effective policy for conducting relations "between
countries that are different in social systems and ideology".

Dr Tomoyuki Kojima, Professor of East Asian and Comparative Political
Systems at Japan's Keio University, said intervention should be seen as a
condition for constructive engagement.

He said Japan's $15 billion, three stage credit loan to China had made a
"significant contribution" to that country's economic development.

Shri Jasjit Singh, director of India's Institute for Defence and Strategic
Analyses, advocated "cooperative peace", and objected to Western countries'
use of human rights as a foreign policy "tool".

Indian Ambassador to Thailand Ranjit Gupta stressed that human rights and
democracy took time to evolve.

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

REUTER: BURMA BUYS OVER 4 BLN YEN JAPANESE EQUIPMENT
August 23, 1997

RANGOON, Aug 23 (Reuter) - Burma's ministry of construction has bought over
four billion yen of bridge and road construction equipment from Japan's
Kinsho-Mataichi Corp (8064.T), the Myanmar News Agency said on Saturday. 

The news agency said a purchase agreement was signed on Friday for 30 items
of equipment and spare parts including hydraulic bored piling tools. 

It said the ministry's public works department would pay for the equipment
in instalments. It did not elaborate. 

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

BKK POST: MYAWADDY STAYS BANNED FOR TOURISTS
August 22, 1997
Mae Sot, Tak

Local Thai and Burmese authorities have imposed strict regulations on
tourist trips to Mae Sot and Myawaddy by not allowing them to stay overnight
in the two border towns.

Tourists crossing the border via Mae Sot-Myawaddy checkpoint are allowed to
stay in the two towns for a maximum of 12 hours, between 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The regulations, which will take effect today, were made by representatives
from Mae Sot and Myawaddy.

Tourists visiting Myawaddy are not allowed to bring in video cameras, mobile
phones and walkie-talkies. Only cameras are allowed.

Burma has also prohibited Thai passenger buses from crossing the bridge to
Myawaddy as it goes against the law on route concessions. 
     
The meeting, in which each side sent 30 representatives to draw up the
regulations, has set an entry fee for people and vehicles. Each tourist will
be charged 10 baht for a border pass. Cars with 3 tonnes are charged 50
baht, medium-sized and large sized cars 60 and 70 baht fees respectively. 

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

BKK POST: ARMY TO HELP FIGHT 'SPEED PILL' RACKET
August 22, 1997
Subin Khuenkaew

Police say they lack personnel, firepower

Chiang Rai-- The military has been brought in to do battle with amphetamine
traffickers who are smuggling the drug in from Burma.
     
Police have admitted they can no longer cope with the tide of speed pills
coming across the border due to the size of their force and the geographical
obstacles.

Bunpot Piamdee, the director of the Northern Narcotics Control Centre, said
a special task force has been set up and will begin anti-drug operations
early next month. The centre will serve as its headquarters.

Those joining will chiefly come from the Third Army Region. They will target
drug routes passing through Mae Sai and Mae Chan districts.

The director said military force was needed because most crackdowns ended in
violent clashes. Soldiers also knew the border area well and were better
equipped with helicopters and heavy weapons.

"The situation has worsened even though the government has introduced the
death penalty for amphetamine traders. But this has forced them to use
violence against the officers," he said.

PM's Office Minister Veerakorn Kamprakob had given the Office of Narcotics
Control Board the go ahead to apply for military support, said the director.

He said the HQ will receive news and intelligence and decide whether or not
to use force.

He added that Maj Gen Itthiphol Sirimonthol, deputy commander of the Third
Army Region, had pledged to help. He will decide which forces should be
deployed.

Mr. Bunpot said paratroopers and border patrol police forces will be used
and legal experts will deal with any legal problems.

Col Anusorn Kajarat, civilian affairs director for the Third Army's Internal
Security Operations Office, said: "We are more than willing to help. We are
fully equipped and ready."

Pol Col Panurat Meepien, the provincial police superintendent, said
anti-drug attempts were futile and complained that several Burmese traders
were running drug shops near the Mae Sai river. A group of houses 500 metres
away on Burmese soil was believed to be a hangout for drug users.

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

BKK POST: DISCOS IN MAE HONG SON UNDER 'CURFEW'
August 22, 1997 [abridged]
Phitsanu Thepthong

A temporary "curfew" has been imposed at discos in Mae Hong Son to prevent
students from becoming hooked on drugs.

Butpot Piamdee, director of the Northern Narcotics Control Centre, said the
8 p.m. "curfew" had recently been introduced on a trial basis.
     
Figures show amphetamine-related offences in 17 northern provinces are
steadily increasing. In 1994, 18,918 suspected users and traders were
arrested. Last year it had risen to 22,005.

A total of 2.8 million amphetamine tablets were seized during October
1996-June 1997.
     
Mr. Bunpot said Burma was the major source for amphetamines with the Wa and
Khun Sa remnants of the Shan State Army being the major producers.
     
*********************************************

REUTER: MAHATHIR CALLS SOROS A ``MORON,'' WILL NOT MEET HIM 
August 24, 1997

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 24 (Reuter) - Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad on
Saturday called U.S. financier George Soros a ``moron'' and said he had no
wish to meet the man he has blamed for the recent turmoil in Southeast Asian
currencies. 

``All these countries have spent 40 years trying to build up their economy,
and a moron like Soros comes along with a lot of money'' to speculate in
their currencies, Mahathir was quoted as saying by Malaysia's national news
agency Bernama. 

Mahathir also said he had not given the World Bank any mandate to arrange a
meeting with Soros, following reports that the financier wanted to see him
with the bank acting as an intermediary. 

``I don't know what business it is of theirs (the World Bank),'' Mahathir
said. ``Trying to make this kind of manipulative speculation legal, is
it?'' 

World Bank spokesman Tim Cullen was quoted as saying in Hong Kong on Friday
that the bank could arrange a meeting between Mahathir and Soros. 

The spokesman said the meeting could take place during the annual meeting of
the World Bank-International Monetary Fund scheduled to start in Hong Kong
on September 20. 

``I will go to Hong Kong but I don't have any wish to meet him (Soros),''
Mahathir said. 

``He has only listened to me through the press, he can make his statement
through the press...I will listen,'' Mahathir added. 

The Malaysian ringgit, like other South East Asian currencies, has been
battered by speculative activities in foreign exchange markets since July. 

The ringgit touched an all-time low of 2.8250 against the dollar last week
before stabilising at 2.7660 before Friday's close. 

Mahathir, who has labelled currency speculators as ``brigands'' and
``robbers,'' has singled out Soros as the main culprit behind the ringgit's
misery. 

He has accused Soros of attacking the currencies of members of the
Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) to punish them for
accepting military-ruled Burma into the organisation. 

Soros has dismissed the charges, saying the activities of his funds are for
commercial, not political purposes. He said in a newspaper interview
earlier this month that he wanted to meet the Malaysian leader. 

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

BUSINESS WIRE: INTERDIGITAL MEETS 90 DAY COMMITMENTS WITH CUSTOMER IN MYANMAR 
August 18, 1997 

 KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 18, 1997--InterDigital
Communications Corp. (ASE:IDC) announced Monday  that it and its customer,
Myanma Posts and Telecommunications (MPT) have met their 90 day commitments
related to a May 16, 1997  contract. 

MPT has indicated to InterDigital its intent to finance the project
directly and has selected a lender with whom it has had prior lending
experience. InterDigital and MPT have finalized pricing and payment
terms and ministerial details of the joint venture. The joint
 venture documents and the financing terms are subject to final
approval by the Myanmar government. 

The contract is currently valued at $250 million and calls for
InterDigital to provide an initial quantity of wireless local loop
systems  and supplemental equipment. The contract also includes the
formation of a joint venture between InterDigital and MPT to provide
the  initial order as well as future orders of telecommunications
equipment in Myanmar. 

The joint venture, which will be called the Myanmar InterDigital Co.,
will deliver a broad range of telecommunications equipment to MPT. The
company will supply fixed subscriber units, base stations, switches,
microwave equipment and related infrastructure  equipment for wireless
local loop systems that will provide basic and advanced
telecommunications services throughout the country. 

The first portion of wireless local loop systems produced for MPT will
be UltraPhone(R) systems, utilizing InterDigital's patented  Wireless
Local Loop (WLL) technology. The agreement also calls for the
production of WLL systems utilizing InterDigital's  Broadband Code
Division Multiple Access(TM) (B-CDMA(TM)) technology. 

 "We have met our 90 day commitments and are implementing the contract
on schedule," said William Doyle, president of InterDigital.  "We are
confident that the required government approvals in Myanmar will be
secured in a timely fashion and we will now prepare  to begin
production of wireless local loop systems in the fourth quarter of
this year. 

 "This is a strong agreement for InterDigital. It forms the basis for
a successful long-term business relationship with MPT and gives us
 the opportunity to provide telecommunications services to Myanmar's
citizens for many years. This agreement also includes our first
 firm order for B-CDMA based wireless local loop systems." 

InterDigital develops and markets wireless telecommunications systems
using proprietary technologies for voice and data  communications. The
company has sold over 345 of its UltraPhone time division multiple
access (TDMA) systems worldwide.  InterDigital, in conjunction with
Siemens AG and Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., is commercializing its
new B-CDMA technology for  use in wireless communication systems and
products. 

 InterDigital Technology Corp., a subsidiary of InterDigital, holds
and is licensor of an extensive worldwide patent portfolio on TDMA
 and B-CDMA technology. InterDigital(R), B-CDMA(TM), and UltraPhone(R) are
among the trademarks of InterDigital  Communications Corp. 

This press release contains certain forward looking statements
reflecting the company's current beliefs and expectations as to the
sale  of telecommunications equipment in Myanmar, the establishment of
local manufacturing capability in Myanmar, and the customer's
 ability to obtain financing. Such statements are subject to risks and
uncertainties. 

 Actual outcomes could materially differ from those expressed in any
forward looking statement due to a variety of factors including the
 failure to secure Myanmar government approvals, adverse government
intervention, inability of MPT and its prospective financier to
 agree on final financing terms, the ability of the financier to
perform, difficulties in the company's commercialization of its
products, as  well as other risks detailed from time to time in the
company's SEC filings, including its 8-K filed Jan. 22, 1997, and 10-K
filed March  31, 1997. 

 The company undertakes no obligation to update these forward looking
statements in light of future events. (See also:
http://www.businesswire.com) 

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

BKK POST: ANOTHER TRAGIC TALE OF SLORC
August 23, 1997

I am a Karenni refugee. The Karenni State is a very poor and very small country.

On Aug. 2, Slorc burned mine and other villages near Mawchi, southwest
Karenni State. They destroyed everything. If Slorc saw any people, they
caught, dragged, beat and shot them. Before they left, Slorc laid many mines
in the villages. When the people came back to the villages, they encountered
many problems. Some people have nothing to eat. Some people escaped to
Thailand and some are still hiding in the jungles in Karenni State.

When will the world stop Slorc?

Rebecca
Mae Hong Son

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

KNU: KAREN BATTLE NEWS
August 16, 1997
karen_ranger@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Contact Type    Enemy   Our     Remark
Date    Area    Fighting        Skirmishes      Ambushes        Killed
Wounded Killed  Wounded
5.7.97  No.(4)BDE               1
6.7.97  No.(5)BDE               1                       1
7.7.97  No.(5)BDE               4               1       3
8.7.97  No.(5)BDE               1                       1
10.7.97 No.(4)BDE               1               2
11.7.97 No.(4)BDE               2
14.7.97 No.(7)BDE               1
15.7.97 No.(5)BDE               2                       2
17.7.97 No.(2)BDE               1               1       1       1
             No.(4)BDE               2               3       4       1
             No.(7)BDE               1                       2
18.7.97 No.(2)BDE               1
             No.(5)BDE               4                       3
             No.(7)BDE               2                       2
19.7.97 No.(2)BDE               1               1       2
             No.(4)BDE               3       2       3       1       1       1
20.7.97 No.(7)BDE       1       3               1       8                       
KNLA captured (14) Ammo of RPG(2),(17) rounds of M-79,
             No.(1)BDE       1                                       2

  (820) rds of M-16, (4) Grenades. (In (7) Area)
            No.(5)BDE               1                       2

 KNLA caputred (4) Ak rifles,(200) rds of AK. (In (1) Area)
            No.(6)BDE               1               2
            No.(4)BDE               1
21.7.97 No.(5)BDE               7               1       6
22.7.97 No.(7)BDE               2                       2
23.7.97 No.(2)BDE               1               1       3
            No.(5)BDE               1                       1
            No.(7)BDE               1               1       1
24.7.97 No.(1)BDE               1
25.7.97 No.(2)BDE               1                       1
            No.(5)BDE               1                       1
26.7.97 No.(4)BDE               2
            No.(6)BDE               1                       15      1

 KNLA lost (1) M-97, (1) Ak rifle.(In (6) Area)
TOTAL   2       52      2       17      62      6


                Contact Type    Enemy   Our     Remark
Date    Area    Fighting        Skirmishes      Ambushes        Killed
Wounded Killed  Wounded
26.7.97 No.(3)BDE               2
27.7.97 No.(4)BDE               4                       3
             No.(2)BDE               1
             No.(5)BDE               1                       1
28.7.97 No.(4)BDE               2               1
             No.(5)BDE               1                       1
29.7.97 No.(4)BDE               1               4       4
            No.(5)BDE               5                       3
            No.(7)BDE               3               3       4

 KNLA captured (1) Carbine.
30.7.97 No.(7)BDE               9               3       8
             No.(5)BDE               1
31.7.97 No.(7)BDE               1                       1
TOTAL           31      0       11      25

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

SLORC: INFORMATION SHEET NO. A-0099(I)
August 22, 1997 [abridged]

(1)     MEPE, Malaysia?s Genting Power Holdings Ltd sign agreement to
generate, distribute power Myanmar Electric Power Enterprise signed
an agreement with Genting Power Holdings Ltd of Malaysia for generating
and distributing power in Kanbauk region, Yebyu Township, Dawei
District, Taninthayi Division, at the Ministry of Energy on 20 August.

(2)     Four KNU members welcomed into people?s bosom Remnants of
armed groups are exchanging arms for peace to come into the bosom
of the people, after renouncing their destructive acts which do not
benefit the nation and people four members of the belligerent outlawed
terrorist organization of the Kayin National Union came in at Leiktho
military camp in the Southern Command area on 24 June. Officers of the
camp warmly welcomed them back and gave them every
assistance.

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

ANNOUNCEMENT: BURMA WEB PAGE IN JAPANESE
August 22, 1997

I made a Japanese-based web page regarding the situation of Burma, 
URL is:
http://www02.so-net.or.jp/~kotetu/burma.html

In this page some Japanese-translated documents are available:

 +Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's message to UNCHR
 +KHRG report (#97-05)
 +statements on the 9th anniversary of 8/8/88

Japanese fonts are needed to browse them, if you can see Japanese from your
PC, please try this page. If you want text-only version of these documents,
please email me.

-==+--+==--=+=--==+--+==--=+=--==+-
KOTETU (Kyoto, Japan)
mailto:kotetu@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://www02.so-net.or.jp/~kotetu/burma.html (Japanese)
----------------------

-==+--+==--=+=--==+--+==--=+=--==+-
KOTETU (Kyoto, Japan)
mailto:kotetu@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://www02.so-net.or.jp/~kotetu/burma.html (Japanese)

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