The BurmaNet News, September 29, 19

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------------------------ BurmaNet ------------------------         
"Appropriate Information Technologies, Practical Strategies"         
----------------------------------------------------------         
     
The BurmaNet News: September 29, 1997            
Issue #831
    
HEADLINES:            
==========     
REUTER: BURMA OPPOSITION WANTS POLITICAL PRISONERS FREED
AP: BURMA'S DEMOCRACY LEADER URGES UNITY
BURMANET: NLD CONGRESS HARASSMENT CONTINUES
THE NATION: NE WIN LEAVES JAKARTA AFTER 'SECRET' DIALOGUE
BKK POST: NOT REALLY FOLLOWING THE LEADER
BURMA UN SERVICE OFFICE: PRESS RELEASE
VOA: BURMA FLOODS
KNPP: REPORT (6)
THE NATION: DISPUTE WITH BURMA STOKES OPPOSITION FIRE
BKK POST: SLORC REJECTS THAI REQUEST 
ASIAN AGE: INDIAN NAVY CONCERNED OVER SINO-BURMESE TIES
THE NATION: LETTER - BELLO'S COMMENT NOT ACCURATE
SLORC: INFORMATION SHEET NO. A-0146(I/L), NO. A-0141(I)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------  

REUTER: BURMA OPPOSITION WANTS POLITICAL PRISONERS FREED
Aung Hla Tun
September 28, 1997

RANGOON, Sept 28 (Reuter) - Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi
pressed on Sunday for the release of political prisoners held by the ruling
military junta and urged it to open political talks with her party. 

Suu Kyi estimated that there were about 1,000 political prisoners being held
by the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC). 

Her National League for Democracy (NLD) also demanded that the SLORC honour
the results of the 1990 general election, where a sweeping opposition
victory was never recognised by the military. 

``The NLD calls for convening of a parliament immediately after approving the
results of the 1990 general elections,'' said one of 10 resolutions adopted
by the NLD at the end of a two-day special party meeting at Suu Kyi's
lakeside residence in Rangoon. 

The meeting, held in a makeshift tent and attended by some 700 delegates,
marked the ninth anniversary of the NLD's founding. 

It was held with the blessing of the SLORC, which had limited numbers
attending to 300 but took no action against the overflow, unlike a year ago
when it thwarted a similar meeting by detaining over 400 delegates. 

The military on Sunday maintained tight security checkpoints along University
Avenue where Suu Kyi lives. 

``We really thank the authorities for their kind cooperation in enabling us
to hold this ceremony,'' Suu Kyi told delegates. ``I would like to request
them to keep providing assistance in future so that we will be able to
continue our activities. 

``I am firmly convinced that the NLD and the authorities will be able to
cooperate holding hands together to work for the country,'' she said. 

In May, regional authorities prevented about 100 NLD delegates from attending
a meeting to mark the seventh anniversary of the 1990 election. 

In November 1995 the NLD walked out of a government-appointed National
Assembly convened to draft a new constitution. Since then the SLORC, angered
by the walkout, has been at loggerheads with the NLD and curbed its
political activities. 

The NLD has in turn accused the SLORC of human rights abuses and political
repression. 

Earlier this month, a meeting sought by the SLORC's powerful ``Secretary
One,'' Lieutenant General Khin Nyunt, with senior NLD leaders fell through
because the NLD insisted Suu Kyi should be present. 

The SLORC does not recognise Suu Kyi's opposition role and did not invite her
to the proposed meeting. 

In an apparent response, the NLD reiterated in a resolution that it had
mandated key representatives of the party for all important matters to be its
chairman U Aung Shwe and secretary general Suu Kyi. 

``We confirm the mandate given to the party chairman and general secretary to
deal with all party affairs,'' said another resolution. 

``I believe that not only problems concerning the NLD but also all national
concerns will be resolved if we discuss and seek more mutual understanding,''
Suu Kyi said. 

Analysts and diplomats said the SLORC allowed the meeting to take place this
time because it did not want to provoke western criticism by creating new
incidents. 

Burmese Foreign Minister Ohn Gyaw is attending the U.N. General Assembly and
the SLORC did not want to tarnish its image at this critical time, they said.
 
******************************************

AP: BURMA'S DEMOCRACY LEADER URGES UNITY
September 28, 1997

RANGOON, Burma (AP) - Democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi today urged the
largest gathering of Burma's democratic opposition in years to resist
attempts by the military government to divide them. 

``Unity and courage are essential for achieving democracy,'' Suu Kyi said.
``Anyone who tries to disrupt the unity of the party or harm the democratic
movement should know that the party disciplinary committee will take action
against them.'' 

Her 10-minute speech was punctuated frequently by applause from the 745
National League for Democracy delegates who gathered at her home. It was the
first party congress the military government has officially allowed since her
release from six years of house arrest in July 1995. 

Previous attempts to hold party congresses were met with mass arrests. 

In a goodwill gesture, the military government granted permission Friday for
the congress to take place with a limit of 300 participants. 

But police let inside more than twice that number as the delegates, clad in
their trademark peach-colored collarless jackets and green and black sarongs,
approached the barricades near Suu Kyi's home today. 

Police turned away dozens, however, saying their names were not on the list
of those invited. 

Suu Kyi, the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize winner, has not spoken in public since
the military blockaded her home in September 1996 to stop her weekend
addresses to as many as 10,000 people. 

Two weeks ago, Gen. Khin Nyunt, one of the four most powerful generals in
the government, offered to meet with party Chairman Aung Shwe to discuss
their differences, only to have the party turn him down. 

While many observers praised the government for attempting to initiate talks,
Suu Kyi and many party members believe the regime was trying to engineer a
split in their leadership. 

The general refuses to meet with either Suu Kyi or vice-chairmen Tin Oo or
Kyi Maung, who enjoy the most public support. 

``Elements are trying to cause disunity among us,'' said Tin Oo, who once
served as defense minister and head of the army. ``We must be aware. We must
be united.'' 

A 24-point party statement said the government was trying to ``obstruct Aung
San Suu Kyi's participation in the dialogue. They are trying to split the
unity of the NLD.'' 

It urged the regime not to engage in ``personal grudges.'' 

Suu Kyi and others reiterated that the party's main task is to bring about
talks with the military government aimed at restoring democracy to Burma. She
has been calling for a dialogue since she was released from house arrest. 

The congress honored the ninth anniversary of the party's founding in the
midst of a nationwide democracy uprising in 1988. 

Although riot police were on duty near Suu Kyi's home, they kept a low
profile, mostly staying inside the grounds of nearby pagodas. 

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

BURMANET: NLD CONGRESS GOES AHEAD BUT HARASSMENT CONTINUES AS DELEGATES AND
GUESTS REFUSED ENTRY 
September 29, 1997

[A journalist's interview in Bangkok with Jude Smith, a tourist who just
returned from Burma]
		
Despite the Burmese Military regime's attempts to improve its international
image by allowing the National League for Democracy Congress (NLD) to go
ahead this weekend, reports are now coming out of Rangoon of invited guests
to the compound of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi being harassed, denied entrance,
assaulted and detained by the military authorities.

Though reportedly a large number of delegates did manage to attend the
Congress, those rounded up by the authorities and dumped outside the city
said they were angry at the SLORC's attempts to harass and intimidate
members.  In addition to the military and USDA presence at the
intersections approaching University Avenue, officials in civilian dress
interrogated  passers-by, and used lon htein (riot police) to round up the
delegates who refused to leave.

Shortly after 7 a.m. Saturday, approximately 50 NLD delegates were pushed
back by riot police down No. 1 Industrial Road near Suu Kyi's University
Avenue compound, after being denied entrance to the meeting.  Three elected
MPs were amongst the group of NLDs, which included members from twelve
townships in different parts of Burma.  As a member of the Rangoon
Executive Committee negotiated with the authorities, even requests to the
authorities to allow one member into the congress to report what had
happened were denied.  

Twelve shield-bearing lon htein forced the remaining delegates to march
back through the intersection towards Kyaikkasan, stopping traffic. 
Scuffles broke out as about thirty NLD members were loaded onto a
commandeered truck, and several of the invited guests, including elderly
men, were assaulted as the authorities forced them to leave.  A foreign
tourist caught up in the group was also bruised as she was loaded onto the
truck, a Dyna No. 52 line-car, license plate number IA/4086, at 7:55 a.m.

After the car reached Battalion Dagon Myo Thit, the delegates were let down
in twos and threes and left to find their way back to the city.  One
delegate interviewed shortly after he had been released from the truck
complained that the delegates' deportation from the city was evidence that
the SLORC had not given up its hard-line tactics against the NLD, despite
allowing the conference to take place.

Reportedly another 30 delegates were also seized from near the Myanmar
Brewery on Kokkine Road, transported by line-car and dumped outside the
city.

The tourist, Jude Smith from New Zealand, was deported to Bangkok on Sunday
after attempting to attend the closing ceremonies.  She held an invitation
along with a number of foreign guests and diplomats invited by the NLD.
Although embassies had been advised by the authorities just before the
closing ceremony to instruct their officials not to attend, she said that
she saw diplomats stopped at the roadblock and arguing with officials.  She
was also denied entrance and detained in full view of the American charge
d'affairs and other diplomats as she tried to leave the road block.  Her
passport was taken and she was interrogated for several hours.

"I was told by authorities that I had broken immigration regulations, but
the NLD is not an illegal organisation under the SLORC's own law.  I didn't
even get to see Suu Kyi but it seems even trying to go to an NLD function
as an invited guest is a deportable offence.  I told the officials they
should post a very large signboard at the airport informing tourists that
trying to visit Suu Kyi is against the law."

Smith has this morning filed a complaint with the New Zealand embassy in
Bangkok following the military authorities' repeated refusals to her
requests to inform embassy officials of her  detention and deportation.

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

THE NATION: NE WIN LEAVES JAKARTA AFTER 'SECRET' DIALOGUE
September 26, 1997
The Nation

JAKARTA - Burma's former leader Ne Win left Jakarta for a medical check-up
in Singapore yesterday after holding talks with Indonesian President Suharto
and visiting the cemetery of the late first lady, Tien Suharto.

An atmosphere of secrecy, however, surrounded Ne Win's three-day visit,
which included a cancelled tour to an Indonesian miniature park which was
the only sightseeing on his schedule.

"No tourist comes to Indonesia just to visit the cemetery and to talk with
the president," said a Burma watcher.

Speculation began to circulate in Jakarta two months ago that Suharto, who
visited Rangoon in February, was inviting Ne Win to come to Jakarta in a bid
to discuss the issue of democratisation in Burma.

It was speculated that the Indonesian leader, who supported Burma's
admission into the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) in July,
would ask Ne Win to use his influence to ask Rangoon's military junta to
open dialogue with Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

A state protocol official told The Nation that the 86-year-old Ne Win and
his entourage left Jakarta on a commercial flight from Cengkareng airport
for Singapore, saying that Ne Win had bid farewell to Suharto earlier in the
morning. The two strongmen met for about 15 minutes on Tuesday evening
before dining together.

Many Burmese believe that Ne Win still exercises control over the present
military government, the State Law and Order Restoration Council (Slorc),
which succeeded him in September 1988.

Some analysts have written that there is little hope of breaking the
political stalemate between Slorc and the democracy movement until Ne Win dies.

His public appearance in Indonesia also raised the curiosity of Burma
watchers as his last public appearance was on Armed Forces Day in Rangoon in
March 1989.

An Indonesian journalist who was at the Merdeka Presidential Palace during
the dinner said it was not clear whether the two strongmen discussed politics.

The dinner was a relatively quiet Suharto was accompanied only by his three
daughters and son-in-law Maj Gen Prabowo Subianto, who is the commander of
Indonesia's special command Kopassus, as well as interim Foreign Affairs
Minister Edi Sudrajat.

Ne Win was accompanied by his daughter Sanda Win, son-in-law U Aye Zaw Win,
grandson Maung Kyaw Ne Win and Burmese ambassador to Indonesia U Nyi Nyi Tant.

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

BKK POST: NOT REALLY FOLLOWING THE LEADER
September 28, 1997
Andreas Harsono

Indonesia may act like a big brother, but Burma is unlikely to copy the
former's lead.

In the first public appearance since 1989 of Ne Win, Burma's mysterious
strongman made a visit to Indonesia last week. This sojourn and his talk
with President Suharto were not just coincidence.

Some analysts have said that Suharto and Ne Win are old friends, going back
to 1974 when Ne Win had gone to Borobudur temple and Suharto visited
Mandalay. It was during Suharto's Rangoon visit in February of this year
that he invited Ne Win to take a holiday in Indonesia, just like in 1974.

The visit was supposed to be a private, informal affair. No state functions.
No ceremonies. Just a dinner between the two families. The old men held
dinner in the company of their respective daughters and sons-in-law.

The similarities that both men share have raised speculations that Suharto
and Indonesia have possibly became the most important allies to both Ne Win
and Burma's military junta, the State Law and Order Restoration Council (Slorc).

The reason? Burma and Indonesia are the only remaining Southeast Asian
countries which have generals administering the countries. It seemed natural
that they make friends.

DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES

But the Indonesian military has had better luck in ruling. Suharto, who rose
to power in 1965, successfully fought double-digit inflation in the late
1960s and developed Indonesia into one of the emerging Asia-Pacific economies.

Ne Win, who toppled a democratically-elected civilian government in 1958,
introduced the "Burmese Road to Socialism", which unfortunately was the road
to catastrophe.

The Burmese people protested and held mass rallies in 1988 but were brutally
gunned down by Ne Win and his generals.

The event, however, created two new players on the Burmese political scene.
The first is the National League for Democracy under opposition leader Aung
San Suu Kyi. The second is Slorc, which officially succeeded Ne Win in
September 1988.

The National League for Democracy won a landslide victory in the 1990
election and captured about 60 per cent of the vote: But Slorc refused to
hand over power and insisted that first a constitution needed to be drafted.

Without the much-needed popular support of the people, and under
international pressure to acknowledge the election results, SLORC's first
secretary general, Khin Nyunt, led a large delegation to visit Jakarta in
December 1993.

SLORC'S OBJECTIVE 

The objective was primarily to study the dual function of the Indonesian
Armed Forces (Abri) and how this military doctrine is accommodated in the
country's constitutional order.

Slorc basically wanted to learn how the Indonesian military ruled the
country without having much local opposition and winning international support.

Indonesia-watcher Gerry van Klinken of the Melbourne-based Inside Indonesia
magazine has compared the Slorc-Abri relation to "falling in love at first
glance".

Slorc has copied a lot of legalism from Indonesia. It translated scores of
Indonesian legal documents, which include the Indonesian 1945 Constitution
as well as some of the five-year development guidelines.

It established the Burmese equivalent of Indonesia's ruling party Golkar,
the Union Solidarity and Development Association, which is under strict
control of the military- and like Suharto's Golkar, is declared to be a
"movement" rather than a political party.

In return, big brother Indonesia helped Burma become a member of the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) in July.

However, military analyst Ulf Sundhaussenm, of the University of
Queens-land-Brisbane, argued in a paper published in August 1995 that Slorc
is unlikely to be able to copy the Indonesian model because of some basic
differences, such as leadership pattern, economic management, political
culture and government practice.

Sundhaussen argued that Suharto is clearly at the apex of the power
structure, hiring and firing at will anyone who questions his decisions.
Slorc is a military junta with many generals.

Suharto has also been aware of the limitations of the military's skills,
embracing scores of  Indonesian technocrats and economists to help rebuild
the country. Unfortunately, the Burmese generals did not trust their
civilian partners and the results are obviously telling.
     
There is also a definite distinction in the level of tolerance in each
country. According to Sundhaussen, Suharto still tolerates criticism and
tries to embrace the young Indonesians. But excessive violence has become a
common practice in Burma, forcing many Burmese intellectuals, students,
professionals and members of the middle class to flee  Burma

KHIN NYUNT'S ROLE

The question is whether Khin Nyunt, a long trusted aide to Ne Win, has
already learnt the lesson.

Perhaps Khin Nyunt has already got the message but encouraged the old man to
get a first-hand impression of the Indonesian model. It is also possible
that Ne Win came to Jakarta in a bid to adapt but not to copy.

Whatever the case, the Jakarta visit has once again shown that Ne Win still
exercises control over Burma's present military government. Suharto, in this
case, seems to share the opinion of Suu Kyi, that it is Ne Win who matters.

Andreas Harsono is a Jakarta based correspondent for the Nation. 
                                          
*************************************************

BURMA UN SERVICE OFFICE: PRESS RELEASE
September 26, 1997

Democracy Leaders On Role of UN,  Dialogue for Reconciliation

United Nations, New York, September 26 - The Permanent Mission of Denmark to
the United Nations sponsored the World Federation of UN Associations at a
press conference on Burma today. The conference, held at the UN Press
Conference Room S-226, was addressed by U Bo Hla-Tint, minister for South
and North American Affairs of the National Coalition Government 
of the Union of Burma (NCGUB), and Dr. Thaung Htun, NCGUB Representative for
UN Affairs.

U Bo Hla-Tint pointed out that the military rulers in Burma - the State Law
and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) -- have yet to give up their evil
scheme against the National League for Democracy (NLD). He said, "the reason
that the military regime is committing these crimes with a vengeance against
the NLD is because it naively believes that the NLD is responsible for its
unpopularity. The actual cause behind people's dissatisfaction lies in the
regime's refusal to honor the will of the people expressed in the 1990
elections."
 
 "If any solution is to be found in Burma, the generals must look at the NLD
as a partner and not as an enemy," said Bo Hla-Tint who is also a member of
the NLD.  He added, "The process of national reconciliation can be achieved
through dialogue - a dialogue without any precondition. The recent call for
dialogue by the generals is a step in the right direction.  But the condition 
that talks must be held without Daw Aung San Suu Kyi lacks sincerity and
foresight.  

"The NLD leadership has already given assurances that any dialogue that
takes place with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi will be a success.  The ball is in the
generals' court and not in the NLD's." Expressing confidence that
"eventually there will be a dialogue acceptable to all parties," U Bo
Hla-Tint urged the international community "don't let up on the pressure"
because "real dialogue wasn't there yet."

Commenting on the speech delivered to the United Nations General Assembly by
SLORC Foreign Minister Ohn Gyaw, Dr. Thaung Htun said it was not true that
the generals "have cooperated with the United Nations to the fullest extent
possible." The NCGUB representative pointed out that the SLORC has "blindly
denied all human rights violations and has closed its doors to the UN Human
Rights Special Rapporteur." 

On Ohn Gyaw's claim that "never in our post-independence history have we
enjoyed in Myanmar such economic growth," Dr. Thaung Htun said SLORC's
claims of economic growth are "grossly exaggerated."  The common people in
Burma live in "impoverished conditions" and "only the generals and their
close associates are getting filthy rich."

Dr. Thaung Htun said, "There is no substantial foreign investment in sight,
the effort to increase rice exports has failed, the 'Visit Myanmar Year
1996' fell flat and the economy is once more in a crisis."

The NCGUB representative also criticized Ohn Gyaw for claiming that SLORC
has "a comprehensive legal framework to combat drug abuse, including money
laundering." Dr. Thaung Htun said, "SLORC is promoting the drug trade by
giving drug warlords like Lo Hsing-han and Khun Sa safe haven and special
privileges and has allowed their drug money to be invested in legitimate
businesses and in state infrastructure projects."  

On the role of the United Nations, Dr. Thaung Htun said the UN
secretary-general has already been mandated by the UN to work for national
reconciliation in Burma. "He must be assisted by a 'Formal Consultative
Body' of nations. These nations can meet regularly, monitor the situation in
Burma and even formulate a coordinated international strategy to bring national 
reconciliation and democratization in Burma."

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

VOA: BURMA FLOODS
September 26, 1997

Intro:  Burma has been receiving emergency aid from a number of countries in
the wake of the worst floods in decades.  However, aid sources and diplomats
have criticized Burma's military government, saying it was slow to allow
access to flood areas or provide accurate information.  VOA's Dan Robinson
reports, more than two months after details of the flooding began to filter
out of Rangoon,  information about deaths -- and damage to the country's
all-important rice crop -- is still hard to obtain:

Text:  First indications of the seriousness of the flooding came in
mid-August from a United Nations internet web-site that distributes reports
on worldwide humanitarian emergencies.
 
It said 'incessant' rains had caused rivers to overflow.  Quoting unofficial
figures, it said 767-thousand people had been affected, with 31 people dead
and more than 100 missing.
  
Initial reports by the Burma Red Cross Society, also issued through the UN,
contained lower numbers -- saying damage and losses affected only
360-thousand people, with at least 13 deaths.
 
International news agencies carried few if any reports about the flooding.
The first was a brief item about a 150-thousand dollar donation of emergency
supplies and cash by Japan.

Flood assistance to Burma now totals more than half-a-million dollars --
from Japan, Britain, the Netherlands, Germany, Australia, Norway, India,
South Korea, China and the United States.

However, other than brief reports of aid donations, Burma's state-controlled
press has remained silent about the full impact of the flooding.  There have
been no official statements on deaths, or information about overall damage
to the rice crop.

Foreign aid sources who ask not to be identified say the military government
asked the UN representative in Rangoon not to publicize an official appeal
for assistance made in august.

Joseph Silverstein, professor emeritus at Rutgers university and a Burma
expert, says this desire to keep things quiet is related to the precarious
state of the economy:

"This government is now really treading water because it is so close to
sinking financially, it just doesn't have any funds to meet its
international obligations, or almost to meet its day to day obligations and
I thinks this is the key reason why they want to keep all information about
this as limited as possible."

What is clear is that flooding caused serious damage.  Whole towns are said
to have been inundated.  Landslides wiped out homes.  Worst-hit were Burma's
prime rice-growing areas (the divisions of Bago and Irawaddy, and Mon state).
 
One UN report said 68 people died in these three areas alone.  More than 100
relief camps were set up and there was concern over possible outbreaks of
water-related diseases -- such as diarrhea and cholera.

Two weeks ago, Reuters news agency quoted aid workers and diplomats as
saying thousands may have died.  This report has  not  been confirmed.
However,  one aid source in the region with access to Burmese government
statistics described the flooding as 'the worst and most far reaching in
recent memory.'

The source, who insisted on anonymity, said official figures appeared to be
'tremendously under-stated.'  According to the source, 10 states and
divisions out of 14 in Burma were affected by the floods, with more than
360-thousand hectares of rice paddy destroyed.

Burmese-born professor Mya Maung of Boston college says widespread damage to
Burma's rice crop could have serious consequences:

"Seventy-five percent of the population depends on agriculture.  They live
in the rural areas of Burma.  Fifty-five percent of the GDP (gross domestic
product) of Burma is accounted for by agriculture.  Probably 80 percent of
that is dependent on rice and paddy cultivation.  This inundation and flood
that has happened is going to impact the majority of the Burmese."

The United States gave 25-thousand dollars -- distributed through the US
based group 'World Vision.'  US relations with Burma are not good, but
Washington says it does not to link humanitarian needs with political
disagreements.

Contacted several times by VOA for comment on the flood situation, the
Burmese embassy in Washington has said only that it is  not  aware of the
latest information, and knows only what is released by state-controlled media.

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

KNPP: REPORT (6)
September 27, 1997

THE GOVERNMENT OF KARENNI
MINISTRY OF PUBLIC RELATIONS AND INFORMATION

HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATION COMMITTED BY SLORC IN KARENNI

Slorc troops of LIB No-422 which takes security for Mobye Dam, 7 miles north
east of Loikaw, had by force collected money and food from traders who
traveled between Loikaw and Inlay, they reasoned that they provided for
security for the Dam; so they separated women from men and then searched all
the women and when they did not find any valuables on them they ordered the
women to undress so that they could search more.

The Slorc has been collecting the names of  male villagers from Loilin Lay,
Tee Lan and Htee Seh Kha villages, particularly over 16 years old. Those who
were registered were forced into militia. So far the Slorc has collected
(107) villagers from Loilin Lay. Due to Slorc forced activities, the rest of the
villagers are worried and depressed.

Slorc authorities recently built an irrigation canal which damaged a number
of  paddy fields belonging to Daw Lo Shay, Daw Sar Kaleh, Wah Kee Kaw Du, No
Khoe and Ye Yo villages. The villagers were not paid any compensation for
the damage to their farms by Slorc.

An unknown unit of Slorc troops which withdrew from Daw Muu Kaleh village
met with some villagers from Htay Tama village who were returning from
their farms. They asked the villagers about Karenni troops and when the
villagers could not give any information, the troops beat them and fined
each 500 Kyats (Burmese currency).

On August 25, 1997, Slorc troops of LIB No-427 came to Tha Wa village and
drove out the villagers. The villagers who were already forced to leave
their village on 18 August 1997 came back to their own village, and were for
the second time forced to leave their village again. The villagers had to
move to Mae Kyar village.

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

THE NATION: DISPUTE WITH BURMA STOKES OPPOSITION FIRE
September 26, 1997
The Nation

THE unsettled dispute between Thailand and Burma over Koh Kok Chang Puek in
the Moei River, the natural boundary between Thailand and Burma, gave the
opposition unexpected fuel for a fiery attack against Prime Minister
Chavalit Yongchaiyudh who was accused yesterday of allowing Burmese troops
to invade the island last May.

Democrat MIP Preecha Suwannathat raised the issue in the evening debate
session just as Chavalit entered the chamber. He appeared unprepared to
defend himself against the allegation.

Preecha said Chavalit's actions were in violation of Article 179 of the
Criminal Law Code and Article 7 of the 1969 Vienna Convention.

The lawyer-turned-MP said for actions against Thai law, Chavalit could face
either life imprisonment or death for "any action that results in the loss
of the country's sovereignty or national independence to another country".

"Do we choose the prime minister or our territory?" Preecha asked.

He cited local newspaper reports on the May 22 incident that saw Burmese
troops invade 200 rai by the Moei River in Mae Sot district.

Preecha said the reports, as well as an individual who spoke to him
directly, pointed out that the invasion followed Chavalit's official visit
to Rangoon between May 16 and May 17, where he gave the green light verbally
to Burmese military leader Gen Than Shwe for Burmese authorities to enter
the land and dredge the channel.

The incident drew protests from the Thai authorities and later prompted the
withdrawal of Burmese troops from the island, paving the way for legal
negotiation by the Thai-Burmese Technical Boundary Committee.

The Burmese side, citing maps and satellite photos, claimed the plot of land
belonged to them before severe flooding in 1991 changed the river course and
divided the land, which later developed into parts of the Thai side.

But according to Preecha, since the piece of land created by natural
conditions should belong to the state from which the land extends, Thai law
was violated when the Burmese were allowed to invade.

Preecha also said neither Chavalit nor intelligence agencies have denied the
reports and their silence showed that they admitted the wrong-doing.

He said according to the 1969 international law, conversation by the leader
above the level of Foreign minister could be construed as the official
commitment of the country he represents, without the need for an official
statement.

With his hands shaking, Chavalit denied the allegations, saying he never
raised such an issue with the Burmese leader during the visit. He understood
that Thai-Burmese boundary disputes in the Moei River are chronic and
various joint committees are searching for a solution.

"Anyone who says that I gave in [to the Burmese] is misinformed," Chavalit
concluded.

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

BKK POST: SLORC REJECTS THAI REQUEST TO STOP ILLEGAL LOGGERS
September 27, 1997
Cheewin Sattha 
Mae Hong Son

Burma has turned down Thailand's request that it take action against
Democratic Karen Buddhist Army guerrillas involved in illegal logging in
Thai forests. 
     
Thai timber traders have-reportedly hired members of the Rangoon backed DKBA
to fell trees in Thai forests along the border. A Border Patrol Police team
recently seized 300 pieces of processed teak wood along the Salween River
prompting the DKBA to fire on Thai villages in revenge.

On September 23, they blocked the Salween and seized 10 Thai villagers on
board five boats. The villagers were later freed unharmed.

Col Sanchai Charuwan, chief of the 7th Infantry Division's task force, led
representatives of the Thai-Burmese Border Committee into talks with their
Burmese counterparts about the border intrusions and the DKBA's involvement
in illegal logging.

But Lt-Col Ye Tin, chief of Burma's special battalion, said it was beyond
his power to control the DKBA forces.

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THE ASIAN AGE: INDIAN NAVY CONCERNED OVER SINO-BURMESE TIES
September 28, 1997

New Delhi, Sept. 27: The Indian Navy is maintaining a strict vigil on naval
bases and communications facilities in Burma in view of the increased
cooperation between China and Burma in the defence sector.

Sources told The Asian Age there was adequate surveillance" on the naval
base on the Burmese island of Hianggyi and the communications facility on
Coco island, both of which were developed with Chinese assistance. "We will
take action and make suitable deployment if required."

China's growing naval capability has been a cause for concern for most Asian
nations which are dependent on routes in the Indian Ocean for exports and
import of energy resources from West Asia.

"Maritime Cooperation in the Indian Ocean," originally carried in the Joumal
of Indian Ocean Studies and featured in a recent issue of the journal of the
Indian armed forces, 'Sainik Samachar' said China's assertive politics
towards Taiwan have gained international publicity but "its increased
interest in the seas around India have not been adequately noted." The
article further said reports indicated that China had assisted Burma in the
construction of naval and electronic facilities since mid-1992. China has
provided Burma with over $ 1.6 billion worth of arms over the past five
years, the journal added.

Most of the reports related to the modernisation of the naval base on
Hianggyi island at the mouth of the Bassein river, the development of naval
infrastructure at Akyub and Mergui and the construction of a signals
intelligence facility on Coco island, 30 nautical miles from the Andaman
islands. The article said "some 70 Chinese naval and technical personnel
were believed to have arrived" on the Coco island to install new radar
equipment which would enable the Chinese military to monitor Indian naval
communications and "possibly even India's ballistic missile tests off its
Eastern coast." Reports confirmed participation of Chinese personnel in the
development and construction of these facilities. 'The Chinese presence in
the Burmese bases assumes significance in the light of the country's
well-established defence lies with Pakistan," the sources said. Although
"preliminary assessments indicate that the Hianggyi base will be too small
to host Chinese
surface warships of the size required for operations in the Indian Ocean,"
it could be used to support Chinese submarine operations.

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THE NATION: LETTER - BELLO'S COMMENT NOT AN ACCURATE ACCOUNT OF EVENTS
September 27, 1997

This refers to the article entitled l "From Slorc critic to apologist" which
appeared in the Sept 15 issue of The Nation. 
     
Walden Bello's article makes for fascinating reading. It almost reads like
fiction. Unfortunately, much of it is.

People who were actually in the meetings that deliberated on the admission
of Cambodia, Laos and Burma into Asean and on the selection of the next
Asean secretary-general attest that Bello's piece has little resemblance to
what actually transpired.

In the early months of the present administration, the Philippine government
had decided, for overriding strategic considerations, to promote the
inclusion of all 10 nations of Southeast Asia in Asean. Thus, there was no
question of the Philippines shifting its position from opposing to favouring
Burma's entry into Asean, as Bello's fanciful account has it. The truth is
that the Philippines favoured it for some years and never opposed it.

Bello may disagree with this position, but he should stick to the facts.

As for the selection of the next Asean secretary-general, Foreign Minister
Alatas did a straw poll and merely announced the consensus without
disclosing any tally. What is certain it that what happened does not tally
with Bello's account.

Leslie B Gatan 
Minister-Counsellor, 
Embassy Of The Philippines, 
Bangkok                                      

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SLORC: INFORMATION SHEET NO. A-0146(I/L), NO. A-0141(I)

September 28, 1997
                           MEETING CONTINUED

		The N.L.D party is continuing their 2nd day meeting at Mrs Aris'
University Avenue Compound in Yangon today. Altogether (515) participants
and some local foreign journalists are in attendance, it is learnt.

---------------------------------
Information Sheet No. A-0141(i)			Date.26-9-97

(1)Mid-Year Myanma Gems Emporium to Be Held 21-27 October

 (2) Deputy A-G to attend ASEAN Law Association's Governing Council Meeting

(3) Three Members of Armed Groups Exchange Arms for Peace

		On 9 September in South-East Command area, vice-chairperson Naw Tu Tu Wa
(a) Naw Phyu Phyu of Women's Organization of Dupalaya District under No 6
Brigade of the Kayin National Union (KNU) exchanged arms for peace. On 14
September in Western Command area, private Shwe Oo Sein and U Nyunt Sein of
Innchaung camp under the command of major  Khaing Zaw of Rakhine armed group
'Arakan Army (AA)' exchanged arms for peace. Officers of respective military
camps welcomed the three warmly and attended to their needs

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