The BurmaNet News: April 28, 1998

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"Appropriate Information Technologies, Practical Strategies"
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The BurmaNet News: April 28, 1998 Issue #993  

HEADLINES: 
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BKK POST: STUDENT HEAD JAILED FOR 'TERRORISM'
BKK POST: DEFECTION OF SENIOR OFFICER ROCKS KNU
THE NATION: BURMA ASKED TO OPEN BORDER
THE NATION: BURMA CAUGHT IN A STATE OF LIMBO
THE NATION (LETTER): FARMERS KNOW BEST
JOURNAL OF COMMERCE: EXPRESS CARRIERS HALT OPERATIONS
VOA (EDITORIAL): HUMAN RIGHTS IN BURMA
BKK POST: MILLERS WANTS REGULATIONS EASED
BKK POST: EUROPE EXTENDS BURMA SANCTIONS
JOURNAL OF COMMERCE: MASS. TO AMEND SANCTIONS
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BANGKOK POST: STUDENT HEAD JAILED FOR 'TERRORISM'
28 April, 1998

A Burma student leader has been jailed for 15 years for a range of crimes
including involvement in an alleged terrorist plot, Burma's military junta
said yesterday.

A junta spokesman said the sentence reflected the severity of the student's
crimes and denied reports he had been jailed because he was writing a
history of the student movement in the country.

The ruling State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) said last month it
had foiled a terrorist plot led by a group of 12 students in which
government leaders were said to be targets for assassination.

The spokesman said Aung Tun, 30, was jailed for breaches of the Emergency
Provision Act, the Unlawful Association Act and the Printers and Publishers
Registration Act.

The All Burma Students' Democratic Front (ABSDF) said the civil engineering
student at the Yangon (Rangoon) Institute of Technology was actively
involved in the 1988 student uprising and wrote the history at the request
of other students.

It said Aung Tun was first arrested in 1990 for his political activities
and spent two years in solitary confinement.

The junta official denied the student group's claims as a fabrication.

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BANGKOK POST: DEFECTION OF SENIOR OFFICER ROCKS KNU  
28 April, 1998 
By Supamart Kasem in Tak  

Beginning of the end of movement seen  

The defection of a senior Karen National Union officer to the Burmese junta
with over 200 followers indicates the KNU is now at its lowest ebb in over
50 years, sources said.  

KNU members, Thai authorities, and those involved in Thai-Burmese border
problems wonder if it is the beginning of the end of the KNU, which was
founded in 1947.  

Padoe Aung San defected early this month. He was a close aide of KNU
president Gen Bo Mya, a central committee member and the forestry minister
responsible for raising KNU funds from border logging.  

He was also responsible for obtaining weapons. He is thought to have
handled hundreds of million of baht a year when the KNU was at its
strongest over 10 years ago.  

"He had a house in Mae Sot and Chiang Mai and shares in many Thai
businesses ... He had close links with former Thai military personnel,
influential people and businessmen along the Thai border," a logging source
said.  

Thai border security officials believe Padoe Aung San defected because he
was worried about his safety. He is said to have feared death threats made
by the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA) after fleeing from Htee Ter
Khi to Ban Mae Woei, in Tak province, in 1995 after the KNU headquarters in
Manerplaw and other camps opposite Mae Hong Son's Sop Moei district were
overrun.  

He had also been accused of corruption and although he had tried to clear
his name other KNU members asked Gen Bo Mya to dismiss him.  

Padoe Aung San was also contacted by the DKBA after it was given the
go-ahead by Rangoon to press ahead with logging interests.  

Sources said he was believed to have been involved in illegal logging in
Tha Song Yang national forest reserve in 1997 and in the Salween forests.  

He defected to the State Peace and Development Council on April 6 and was
promptly roundly condemned by the KNU.  

An article on the Internet, released in the name of anti-Rangoon Karens,
accused him of leaving the KNU with 28 million baht and compared him to a
dog turning on its master.  

A KNU source said Padoe Aung San was born in 1937 in Karen state, the third
child of Buddhist parents. He received an education under the Seventh Day
Adventists and became a primary school teacher in 1959.  

While a teacher he worked undercover with the KNU. Facing arrest in 1967,
he fled to join the KNU in the jungle. His first post was as a
superintendent in the forestry ministry. In 1980 he became forestry
minister.  

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THE NATION: BURMA ASKED TO OPEN BORDER  
28 April, 1998 

Thailand has urged Burma to reopen the border checkpoint in Mae Sot
following its closure on April 14, a senior Foreign Ministry official said
yesterday.  

Deputy spokesman Kitti Wasinondh said the ministry summoned Burmese
Ambassador U Hla Maung last Friday and presented him with an aide-memoire
calling for the opening "as soon as possible".  

Virasakdi Futrakul, director general of the Department of East Asian
Affairs who met U Hla Maung, related Thailand's concern over the closure of
the border pass at the Thai-Burmese Friendship Bridge on the Moei River
(Mae Sot-Myawady Border Pass) which was done without notifying Thai
authorities in advance.  

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THE NATION: BURMA CAUGHT IN A STATE OF LIMBO  
28 April, 1998
By Patrick McDowell

The generals are putting on a brave front, but the country is heading
nowhere as the political impasse continues.

In one breath the leaders of Burma's military government say US sanctions
and the Asian economic crisis have had no effect on their country; in the
next they urge Washington to reverse a ban on new investment and denounce
allegations of human-rights abuses in Burma as "garbage".  

"We survived 30 years without the outside world; we can survive another
50," said Brig-Gen David Abel, a Cabinet minister, "but we will never go
back, never."  

It's harder to say exactly where Burma is going a year after US President
Bill Clinton, with the support of Nobel Peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi,
banned new investment by American companies. Limbo perhaps comes closest.  

After a quarter-century of socialist isolation dragged down the country's
economy, the current generation of ruling Generals opened up Burma to
foreign investment in the early 1990s. Economic gains have been impressive
over the past few years, with annual growth claimed at six per cent, but
the economy is showing serious signs of trouble.  

Consumer prices jumped 25 per cent in 1997. Burma's currency sells for far
less on the black market than the official exchange rate. Rice exports have
been frozen since floods last year. Imports of goods from whiskey to air
conditioners have been severely curtailed to husband reserves of foreign
currencies.  

The woes have more to do with Asia's economic crisis than the US sanctions,
but Asian economies are unlikely to put much money into Burma again for
several years. Southeast Asian neighbours account for half of Burma's trade
and investment. Asian-owned factories, many producing garments for export,
are sprouting in industrial parks that were rice paddies a year ago, but
other companies are not coming, those with important American clients who
do not want to risk consumer boycotts and other troubles for dealing with
Burma's military rulers.  

Current US investment is largely limited to developing natural gas, and
energy companies from other countries have stepped in to handle new
projects. Andreas Hoffmann, an executive for Germany's Deutsche Bank, said
foreign companies were "cautiously optimistic" a political breakthrough can
be reached between the generals and democratic opposition, which would
improve the business climate. Others said they were tired of waiting.  

A gulf of contempt separates the Oxford-educated Suu Kyi and the military,
which was founded by her father, independence hero Aung San. The army
seized power 36 years ago and has never surrendered it. A recent incident
illustrates the obstacles to compromise. Lt-Gen Khin Nyunt, one of the
leaders of the ruling State Peace and Development Council, disowned his son
in February, reportedly for eloping with a Singaporean.  

Why? The new constitution being drafted by an assembly of representatives
handpicked by the military bans from public office anyone married to a
foreigner or even whose child has a foreign spouse. Suu Kyi is married to a
Briton.  

If the military is unwilling to make exceptions for Khin Nyunt, it is
highly unlikely to do so for a woman they view as arrogant and whose
popularity abroad feeds insular fears that she is a foreign agent. Suu Kyi
has never said she wants to hold office, but the military is certain she
wants to become prime minister.  

Hundreds of political prisoners remain in jail. The state controls the
press. Universities remain closed since unrest in 1996. No civilians hold
top government posts. Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy
overwhelmingly won elections in 1990, but the military never allowed
Parliament to convene.  

She has spent most of the past nine years under house arrest or close
confinement.  

Unwilling to meet her calls for dialogue, the generals have tried to skirt
her and talk with other leaders of the party.  

After initial contacts, the party refused to talk further without Suu Kyi,
but political insiders, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Suu Kyi
faced divisions within the party. Some members feel sharing power with the
military would be better than nothing, while others want to hold out for
full democracy, the sources said.  

"There's no objection in principle to talking, but we won't say who, who,
who," Abel said.  

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THE NATION: FARMERS KNOW BEST  
28 April, 1998
By Thet Oo, Federation of Trade Unions - Burma (FTIB), Washington, DC

Letter to the Editor  

Burma is an agricultural country. Better days for farmers mean better days
for the people of Burma. And to improve the quality of life of the farmers,
they need modern equipment and appropriate agricultural techniques.  

But the Burmese military junta will not support them. As a brutal
dictatorship they only know how to solve problems by force. The farmers are
the ones who know more than anybody, especially the military, when it comes
to agriculture -- like when and what to plant on their land.   

Unfortunately, the Burmese junta is the one who decides on such matters.
For the living standard of farmers to improve, they need to increase their
income from their agricultural outputs. The military should not dictate the
life of the farmers. Let the farmers do what they know best.  

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JOURNAL OF COMMERCE: AIR EXPRESS CARRIERS HALT OPERATIONS IN MYANMAR
27 April, 1998
By P.T. Bangsberg

Most carriers received a letter to stop business as of April 20, leaving
only DHL to carry on.  

Most international air express companies have ceased operations in Myanmar
(Burma), on instructions of the government.  

Federal Express Corp., however, says it's still getting consignments into
the country.  

"With our partner, Indo-China Express Inc., we are working with the
Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications to resolve the problem," said
Julia Khong, Singapore-based spokesman for the unit of FDX Corp. of
Memphis. "We are accepting and delivering inbound goods to Myanmar, but not
outbound consignments from there." FedEx has been in the country since 1983.  

United Parcel Service Inc. of Atlanta said its agent in Yangon (Rangoon) is
talking with the government to seek more information on its status.  

"We halted inbound shipments the week before the ban and have not accepted
outbound shipments since April 20," a spokesman said.  

As reported, all but one of the world's leading air express operators
received a letter ordering them to stop operating from April 20 or be in
violation of the law. Most of the main companies have been operating for
several years with approval of the Ministry of Trade.  

The order to cease said those permits weren't valid. On the face of it,
that left the DHL International Ltd. unit of DHL Worldwide Express the sole
operator, in its venture with Myanmar Posts and Telecommunications.  

DHL began negotiating with the regime six years ago, but wasn't approved
until 1996. Its regional office in Singapore didn't return calls seeking
comment. Other firms said they tried talking with the postal agency, which
operates its own express service, but failed to reach high-level officials.
One industry executive said the Conference of Asia-Pacific Express Couriers
-- which includes FedEx, UPS, DHL and Dutch-based TNT Express Worldwide --
is understood to have discussed the matter at a recent meeting. Members
appeared to have been taken by surprise at the abrupt ban.  

As reported, one widespread suspicion is that the military regime in
Myanmar is seeking to control the flow of information in and out of the
country, and perhaps ensure that no scarce foreign currency is smuggled
out. The ruling council recently decreed that only state-run banks could
handle foreign currency.  

Air cargo industry executives say Myanmar's courier business isn't great --
perhaps $1 million a month -- but was growing. "Limiting courier and
express service to a single entity will inevitably put up costs," one
executive said.  

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VOICE OF AMERICA: EDITORIAL: HUMAN RIGHTS IN BURMA
28 April, 1998

Anncr: The Voice of America presents differing points of view on a wide
variety of issues.  Next, an editorial expressing the policies of the
United States government.  

Voice:  Burma's military rulers have stepped up their repression of the
Burmese people.  This month, San San was sentenced to twenty-five years in
prison.  San San is former deputy chairman of the Rangoon division of the
national league for democracy, or NLD.  She has been a leader of the
party's women's group.  

San San was elected to Burma's parliament in 1990.  But the military regime
refused to abide by the results of the election. San San and hundreds of
other NLD leaders, including many members of parliament, were imprisoned.  

 Released in 1992, San San was arrested again in October 1997 along with
seven other NLD members.  All were sentenced to stiff prison terms.  Their
so-called crime: making a visit to NLD offices in suburban Rangoon without
the permission of the military authorities.  

The arbitrary arrest and imprisonment of San San is only one example of the
police state terror to which the Burmese people are subjected.  Earlier
this month, United Nations special investigator Rajsoomer Lallah reported
to the UN Human Rights Commission that forced labor, rape, torture, and
summary executions by the security forces continue.  Many of the victims,
Mr. Lallah said, are ethnic minorities, including large numbers of women
forced to act as porters for the Burmese military.  

Burma's military rulers have said they are willing to enter into a dialogue
with the country's democracy movement.  But genuine dialogue cannot take
place in a climate of terror and repression.  The U.S. calls on the Burmese
regime to release political prisoners, cease its repressive practices and
begin serious talks with the leaders of Burma's democracy movement.  

Anncr:  That was an editorial expressing the policies of the U.S.
Government.  If you have a comment, please write to Editorials, VOA,
Washington, DC, 20547, USA  You may also comment at www.voa.gov/editorials,
or  fax us at (202) 619-1043.  

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BANGKOK POST: MILLERS WANTS REGULATIONS EASED  
28 April, 1998 
By Penchan Charoensuthipan  

Aliens described as hard-working and not choosy about work  

Owners of rice mills have called on the government to ease regulations on
the employment of foreign workers in their factories.  

They made the call a week ahead of the Labour and Social Welfare Ministry's
schedule to begin crackdowns on illegal workers from May 1, which falls on
National Labour Day.  

Niphon Wongtra-ngan, chairman of the Thai Rice Mills Association, said most
rice mills in the country, particularly those in the Lower North and
Central Plains, have hired alien workers to carry rice sacks.  

The crackdowns on illegal workers would badly hit a number of rice mills,
said Mr Niphon, and he urged the government and labour ministry to relax
regulations on the employment of aliens in their establishments.   

"Unless the regulations are eased, many rice mills may have to be closed.
Most of our workers are aliens who are hard-working and not choosy about
work. Our business may be greatly affected if the crackdown is launched,"
said the association chairman.  

The ministry has announced plans to deport an estimated 300,000 illegal
workers over the next five months as part of a broader plan to repatriate
about a million illegal workers, mostly Khmers and Burmese, to free up jobs
for Thais.  

Mr Niphon yesterday led a group of 50 rice mill operators to lodge a
complaint with Labour and Social Welfare Minister Trairong Suwannakhiri at
the ministry.  

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BANGKOK POST: EUROPE EXTENDS BURMA SANCTIONS  
28 April, 1998 

Luxembourg -- The European Union agreed yesterday to extend sanctions on
military-ruled Burma for a further six months.  

The sanctions, which include a ban on issuing visas to members of the
junta, were imposed in 1996 in a bid to pressure the regime to move toward
democracy and open a dialogue with the outlawed opposition.  

The European Union also has a freeze on contacts at ministerial or
senior-official level and an embargo on the sale of military equipment to
Burma.  

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JOURNAL OF COMMERCE: MASSACHUSETTS MOVES TO AMEND MYANMAR SANCTIONS
28 April, 1998
By Michael S. Lelyveld

State aims to squash EU, Japanese objections  

The amendment would exempt large contracts from a law imposing fees on
procurement from firms involved with Myanmar.  

BOSTON -- The chief sponsor of the Massachusetts sanctions law against
Myanmar, the former Burma, has filed an amendment aimed at addressing
longstanding objections of the European Union and Japan.  

State Rep. Byron Rushing, a Boston Democrat, said in an interview Friday
that the amendment is intended to ease conflicts with a trans-Atlantic
procurement agreement that could prompt complaints to the World Trade
Organization.  

The EU has been fighting the Massachusetts curbs on contracting with
companies that do business with Myanmar on the grounds that they violate
the 1994 General Procurement Agreement between the EU and the United States
on open bidding.  

"This is staying focused on the goal," said Mr. Rushing.  

"It's not to beat up on the Europeans and the Japanese. It's to put
pressure on the military government of Burma."  

The amendment would avoid a collision with the EU by exempting large
contracts from the 1996 state law, which imposes a 10% penalty on
procurement from companies that are also involved in military-controlled
Myanmar.  

The exemption threshold would be $500,000 for goods and services contracts
and $6 million for construction projects, the levels covered by the
trans-Atlantic agreement.  

The move comes after months of sensitive contacts with State Department and
EU officials, which all sides have been careful not to call negotiations.  

The EU has been concerned that the meetings could set a precedent that
would drag the 15-member union into dealings with scores of subfederal U.S.
entities.  

Mr. Rushing said the amendment was offered as a sign of good faith after EU
officials outlined a series of steps taken against Myanmar. But it is not
yet clear that the proposed change will avert a WTO clash.  

The exemptions would cover only those Massachusetts contracts that would be
signed by the governor, on the grounds the state's chief executive
previously pledged to honor the U.S. pact with the EU.  

Contracts by independent state authorities, the Legislature and the
judiciary are not included. EU officials are studying the terms.  

The change is also taking place on the eve of a constitutional lawsuit that
is expected to be filed on April 30 by the industry group USA-Engage. The
coalition of more than 600 corporations and associations, which is fighting
all U.S. unilateral sanctions, has targeted the Myanmar law because it
represents the tip of the iceberg.  

While Massachusetts is the only state to enact curbs on Myanmar, many
municipalities and other subfederal entities are getting into the act with
measures against regimes in specific countries, including Indonesia, China
and Nigeria.  

The states of New York and Vermont also have legislation pending on Myanmar.  

USA-Engage hopes to thwart the trend through a single suit charging that
the Myanmar sanctions violate constitutional power of the federal
government to conduct foreign policy.  

Eric Thomas, a USA-Engage spokesman, declined to verify the target date for
the suit or discuss its venue, but he said the group hopes to set a
precedent against all such laws.  

A settlement on the WTO issues raised by the EU and Japan could spare the
Myanmar activists from having to fight on two fronts at once.  

Mr. Rushing ruled out any similar concession to USA-Engage, saying that his
law does not violate the Constitution by relying on the state's sovereign
power over its own buying choices.  

"The USA-Engage people, we're not doing anything for them," said Mr.
Rushing. "They're doing something we find really objectionable."  

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