Information Sheet N0.A-0513( I /L

[OKKAR66129@xxxxxxx]

                                     Information   Sheet


                      N0.A-0513( I /L )                  20th July 1998 

                     Nation- (A Newspaper of Thailand) Does It Again 

		On 12th of July a letter from Auckland, New Zealand was reproduced in the
Information Sheet No-A-0500 (I) and No.A-0501(L) in which Mr. David Everatt
described his and his family's personal experience in Myanmar.
 
		"--- When we let it be known,  before our departure, that we intended
visiting Myanmar, we met with astonishment, dubious head shaking, and efforts
to dissuade us. Guide books we obtained from the library - some of quite
recent vintage - emphasized the likely difficulties, trap and outright dangers
to be encountered. Overwhelming   currency difficulties  would be met with;
strip searches by customs would take place; barter goods such as spirits and
cigarettes were absolutely necessary; water could  never be drunk with safety.
This is the accepted picture of the tourist scene in Myanmar. And, from our
personal experiences, it is totally wrong. ---Warnings were given of the
dictatorial methods of Immigration and Customs. We found nothing but courtesy,
efficiency and-yes-charm, both in arrival and departure. ---We are all
irritated at the general misconception of life in Myanmar from the tourist
point of view."

		 Coincidentally, a week later Nation ( a newspaper of Thailand) came up with
a counter news item on 18 July entitled " Nervous junta leaders put visitors
on edge".

	         It was the usual kind of a stereotyped bias and negative story.
To cite  a few lines,   " --- security at Rangoon International Airport has
been tight,  fearing that incoming tourists will take home with them pictures
and other impressions of downtrodden Burma. --- On the way out Rangoon
airport, customs officials confiscated  all used and unused film from a German
visitor. --- Later, the customs officials tried to strip search him."

		The tenets of our Myanmar entrenched culture teach us to warmly  welcome and
familiarly treat whoever may come to his door. Never budge an inch from a such
heartfelt and sacred vision and legacy. Comparison of the two  conceptions on
the same situation by two personalities will be tantamount to two sides of a
coin. Myanmar is a nation of culture, cultivation and courtesy and will
forever and ever be Myanmar.

                                    Guess Where Next Time

		Similar to the incident that took place on 7th July at Shwe Mya Yar village,
a meeting with U Tin Min Htut, an NLD member of Pantanaw Township whom U Hla
Pe and Mrs. Aris wanted to meet, has been managed for an invitation to Anyarsu
village, 20 miles south of Yangon by the local authorities concerned. U Tin
Min Htut arrived and met with the party at 14:10 hrs. and left together for
Yangon (20) minutes  later, it is learnt.
 
Correction: Please read "U Hla Pe" instead of "U Hla Shwe" which appeared in
the Information Sheet No. A-0512 (I/L) dated 20 July.

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