The BurmaNet News: July 22, 1998

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The BurmaNet News: July 22, 1998
Issue #1054

Noted in Passing: "If your house is burning, you should expect to hear from
your neighbors about the fire, especially when it threatens to spread to
their houses as well." - Dr. Sein Win, Prime Minister, NCGUB (see NCGUB: PM
PRAISES MOVE TOWARDS "FLEXIBLE ENGAGEMENT") 

HEADLINES:
==========
DVB: RANGOON ANTICIPATING MASS UNREST 
UNLD: STATEMENT NO. 05/98 
BKK POST: EVACUATION DRILL FOR BORDER PEOPLE 
IWF: FAO CONFERENCE IN BURMA -- FOLLOW-UP 
NCGUB: PM PRAISES MOVE TOWARDS "FLEXIBLE ENGAGEMENT" 
THE NATION: JAPAN BACKS NEW ASEAN APPROACH 
THE NATION: LOVE THY NEIGHBORS 
THE NATION: ASEAN NEEDS "FLEXIBLE ENGAGEMENT" 
ANNOUNCEMENT: INTERNATIONAL CALENDAR OF EVENTS 
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DEMOCRATIC VOICE OF BURMA: RANGOON ANTICIPATING MASS UNREST
16 July, 1998 

The SPDC [State Peace and Development Council] Defense Services has been
making preparations in anticipation to suppress expected anti-government
protests in the near future.  A 45-day special anti-riot training course
has already begun since mid-June at the newly-opened Phayapyu training camp
near Loikaw in Kayah State.  The special characteristic of this training
course is 15 of the most undisciplined, notorious, and unscrupulous
soldiers from each regiment under Kayah State-based No.7 Tactical
Operations Command were chosen to attend the course.  The total number of
trainees is about 300.

Normally, only the most disciplined soldiers are selected to attend SPDC
military training courses but the reason for selecting the most
undisciplined soldiers for this training course is explained by a former
sergeant who was with the Kayah State's Ngwetaung-based No.102 LIR [Light
Infantry Regiment] for over 20 years.

[Begin former sergeant's recording]  The special characteristic of this
training course currently being held in Loikaw Township is, as I have
heard, soldiers with long hair, soldiers frequently involved in drunken
brawls, and undisciplined soldiers were selected as trainees.  According to
my personal experience, a similar thing happened in 1988.  A few months
before the 8-8-88 [pro-democracy mass demonstrations] incident, a similar
training course was opened at the 2nd Chin Rifles Regiment based in
Bassein, Irrawaddy Division.  Similarly, about 10 or 15 most undisciplined,
notorious, and unscrupulous soldiers from various regiments were selected
to attend that course.  When the 8-8-88 incident broke out these trainees
were used to suppress the demonstrators.  I think a similar event could
take place. [end recording]

Sources in Shan State said an anti-riot training course similar to the one
opened in Loikaw is being held in Shan State as well. Observers have noted
that the SPDC has begun opening these anti-riot training courses after the
National League for Democracy [NLD] led by Aung San Suu Kyi has issued an
ultimatum calling for the convening of parliament within 60 days. According
to the NLD's demands the 60 days will be completed on 21 August.
Furthermore, observers have also noted that the Defense Services might be
making preparations in anticipation of suppressing mass unrest by the
people which might occur on 19 July -- Martyrs Day, the day Gen. Aung San
and his cabinet ministers were assassinated -- or 8 August -- the 10th
anniversary of the historical 8-8-88 mass democracy protests. 

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UNITED NATIONALITIES LEAGUE FOR DEMOCRACY (LIBERATED AREAS): STATEMENT NO.
05/98
21 July, 1998 

The United Nationalities League for Democracy Declaration on its stand
towards the NLD demand for convening the Parliament.

1.  Concerning the 1990 general election results, the UNLD has declared
that as the people are the real owners of the country's power, they have
elected their representatives and trustfully given them all the powers.
Therefore, the SLORC had no alternative other than to convene the
Parliament and hand over power peacefully with dignity to the people's
representatives.

2.  The UNLD has also declared that as the people are the real owners of
the country's power, they have the administrative power, the legislative
power and the judiciary power in their hand.  They have already given all
these powers to their representatives (both NLD and UNLD MPs-elect
together).  Therefore, all MPs-elect are the only responsible persons for
drafting a democratic constitution of the country.

3.  The UNLD finally declares that it whole-heartedly and fully supports
the NLD call for the convening of the Parliament within 60 days.  At the
same time the UNLD, which represents most non-Burman ethnic nationalities
of Burma, demands the SPDC to convene the Parliament on or before August
21, 1998, exactly 30 days away from today, without fail or all consequences
will be the responsibility of the SPDC alone.

The Democracy and the National Equality together will soon be victorious.

UNLD (LA) 21 July 1998 

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THE BANGKOK POST: EVALUATION DRILL FOR BORDER PEOPLE
18 July, 1998

Chumphon -- More than 1,000 residents living along the Thai-Burmese border
have been put through an evacuation drill following growing tension between
Burmese troops and Karen rebels in the area, border officials said yesterday.

The drill was to prepare the villagers in Tha Sae district to flee to
safety in case a clash between the Burmese troops and Karen rebels erupted
officials said.

Police, soldiers and security volunteers also took part in the evacuation
drill. Officials also insisted that although the situation was growing
tense, it still did not pose any threat to Thai residents.

According to the officials, the Burmese government would soon reinforce its
troops along the border connecting Chumphon, Ranong and Prachuab Khiri Khan
provinces.

There has been occasional fighting between the two sides near 491 strategic
hill during the last three months with some 250 Karen villagers, most of
them children and women, fleeing to safety to Thai soil. 

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IWF: FAO CONFERENCE IN BURMA - FOLLOW-UP 
26 May, 1998 from <darnott@xxxxxxxxxxx> 

International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering,
Tobacco and Allied Workers' Associations (IUF)

Geneva, May 26, 1998

To: Affiliated Organizations

FAO Conference in Burma - follow up

Dear Sisters and Brothers,

In circular 25 - 1998 we informed you of our opposition to the choice of
Burma as the venue for a Regional Conference of the Food and Agriculture
Organization (FAO) of the United Nations to which the IUF had been invited.
In the circular, we urged affiliates to seek to influence their governments
to put pressure on the FAO to change the conference venue and, failing
that, to urge their governments to boycott the conference.

Despite protests from the IUF and its affiliates, international trade
secretariats, national centers, and a large number of NGOs and individuals,
the conference went ahead as planned. The FAO did not respond to our
communications, and we have not been informed of the results of the
conference.

The IUF is disappointed at the FAO's failure to respond to the sizeable
international protest over the holding of a United Nations conference in
Burma. Nonetheless, the campaign was successful in several important ways.

The Workers' Group of the ILO supported the IUF's call for a boycott, and
raised the matter at the March session of the ILO Governing Body. At a
March meeting of the UN Administrative Committee on Coordination (the
top-level inter-agency body which regularly reviews the activities of the
UN agencies), the representative of the ILO Director General conveyed the
concerns of the Workers' Group regarding the appropriateness of holding an
official UN meeting in Burma at this time. Mr. Diouf defended the
conference venue on the grounds that the decision had been made at regional
level, and that other UN agencies had also held meetings in Burma last
year. The ILO was supported by other heads of agencies, and there is
therefore good reason to believe that resistance to regional pressures to
legitimize the Burmese military regime by holding official UN conferences
in that country will meet with greater international resistance. The
boycott campaign also served to again highlight the gross violations of
human rights in Burma which take place under the military dictatorship, and
may strengthen support for international action to isolate the regime.

The National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma, representing the
parliament democratically elected in 1990, supported the IUF's boycott call
in a press release issued on March 17. An interview about the boycott with
IUF General Secretary Ron Oswald was transmitted into Burma by the
Democratic Voice of Burma, the Burmese-language radio station of the
democratic opposition which broadcasts from Norway.

In addition to the IUF affiliates who responded to our urgent action
appeal, which was posted on the IUF web site (www.iuf.org), numerous NGO's,
Burma solidarity groups, and individuals contacted their governments. We
warmly thank them for their support. With very best wishes, I am,

Yours in solidarity,
Ron Oswald
General Secretary

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NCGUB: PM PRAISES MOVE TOWARDS "FLEXIBLE ENGAGEMENT" 
20 July, 1998 

For more information, contact the N.C.G.U.B. PRESS OFFICE:
TEL +1 202 393 7342
FAX +1 202 393 7343
EMAIL: NCGUB@xxxxxxxxxxx 
815 FIFTEENTH STREET, N.W., SUITE 910,  WASHINGTON, D.C. 20005

The N.C.G.U.B. is constituted by Members of Parliament democratically
elected in 1990.

July 20, 1998

As foreign ministers gather for the Association of South-east Asian
Nations' (ASEAN) annual meeting in Manila, the N.C.G.U.B. today praised a
landmark proposal by the Thai and Philippine foreign ministers to jettison
the group's "hear-no-evil, see-no-evil" policy of members not criticizing
fellow member governments.  The move to adopt a more critical stand on
Burma is also supported by Japan and the United States.

Prime Minister Sein Win said today that "ASEAN nations can no longer afford
to quietly watch while the junta makes mistakes which drag the region down.
If your house is burning, you should expect to hear from your neighbors
about the fire, especially when it threatens to spread to their houses as
well.  We want to thank our friends in the Thai and Philippine governments
for sounding the alarm about Burma."

To call attention to the need for A.S.E.A.N. to adopt a more critical stand
on Burma's military regime, the N.C.G.U.B. will highlight new surveys
showing the extent of the regime's misrule and how it is damaging both
Burma and its neighbors. The surveys come from some of the world's most
respected think-tanks, economic and political risk consultants and
newspapers.  These surveys confirm what Burma's democracy movement has long
known, and what A.S.E.A.N. seems finally to be acknowledging.

Today:  Survey shows regime among world's most heavily militarized states:
In its annual survey of weapons purchases, The Bonn International Centre
for Conversion ranked Burma's military regime near the very top for levels
of military spending.  The Bonn International Centre for Conversion annual
index disarmament, demilitarisation and demobilisation measures the extent
of resources nations spend on armaments.  The 1998 index found that while
most countries in the world continue to decrease military spending, Burma's
junta continues to expend an enormous share of its resources on its
military.  The regime's military spending ranked it among the six worst
overspenders in the world along with Armenia, Sudan, Burundi, Sri Lanka,
and Rwanda. (1)  This situation is only getting worse.  Despite an economic
crisis, Jane's Defence Weekly recently reported that the junta is about to
buy $20 million dollars worth of new ground-attack aircraft produced by a
China/Pakistan joint-venture. (2)

Although the regime can afford to purchase new military hardware, it has
all but zeroed out spending on education and health.  The New York Times
recently reported that maternal mortality rates in Burma are 43 times
higher than in the United States. (3)  A new report by the World Bank finds
that the regime is "shifting the structure of expenditures away from social
services while military spending maintained a large share of around 30
percent."

Tomorrow: Three new Surveys find Burma near bottom on economic freedom,
world's fifth riskiest investment climate and worst deadbeat on
international credit.

Footnotes: 1 See Ramesh Jaura, Disarmament: New Study Sees Progress Despite
Setbacks, INTERPRESS SERVICE, July 9, 1998. 
2 Myanmar is first export customer for K-8 trainer , JANE'S DEFENCE WEEKLY,
June 24, 1998. 
3 Nicholas D. Kristof, The Human Crisis: With Asia's Economies Shrinking,
Women Are Being Squeezed Out, THE NEW YORK TIMES, June 11, 1998, Section A;
Page 12, Column A.

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THE NATION: JAPAN BACKS NEW ASEAN APPROACH 
18 July, 1998 

TOKYO -- Japan yesterday supported Thailand's proposed policy shift within
Asean to allow members to comment on domestic matters of their partners,
particularly Burma.

Malaysia rejected the Thai proposal, which calls for "flexible engagement"
in the implementation of Asean's non-interference policy.

"Some Association of Southeast Asian Nations countries, such as Thailand
and the Philippines, have recently enunciated a policy for Asean to engage
itself flexibly in the problems within its member nations," Japanese
Foreign Ministry spokesman Sadaaki Numata said.  "And this policy has been
enunciated bearing Burma in mind.  We hope that such a move will lead to
the promotion of democratisation and improvement of the human-rights
situation in Burma.

"Those two things are what we have been advocating for some time, and in
that sense we welcome such a move," he said.

Thai Foreign Minister Surin Pitsuwan has called for a plan to allow Asean
members to discuss the affairs of individual countries if they directly
affect the grouping.

Asean groups Brunei, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Burma, the Philippines,
Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Thailand and the Philippines, along with Malaysia's deputy premier Anwar
Ibrahim, have been spearheading calls for Asean to adjust its policy of
"non-interference" in member nations' internal affairs to one of "flexible
engagement".

However, Malaysian Foreign Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said in Kuala
Lumpur yesterday that Malaysia stood by the nine-member Asean's
"non-interference principle", which has been maintained for more than 30
years, the official news agency Bernama reported.

Bernama quoted Abdullah as saying the Asean way was unlike the ways of the
European Union or any other regional grouping as it was based on "Eastern
culture" and tended to avoid confrontation with respect for the sovereignty
of fellow Asean members.

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THE NATION: LOVE THY NEIGHBORS 
21 July, 1998 

If one of your neighbours beats his wife and children, for example, should
you keep silent and act as though nothing has happened?

This is the question that Asean foreign ministers must now address during
their annual meeting in Manila this week. Thailand broke the taboo by
making harsh comments on Burma's recent crackdown on pro-democracy
dissidents. The Rangoon regime, a newcomer to the association, in turn
lashed out at Bangkok by invoking the non-interference rule.

Thailand responded by saying that it was time to change the rules of the
game, and came up with the concept of "flexible engagement" which it hopes
to discuss in Manila. The Philippines has expressed support for the
concept, while Indonesia has strong objections to the plan to review the
principle during the meeting.

Human rights and democracy, for example, are no longer issues that can be
regarded as purely internal affairs. They are issues of concern to
everyone. When these universal rights are removed or violated, conscience
may compel individual nations to speak out in protest.

Loving thy neighbours should not be taken simply to mean respecting the
privacy of your neighbours, especially when taken to a point which
prohibits interference in other countries' domestic affairs.

Loving thy neighbours also entails living up to your responsibility as a
member of the community. That often means speaking out when your conscience
tells you to do so, even when at the expense of incurring the wrath of your
neighbours.

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THE NATION: ASEAN NEEDS "FLEXIBLE ENGAGEMENT" 
21 July, 1998 by Kavi Chongkittavorn 

REGIONAL PERSPECTIVE

In a concerted effort to overcome opposition from Asean member countries,
the Foreign Ministry has redefined the concept of "flexible engagement"
which will be officially presented as a non-paper when the Asean foreign
ministers meet this weekend in Manila.

Several Asean members have expressed reservations after Foreign Minister
Surin Pitsuwan urged in his proposal last month that they should be more
open with each other and have frank discussions on domestic issues which
have implications on other members and the group's destiny. In effect, he
called for a review of the Asean way of doing things.

Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Laos and Burma believe that member countries
should not tamper with the principle of non-interference. In other words,
they view the Thai initiative as a non-starter. The Philippines, which is
host to the meeting, is the only country which has given strong endorsement
to Surin's proposal, and said it will be one of the major subjects on the
agenda to be discussed. The other Asean countries are lying low adopting a
wait-and-see attitude.

Given this, the Saranrom Palace has further watered down its proposal to
ensure certain success. After all, Thailand cannot back down. In fact, the
plan is about Thailand's determination to implement a humane and principled
diplomacy, and to enhance and expand Asean's reputation and its
international leverage.

Ahead of the Asean meeting, there have been thick accusations flying around
the region that Thailand is carrying a Western agenda, and worse, that it
is trying to echo the US' foreign policy objectives. Another absurd idea is
that Bangkok is trying to divide the grouping it helped found.

Indeed, it would be strange to have Bangkok acting on behalf of any Western
country for Thailand has escaped Western colonisation and remained
independent throughout its modern history. The Thai government has no
anti-Western historical baggage. It, however, carries with it universal
values emanating from various parts of the world.

It is not surprising that Bangkok feels quite at ease and has no qualms in
changing its proposal to get everyone on board. It is a big challenge
knowing full well the prevailing divergent viewpoints and scepticism among
Asean colleagues.

Discussions with Saranrom officials revealed some key components in the
flexible engagement approach, which are all in compliance and consistent
with the 1976 Asean Treaty of Amity and Cooperation signed by the Asean
leaders in Bali.

First and foremost is the continued commitment to the non-interference
principle as the main instrument in conducting relations within Asean and
the international community.

In addition, the approach also entails the effort to create an Asean
community, as envisaged in the Asean Vision 2020, which will reflect unity
in diversity because of the diverse economic, political and cultural
background of the member countries.

Apart from these declared principles and vision, Asean members have
responsibilities and rights in engagement that will contribute to the
grouping's common goals.

Although Asean has never been involved in the settlement of bilateral
issues in its 31-year history, the Thai government believes that pro-active
engagement could help managing bilateral differences or improving bilateral
relations in the long run.

It is hoped that these objectives could be attained without sacrificing
one's identity, beliefs, norms and values.

To move along this path, the Thai proposal argues that the commitment to
the non-interference principle cannot and should not be "absolute". It must
be subjected to reality tests. Above all, it must be flexible.

In the past one year, the situation in the region has changed a great deal
and hence has made it more difficult to divide what is domestic affairs on
the one hand, and external or transnational issues on the other.

As witnessed in the region, many, domestic affairs have obvious
transnational dimensions, adversely affecting neighbouring countries as
well as the region, and its relations with others. Haze, financial crisis,
transmigration, and terrorism are some of these problems.

As such, the affected countries should be able to speak out in constructive
manner, and this should not be construed as "interference" in fellow
members' domestic affairs.

Even with the current softer touch, the flexible engagement is still a very
sensitive issue for the Asean leaders because they seldom talk openly, even
in closed-door sessions.

Malaysian Foreign Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has said that the Asean
way is unlike the way of the European Union or any other regional grouping
because it is based on "eastern culture" which has the tendency to avoid
confrontation in cases involving the sovereignty of other members.

Finally, taken together, the flexible engagement will make the Asean
members more interested in one another which can help to promote the
group's integration. It can serve as an early-warning system to alert one
another of the gravity of certain domestically generated transnational or
international problems.

Thailand hopes to share with Asean friends valuable lessons and first-hand
experience it learned from its numerous mistakes during the past year. The
most important aspect is that there are rewards that come with flexibility
and openness in government and the country's various institutions.

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ANNOUNCEMENT: INTERNATIONAL CALENDAR OF EVENTS 
21 July, 1998 from <apm-gfbv@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> 

INTERNATIONAL CALENDAR OF EVENTS DEVOTED TO INDIGENOUS PEOPLES, ETHNIC
MINORITIES AND STATELESS NATIONS

First issue available in Geneva at the next UNWGIP meeting

Dear friends,

The Italian branch of the Society for Threatened Peoples is going to launch
the international version of its international calendar of events dealing
with indigenous and threatened peoples, European minorities and related
topics. This English-language calendar will be issued every other month
(August, October, December, February, April, June). It will be sent via
E-mail to all the people and organizations which just ask for it. 

All we need is a little help from you in order to keep it updated and
detailed.

Please help us broadening our coverage by sending announcements to: 

Society for Threatened Peoples, PO Box 6282, I-50127 Florence, Italy 
E-mail: apm-gfbv@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Here is an example of the details we need:
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15 - 17.9.1998
THE DREAMING VISION
National Business & Economic Development Conference
PLACE: The Gazebo, Kings Cross, Sydney (Australia) 
TOPIC: The first ever, world Indigenous peoples conference on Business 
The conference will focus on many issues concerning Indigenous people and
enter-prises. Specific attention on the positive contributions they have
made to their country, and to its economy 
CONTACT: Indigenous Conferencing Services Australia, 8 Fuscia Court,
Cairns, QLD 4870, Australia, fax 0061-70-336485, E-mail: ics@xxxxxxxxxx
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Thank you for your attention and assistance

Alessandro Michelucci

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