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NFORMATION SHEET No.A-0557(I)



                                INFORMATION SHEET 

               No.A-0557(I)                            13th August 1998

Website to Choose Symbol by Contest

		A contest will be held to choose the symbol for homepages of Regional and
National Homepage for Culture and Information of the Asean Culture and
Information Committee Website.  All citizens of Asean nations may take part in
the contest which will award $ 1,000 for the chosen symbol which must reflect
the unity in diversity of Asean and in conformity with the Asean logo.  The
chosen symbol will become the copyright of Asean and will be used as Website?s
symbol or in other suitable places.  Computer experts are invited to
participate.

OFFICE CALLS IN YANGON ON  12 AUGUST

(A)		Chairman of Myanmar Investment Commission received Executive Vice-
Chairman Dato Harry BS H?ng and party of Leader Universal Holdings Bhd of
Malaysia at his office.  They discussed establishment of IPP Power Plant and
Cable Plant, investment opportunities and prospects. Similarly, Chairman of
Myanmar Investment Commission received Managing Director Mr Tadashi Takahashi
and party of Nichimen Corporation of Japan at the same venue.  They discussed
investment in energy and electric power. 
(B)		Minister for Industry-1 received General Manager Mr. Hitoshi Netsu of
Marubeni Corporation based in Yangon together with General Manager 
Mr Heroshige Seki at his office.
(C)		Minister for Energy received Executive Vice-Chairman Dato Harry H?ng Bak
Seah and party of Leader Universal Holdings Bhd of Malaysia and General
Manager Mr M Sato and party of Nichimen Corporation of Japan separately at his
office.

Special Feature

		This office is presenting a letter to the editor which appeared in the
Nation newspaper of Bangkok dated 13 August by David Oldfield.
Activists Are Not Above The Law
		The outcry against the recent arrest of 18 foreign activists in Burma has
once again demonstrated how easily we forget that citizens and foreigners
alike are subject to the laws of whichever country they are in.
		Those people condemning the arrests are allowing their moral righteousness
to blind them from a simple fact:  The state of Burma is sovereign within its
territorial boundaries and can make whatever laws it deems appropriate
?Citizens and foreigners must abide by the laws of that particular country,
regardless of whether or not the laws are in line with our moral standards. By
engaging in what the activists knew would be considered subversive, they
should be willing to accept the consequences no matter how severe the
punishment may be. Calls for releasing them simply because they are foreigners
are not justified. I am not above the laws of Thailand based on my American
citizenship and thus the case of the Alternative Asean Network is no
different.
		Despite proclamations that distributing the leaflets intended to be a
?goodwill gesture? the purpose of their activities was to encourage Burmese
citizens to struggle against the regime. Your editorial on August 11
sympathises with the activists by claiming that they ? were merely engaging
in peaceful activities...? Granted the activists were merely distributing
leaflets but it is the intent that matters not the manner in which it is done.
		The 18 detained members of Alternative Asean network went to Burma on
tourist visas, which do not entitle them to engage in subversive activities. A
tourist visa grants foreigners the privilege of experiencing another country;
it does not give them a ? blank cheque? to do whatever they please. How would
Thai citizens react to a group of radical Islamic fundamentalists arriving in
Thailand to stir up anti-government sentiment among the Muslim population in
the South?
		I am not condoning the Burmese regime?s record  on human rights but merely
trying to point out that this is not a case of arbitrary internment of foreign
pro-democracy activists. 
		They violated Burma?s laws and interfered in domestic affairs and therefore
are subject to penalties deemed appropriate by the government.

David Oldfield
Managing Director 
INDOCHINA STUDIES CENTER
BURAPHA  UNIVERSITY
CHONBURI

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