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The BurmaNet News: October 21, 1998



------------------------ BurmaNet ------------------------
 "Appropriate Information Technologies, Practical Strategies"
----------------------------------------------------------

The BurmaNet News: October 21, 1998
Issue #1122

HEADLINES:
==========
COMMENTARY: BURMA'S "MINORITIES" AND DRUGS
ABSDF: MON ETHNIC CHAIRMAN CHARGED 
NLOM: MINISTER RECEIVES HEAD OF UNHCR OFFICE
MIZZIMA: INTERVIEW WITH COMMUNIST PARTY OF INDIA 
XINHUA: TWO THAI BANKS RULE OUT JOINT VENTURES 
AFTENPOSTEN: BURMA-NORWAY TRADE 
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COMMENTARY: BURMA'S "MINORITIES" AND DRUGS: HAMBURGER FLIPPERS AND THE
MCDONALDS EMPIRE
19 October, 1998 by Chao-Tzang Yawnghwe <tzang@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> 

It is customary for reports in the media and statements by Thai police
spokespersons, among other such authorities, to automatically link drugs --
heroin, amphetamines, ecstasy, etc. -- to "minorities across the border".
As a result, there is a pervasive, unthinking, knee-jerk connection made by
ordinary people almost everywhere between Burma's "minorities" or "ethnic"
rebels (or rebellions) and narcotics.

People in-the-know, more so police officers of all nations involved in the
"war on drugs" are, of course, aware that reality is not as simple as the
image they present.

They know that heroin and other drugs are commodities of a multi- billion
dollar global "import-export" industry, which have only marginally to do
with impoverished, debt-ridden "minorities" peasants of the so-called
golden triangle of Burma. Some of the more intelligent and knowledgeable
anti-drug warriors also know that there are a variety of ethnic rebels,
that some are, in fact, not really rebels, but business partners and
political clients of the ruling Burman generals -- more so since 1988.

The fact of the matter is that the drug business is a complex financial
venture: the financing of narcotics refining and production in Thailand,
Burma, Laos, Cambodia, China (Yunnan), India, and elsewhere; the influence
and protection network firmly in place in many countries and cities
(involving payoffs, bribery, "tributes"); the transportation and
distribution networks girding the globe -- all these involve huge capital
outlay. It is obvious that the money and sophisticated financial and other
arrangements involved, the connections in high places and influence
required, familiarity with nuts and bolts of the global and modern
transportation network (by land, sea, and air), etc., are beyond the
capacity and capability of Burma's "minorities", be they peasants or rebels.

To say that the "minorities" of Burma are behind the multi-billion dollars
global industry is like saying that teenaged hamburger flippers are
responsible for the billion dollar, globe girding, McDonald empire. Anyone
making such an assertion will be laughed to death, that's for sure.

If, hypothetically speaking, McDonald's hamburgers were to be declared
illegal, an illicit product, who would governments and the anti-hamburger
warriors of the world go after: hamburger flippers and those addicted to
the greasy stuff, or the financiers?

One wonders why an image that portrays Burma's "minorities" as being behind
the drug business and trade, an image which has very little to do with the
reality of the narcotics business, has been promoted, even, or especially,
by those who should know, or do know, better.

Is it because it is easy to set up powerless, voiceless, impoverished
victims of oppressive rule as targets (or strawmen), and thus obtain more
tax money to "fight" the problem, than to go after the financiers who are
powerful, influential, well-connected, wealthy, and "respectable"?

Given the way the war on drugs has been waged, and given the kind of logic
driving the long, ineffectual, and very costly "war" on drugs, the answer
to the question of who governments and the police will point fingers at or
go after if McDonald hamburgers were to suddenly become an illicit product,
is not difficult to guess. In fact, the answer is crystal clear: teenagers
who flip hamburgers and those who eat the stuff.

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ABSDF: MON ETHNIC CHAIRMAN CHARGED UNDER EMERGENCY PROVISION ACT
21 October, 1998 from <lurie@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> 

Burma's military junta has charged the Chairman of the Mon National
Democratic Front (MNDF) under the 1950 Emergency Provision Act for his role
supporting the Committee Representing People's Parliament (CRPP).

According to sources in Moulmein, on 9 October Naing Ngwe Thein, Chairman
of the MNDF, was formally charged at a township court in Moulmein. A court
hearing, consisting of evidence from pro-military witnesses, was held on
October 16.

Seventy-five year old Naing Ngwe Thein has been detained since the Burmese
military began its crackdown on Members of Parliament (MPs) in May this
year. The crackdown was aimed at blocking attempts by the National League
for Democracy (NLD) to convene parliament.  The NLD recently announced the
formation of the CRPP, which represents MPs from the 1990 election, and
which was formed to convene Parliament.

Along with Naing Ngwe Thein, two other MNDF officials and MPs were also
charged under the Emergency Provision Act. They are Dr. Min Soe Lin, the
elected MP from Ye township and General-Secretary of the MNDF, and Dr. Min
Kyi Win, who is also an MP and Joint-General Secretary of the party.

Naing Ngwe Thein has struggled against successive military governments in
Burma to bring equal rights to his people. As a youth, he participated in
various political movements including the fight for independence from the
British. In 1988, he formed the MNDF.

Foreign Affairs Assistant-Secretary for the All Burma Students' Democratic
Front, Zaw Min, said that the MNDF's backing of the CRPP prompted the arrests.

"Given MNDF's crucial role supporting the CRPP, it's highly likely that
Naing Ngwe Thein and the two party MPs will be given long prison terms."

Meanwhile the NLD stated that the number of arrests of party officials and
MPs has now reached 979. It is believed that the military regime has so far
released only 23 of the detainees. According to sources in Rangoon, the
number of arrests of political opponents of the regime since May is well
over 2,000.

All Burma Students' Democratic Front (ABSDF)
For more information please contact 01-253 9082, 01-654 4984. 

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NEW  LIGHT OF MYANMAR: MINISTER RECEIVES HEAD OF UNHCR OFFICE (YANGON BRANCH) 
21 October, 1998 from <OKKAR66129@xxxxxxx> 

(8)   Minister receives Head of UNHCR Office (Yangon Branch)

YANGON, 20 Oct-Minister for Immigration and Population U Saw Tun received
Head of United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (Yangon Branch) Mr
Canh Nguyen Tang at his office this afternoon.

Present were Deputy Minister U Maung Aung, Director-General Col Maung Htay
of Immigration and National Registration Department and Deputy Director-
General Major Zaw Tun. 

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MIZZIMA NEWS SERVICE: INTERVIEW WITH COMMUNIST PARTY OF INDIA 
17 October, 1998 

(Interview with Sitaram Yechury, Polit Bureau Member of Communist Party of
India (Marxist) on India's support to democracy in Burma)

A powerful left party of India has expressed its solidarity with Burmese
people in their struggle for restoration of democracy in Burma. The
Communist Party of India (Marxist), which is in power in three states of
India expressed its support and solidarity with National League for
Democracy and Aung San Suu Kyi in its 16th Congress which was held in
Calcutta, West Bengal State of India on 5-11 October 1998. In its overall
resolution and political report of the Congress, CPI (M) mentioned ; "The
struggle of the Burmese people for the restoration of democracy has entered
a new phase. The National League for Democracy under the leadership of Aung
San Suu Kyi had won a landslide victory in the 1990 general elections
polling more than 80 percent of the vote. But the Parliament has not been
convened till date. The campaign for the convening of the Parliament is
gaining popular support. The ruling military junta prevented Aung San Suu
Kyi to travel and address her party workers and people and virtually
confined her to house arrest, once again. The CPI (M) has expressed its
solidarity with the struggle of the Burmese people for restoration of
democracy".

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) is a part of the third largest
political force in the Indian politics and it has 32 Members of Parliament
in the current Lok Sabha (Lower House) of India. Sitaram Yechury, a
spokesperson and member of the Polit Bureau of the CPI (M), spoke to
MIZZIMA News Group on the position of his party and the role of India
towards democratic movement in Burma.  

Excerpts :

Q : 	Recent Congress of your party had a resolution on Burma. Can you tell
us about it ? 

A :	The recently concluded 16th Congress of the CPI (M), as a part of its
overall political resolution and its political report, has specifically
mentioned our solidarity with the struggle for democracy in Burma. And also
with the manner in which the leaders and Members of Parliament of the NLD
are being detained which we think runs contrary to the spirit of democratic
assertion that has been the symbol of the later part of the 20th century in
the world. We have urged the current regime in Burma to convene the duly
elected parliament apart from the fact that our Members of Parliament have
been active and mobilising support and also writing to the current head of
the Burmese State, asking him to convene the parliament which has not been
convened for eight years now after the election. And therefore we have in
an unequivocally manner expressed our support to Burmese people in this
struggle. And this Congress has specially noted that this solidarity of the
CPI (M) and we think a large section of Indian people with the Burmese will
continue to remain. And grows strong in the days to come and we can only
wish the Burmese people for success in the struggle.

Q:  How do you analyze the present political situation in Burma?

A:  Well, we have been following the developments in Burma but naturally we
are handicapped by the fact that we don't get full information. Whatever
have come down through the media and through our friends who keep us
informed, we have to be accessed [sic] on that. But it is clear that both
from the time of the manner which the regime prevented Aung San Suu Kyi to
move out of Rangoon and to go and meet her supporters and also that the
entire international attention that has drawn to her being detained in her
car for several days. After this also, we have learnt that there has been
an escalation of the repression on the NLD activities and leaders that have
taken place which we think is a repressive thing to happen and it is
something we oppose outrightly. But it is ultimately the strength of the
Burmese people in the struggle against such an authoritarian regime that
will determine the success of the movement. While the international
solidarity movement, of course, is an important aspect, we only wish that
the Burmese people will mount a greater stronger popular resistance to what
is happening. But as far as the repressive actions are concerned, that we
outrightly condemned. We think this is not the manner in which people's
aspiration can be trampled upon.

Q:  Aung San Suu Kyi has called for international support to what the NLD
is doing now. But there is no response from the Government of India yet.
What is your view on that?

A:  All of us are opposing this government tilt on the foreign policy which
actually goes against the consensual position of the people of India that
we always stood for liberty, democracy, freedom and of methods of achieving
them based on popular struggles. And I think the present government's stand
is unfortunate. We are taking this up in the parliament; we are taking this
up in various forum of the parliament and in various committees that are
there with the foreign ministry. So our party is taking this up, but
unfortunately as long as this government is there, I think, there will be a
degree of isolation that is being portrayed. That will continue. But I
think a greater pressure on them will have to be mounted even within India.
And that is something that our party is doing. We think more and more
parties should join in this process. We think in the days to come the
Government of India may be forced to actually make a response.

Q:  What role India can play and should play in promoting democracy and
freedom in Burma and in the region?

A:  We think India has a very important role and a big role to play in
promoting or restoring democracy in Burma and also promoting peace and
security as well as freedom and equality in the entire region among the
various peoples. Because India traditionally has had a role to play in this
direction particularly since the period of decolonization that began. And
during the decades of '50s and '60s, India had an important role in
actually galvanizing the peoples of the former colonies into coming and
having an independent status for themselves and deciding for themselves how
they will proceed. Now this role unfortunately has gotten derailed for
various reasons. Particularly during the last six months, you will find
that tremendous retrovation in India as far as this role is concerned.
Specifically with Burma, today India has had and continues to have its
close relation with Burma. In fact, during the colonial time, the links
with Burma were very very deep and very very strong. So we think that there
is even an emotional bound between the people in Burma and India. That
closeness is something that cannot really be erased so suddenly. So India
has both political as well as moral role to play in this struggle of
Burmese people currently for restoration of democracy and I think this is
the rightful role India should play. Indian people will have to pressure
the government to move into right direction. And that is something that we
are doing.

Q:  If you have a message for the Burmese people who have been under a
dictatorial regime for more than three decades, what would you like to say?

A: The only thing I would like to say first is that they are very
heroically facing up to the repression and struggling to establish what is
their own due right and that is to have a democratic system where everybody
whatever be the idea can flourish. And they can content in terms of ideas
but not in terms of arms and muscles power. That I think this is a sort of
society which any civilized society at the end of the 20th century should
be. So my first observation would be that the Burmese people for their
heroic and continued struggle that they are doing, they have today earned
the respect of many freedom lovers all over the world and particularly in
the country. Secondly, our only message is that one should recollect that
20th century is witnessed to a lot of historical events and one singular
message that comes across the entire 20th century is that for some time
democracy can be trampled, for some time repressive and authoritarian
regimes can survive, but even Hitler could not really survive. So the 20th
century actually has shown that the spirit of democracy, the spirit of
freedom more than just democracy, the spirit of liberation, the spirit of
liberty is something that cannot be controlled or that cannot be quelled
for the long time to come. And that is the direction of the history. So
therefore victory will be with Burmese people. But it is only a matter of
time and the courage and determination that is shown by the Burmese people
will reduce that time.

By : MIZZIMA News Group, 1944, Outram Line, Kingsway Camp, Delhi - 110009
Tel/Fax : 0091-11 7115491

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XINHUA: TWO THAI BANKS RULE OUT JOINT VENTURES WITH MYANMAR 
19 October, 1998 

BANGKOK (Oct. 19) XINHUA - The Thai Farmers Bank and Siam City Bank have
ruled out a plan to form a joint venture respectively with Myanmar, citing
lack of transparency in the country's foreign exchange system.

Thai Farmers Bank's first executive vice-president Siripongs Kalayanarooj
said Monday that the bank has canceled a memorandum of understanding to set
up a bank in Myanmar, as there is so far no transparency in exchange rate
of Myanmar's local currency.

He told reporters that currently the Myanmar currency is trade at four
Myanmar kyat against one Thai baht on the black market, while the official
rate is at one kyat against four baht.  This attracts growing black markets
resulting in uncertainty in investment.

Siripongs said another major reason was that the bank has no plan for any
new investment abroad for the time being.

Since the beginning of this year, the Thai Farmers Bank had closed down
many branches with poor performance abroad to reduce costs.

Meanwhile, a Siam City Bank executive said the bank has also canceled a
memorandum of understanding to form a joint venture with May Flower Bank of
Burma, citing the same reason as the Thai Farmers Bank.

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AFTENPOSTEN: BURMA-NORWAY TRADE 
7 October, 1998 by Gunnar Tore Larsen, translation by Burma Support
Group/Norway, <bsgnor@xxxxxxx> 

Imports from Burma Continue

By September, Norway had imported goods worth 4,6 million NOK. Prime
Minister Bondevik is considering a legal ban after the New Year.

Norway's trade with Burma goes on despite Prime Minister Kjell Magne
Bondevik's strong warnings to the business community in March of this year.
At that time, Bondevik said that the Government would enforce a legal ban
on trade if enterprises would not voluntarily stop doing business with
Burma. This has not happened, although import so far in 1998 is worth 1,6
million NOK less that at the same time last year.

On the other hand, exports to Burma are almost non-existent. Today, Norway
is selling practically nothing to Burma, according to an overview from the
Norwegian Bureau of Statistics.

Although imports from Burma are almost at the same level as previous years,
the Prime Minister considers it to be too early to consider a legal ban
against trade.  "We would like to observe how this develops until after New
Year," said state secretary Gunnar Husan at the Prime Minister's office.

Imports from Burma are comprised mostly of wood products, cork and clothes.
In August alone, goods worth 1,2 million NOK were imported. 0,7 million NOK
of wood products were imported as well as 0,4 million NOK worth of clothes.
So far, August is the only month where there is export to Burma. The export
was worth 200,000 NOK, and constituted machinery for Burmese industry
according to the Bureau of Statistics. Total imports from Burma last year
were worth 10,4 million NOK.

PS: 1 USD= app. 7,5-8 NOK
PS2: During December 1997-March 1998, the Government sent letters to
Norwegian enterprises doing business with Burma urging them to refrain from
doing so.

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