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Burma News Update No. 69



Open Society Institute
Burma Project

Burma News Update No. 69
27 October 1998


New Arrests

The arrest of Mon National Democratic Front chairman Naing Ngwe Thein
and two other Mon elected members of parliament in mid-October was
confirmed by officials of Burma's military junta in Rangoon. Only about
60 of an estimated 1,000 democracy activists recently arrested in Burma
have been freed, after what the army regime describes as an "exchange of
views" during their detention. The opposition National League for
Democracy (NLD) reports that detained members of parliament are being
pressured to resign from parliament. The NLD's overwhelming 1990 election 
victory was never honored by the junta. Over 200 of the recent
detainees were parliamentarians arrested as part of the army's ongoing
efforts the NLD's decision to convene the legislature.

Bangkok, "Agence France Presse," 25 October; Reuters, Rangoon, 21 October



Junta Forming Party?

The formation of a "political committee" dominated by Burma's powerful
head of intelligence, Lt. General Khin Nyunt, is prompting speculation
that the regime may soon create its own political party. A leading Thai
Burma-watcher and Chulalongkorn University professor, Dr. Chaichok
Chulsiriwong, warns the junta may be planning a 1999 election to install
a new, but still army-dominated, system. [Other analysts point to the
state-sponsored Union Solidarity and Development Association (USDA)
which has held pro-junta rallies throughout Burma, as a proto-political
party. Few details are known about an election commission operating in
Rangoon-Ed.]

"Australian News Network," 22 October


France Blocks Sanctions

France, whose Total oil company is a major partner of Burma's army
junta, restated its resistance to stronger sanctions against the Burmese
military regime. Both Britain and the Netherlands have called for
stronger measures against the junta, citing human rights abuses and the
generals' refusal to enter into dialogue with the democratic opposition
or with the European Union.

Bangkok, "Agence France Presse,"  21 October; wire reports


WTO Case Opened

The World Trade Organization has convened a dispute panel based on
European Union and Japanese complaints that a Massachusetts law barring
the state from awarding contracts to companies doing business in Burma
violates WTO standards. The U.S. Government responded by pledging to
defend the Massachusetts law. The European parliament has demanded
further sanctions against the Burmese junta and asked the EU not to
attack the Massachusetts statute. On 14 October, one of Europe's largest
trade unions, the 20-million member International Federation of
Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers Unions, urged the EU to sever
all trading ties with Burma.

Geneva, "Reuters," 21 October


Regime Drug Links

Jane's Defence Group, publisher of the widely-respected Jane's Defence
Weekly, charged in a special report that Burma's army junta is profiting
from heroin and ampethamines production and trafficking that is often
carried on near Burmese army bases, particularly in the country's
northeastern Shan State. Senior military officers, including current
army chief Maung Aye, at least partially owe their rise to drug-related
corruption, the report says. Some armed minority groups that have
concluded ceasefires with the Rangoon regime are deeply involved  in the
drug trade, the report states, taking "on the appearance of a large
narcotics-trafficking government militia." 

"South China Morning Post," 14 October


Thai Banks Pull Out

Two leading Thai banks have pulled out of proposed joint venture deals
in Burma, saying a lack of transparency in Burma's foreign exchange
system causes black marketeering and investment uncertainty.

Bangkok, "Xinhua News Agency," 19 October


Human Rights: psycho-colonialism

The Burmese regime's ambassador to the United States Tin Winn lashed out
at critics of the junta's human rights record. In an official statement,
he said that a multiparty system has been adopted, adding, "Allegations
abound mainly because of the fodder fed into the Internet by armed
expatriate groups and those who have an axe to grind. ... [A]llegations
of widespread human rights abuse have never been substantiated."
Meanwhile, Burmese military intelligence chief Lieutenant General Khin
Nyunt told an army-organized international meeting in Rangoon that
"Human rights and democracy ... could be termed a form of
psycho-colonialism." 

Rangoon, Information Sheet No. A-0654(I), 19 October: Rangoon, "Deutsche
Presse-Agentur" 23 October

BURMA NEWS UPDATE is a publication of the Burma Project of the Open Society
Institute.
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