The BurmaNet News: January 25, 1999

[strider@xxxxxxxxxxx]

------------------------ BurmaNet ------------------------
"Appropriate Information Technologies, Practical Strategies"
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The BurmaNet News: January 25, 1999
Issue #1192

HEADLINES:
==========
AP: HUNDREDS REPORTED JAILED IN MYANMAR 
CFC: REGIME BLOCKS CELEBRATION OF CHRISTIANITY 
REUTERS: JAPAN URGES DIALOGUE WITH SUU KYI 
AFP: NLD SLAMS JAPAN FOR INVITING JUNTA BRASS 
ASIAN AGE: JAPAN SHOULD NOT EXTEND HELP TO JUNTA 
AFP: EXILED GOVERNMENT WARNS AID GOING TO JUNTA 
REUTERS: WORLD BANK MULLING MYANMAR VISIT 
BKK POST: TALKS POSTPONED INDEFINITELY OVER BURMA 
THE NATION: BURMA AGREES TO HOTLINE WITH THAILAND 
ANNC: DEMOCRACY MOVEMENT INFORMATION MEETING 
ANNC: BURMA PRESENTATION 
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AP: HUNDREDS REPORTED JAILED IN MYANMAR
22 January, 1999  

BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) -- At least 270 people were sentenced to long prison
terms in Myanmar this month for demanding that a parliament elected in 1990
finally be convened, a dissident group reported Friday.

Myanmar's government started detaining about 1,000 supporters of the National
League for Democracy in September, but there had previously been little
word of
prison sentences. Nobel Peace Prizewinner Aung San Suu Kyi is the leader of
the
NLD.

Suu Kyi's party won parliamentary elections allowed by the military in 1990.
But the ruling council of generals never allowed the parliament to meet.

The All-Burma Federation of Student Unions, a Bangkok-based exile group, said
those sentenced included more than 200 students given 14 years each.
Exceptionally long sentences of 52, 38, 23 and 21 years were handed down to
four activists. Most of the rest received seven years.

Political and security trials in Myanmar are secret and word of sentencing
filters out only slowly.

There was no immediate government comment on the report.

Suu Kyi stepped up her campaign against the military regime last year by
launching new calls to convene the parliament.

The government responded with a crackdown against her party that led to mass
detentions and the closing of some 40 party offices.

The military has ruled Myanmar, also known as Burma, since 1962. Suu Kyi is
permitted almost no political activities.

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CHIN FREEDOM COALITION: REGIME BLOCKS CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION OF
CHRISTIANITY IN
CHIN STATE
22 January, 1999  

Press Release

Cross destroyed, pastors interrogated in acts of continuing Christian
persecution.

Burma's military regime has stepped up its persecution of the Chin Christian
community which is celebrating the Centennial of Christianity in Chin areas of
Burma. Chin pastors are being interrogated and Centennial celebration in Haka,
the capital of Chin State have been postponed by the regime at least until
April.

Chin Christian sought to celebrate their Christianity Centennial from January
1-3,1999 at Thantlang, another city in the Chin State of Burma. The Centennial
marks the arrival of American missionaries Rev. Carson and his wife Laura
Carson in 1899. On January 5,1999 when the celebration in Thantlang was over,
citizen of the town posted a Centennial memorial cross at the top of Vuichip
Hill near Thantlang. The Burmese military from Thantlang ordered the citizens
of Thantlang to remove the cross they had erected atop the hill. After the
citizen refused to remove the cross, soldiers pulled it down and destroyed it.
Six Christian pastors from Thantlang, Rev. Thawng Kam, Rev. Biak Kam, Rev.
Thantu, Rev. Tha Ceu, Rev. Cung Bik and Rev. Beauty Lily were then taken away
from the town and interrogated.

In protest the whole of Thantlang's citizenry stage a general strike prayer
service and fast at local churches or in their homes the following day
(January
6, 1999). In retaliation, the military cut all telephone lines to Thantlang
and
summoned 20 pastors and church leaders from various denominations for
interrogation.

On January 9, 1999 churches around Haka joined the protest by holding prayer
services. Military officers from Haka told church leaders that if they wanted
to put the memorial cross again, they have to apply to the Home Minister in
Rangoon. The Military has also ordered the postponement of Centenial
celebrations in Kaka until April.

The Burmese military is systematically persecuting Christians in Burma and
seems intent on "cleansing" the country of its Chin population. Well over 90%
of the Chin population in Burma is Christian.

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REUTERS: JAPAN URGES JUNTA TALKS WITH SUU KYI
22 January, 1999  

TOKYO -Japan, one of the few world powers which still gives substantial aid to
Burma, yesterday urged the nation's military rulers to start a dialogue with
pro-democracy groups led by Nobel Peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, a Japanese
Foreign Ministry official said.

The official told reporters the request was made in a "frank" exchange of
views
between Japanese Foreign secretary Nobutaka Machimura and Brigadier General
Kyaw Win, deputy president of the Office of Strategic Studies under the
Burmese
Defence Ministry.

Win is believed to be the top aide to Lt Gen Khin Nyunt, the powerful
Secretary
One of Burma's ruling State Peace and Development Council.

Waiting for Win when he arrived at Japan's Foreign Ministry were about 25
pro-democracy supporters who shouted slogans denouncing the military, which
refused to recognize a 1990 election victory by Suu Kyi's National League for
democracy and has ruled the Southeast Asian nation with an iron fist ever
since.

The group has vowed to stage protests throughout Win's 11-day visit, which
start ed on Wednesday. It has sent a letter to Japanese Justice Minister
Shozaburo Nakamura urging Tokyo to ban Burmese military officials from
visiting
Japan.

Japan has taken a softer stance towards Burma's military than the United
States, opting for engagement rather than sanctions.

Japanese officials have avoided the hardline approach favoured by the United
States and most other Western powers, arguing that the military rulers are
more
likely to move towards democracy if links with the world are kept open through
trade and aid.

In 1995, Tokyo lifted its 1988 freeze on economic aid after Suu Kyi was
released from house arrest, announcing it would resume aid for humanitarian
purposes.

The latest round of major aid programmes includes a Y2.5 billion (US$22.1
million) loan in March 1998 to be used for safety projects at Rangoon Airport,
and Y800 million for a project to increase food production.

No new yen loans have yet been offered to Rangoon and analysts said one of
Win's missions was to sound out Tokyo about the possibility of resuming yen
loans.

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AFP: NLD SLAMS JAPAN FOR INVITING JUNTA BRASS
23 January, 1999 

Aung San Suu Kyi's opposition party has strongly protested to Japan's
parliament for welcoming the deputy head of Burma's feared military
intelligence on an official visit.

The National League for Democracy (NLD) said in a statement yesterday it was
disappointed Japan's democratically-elected parliament had invited Brigadier
General Kyaw Win.

The statement said NLD MPs had sent a letter to the Japanese embassy to
express
their concern at the visit.

The NLD statement was issued by the party's 10 member parliamentary
representative committee.

It called on the Japanese parliament to recognise the committee which was
appointed late last year to represent parliament until it was allowed to
sit in
full.

The Bangkok-based All-Burma Federation of Student Unions reported yesterday
that 270 student activists and NLD members were sentenced to long term prison
this month for demanding a parliament elected in 1990 finally be convened.

Those sentenced included more than 200 students sentenced to 14 years each.
Sentences of 52, 38, 23 and 21 years were handed down to four activists while
the others received seven years.

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THE ASIAN AGE: JAPAN SHOULD NOT EXTEND HELP TO JUNTA
24 January, 1999

New Delhi, Jan 23: Burmese pro-democracy activists in India on Saturday
demanded that Japan should not entertain any representative of the "illegal"
Burmese government and provide financial assistance to it.

The activists, who staged a demonstration here, alleged that the military
regime in Rangoon was "stifling the voice of democracy" and it had "no
legitimacy to rule Burma."

In a memorandum addressed to Japanese Prime Minister, they urged Tokyo not to
hold any discussions with the deputy chief of the Burmese defence ministry
Brig-Gen. Kyaw Win who is currently on a tour of Japan.

"If any support to Burmese people is provided that should be given in
consultation with National League for Democracy of Aung San Suu Kyi who are
the
real representative of the people of Burma," the memorandum said.

The Japanese grant of a 2.5 billion yen loan last year has not helped the
people of Burma in establishing a democratic government, it added. (PTI)

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AFP: EXILED MYANMAR GOVERNMENT WARNS AGAINST AID GOING TO JUNTA
20 January, 1999 

BANGKOK- The exiled "government" of Myanmar Wednesday urged international
donors to direct aid to those in need rather than the country's military
rulers, warning it could be used to feed soldiers not children.

The Thai-based National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma (NCGUB)
said
any increase in foreign aid to Myanmar must not fall into the hands of the
ruling military council or individual army units.

"The international community must insist that aid is delivered in a way
that is
transparent, independent and accountable in order to feed the children, not
the
soldiers," NCGUB senior spokesman Sein Win said in a statement.

NCGUB spokesman on US affairs Bo Hla Tint said Washington had set an
example by
ensuring all humanitarian aid is delivered in consultation with the National
League for Democracy (NLD) opposition party under Aung San Suu Kyi.

The NLD won 1990 elections with ease but the junta has refused to yield power
and regularly imprisons opposition supporters.

"US policy specifies that humanitarian aid be undertaken in consultation with
the NLD to ensure that the regime is not diverting it to the military or using
aid for its own purposes," he said.

The NCGUB statement said the junta spent more than half its budget on the
military and less than three percent on health and education combined.

"The regime has used every dollar they have ever touched to feed soldiers, not
children," Bo Hla Tint said.

"Without rigorous accountability, money intended for humanitarian relief will
end up prolonging the country's misery."

Myanmar is one of the world's poorest countries with a per capita gross
domestic product of 753 dollars.

Exiled Myanmar students have spent two days protesting outside the Japanese
embassy here this week, demanding Tokyo limit its aid budget for Myanmar.

Japan suspended all but a small amount of humanitarian aid to the military-run
state in the late 1980s but agreed in February to help finance reconstruction
of the airport in Yangon, Myanmar's capital.

The US and the European Union maintain tough sanctions against investment in
Myanmar in a bid to unseat the junta which has ruled with an iron first since
1962.

Unconfirmed reports in foreign newspapers last year said the World Bank had
offered one billion dollars in aid money in exchange for a genuine political
dialogue between the junta and Aung San Suu Kyi.

The opposing political forces do not recognise each other's legitimacy and
remain deadlocked, leaving the country at the mercy of Asia's financial crisis
and the ongoing international sanctions.

****************************************************************

REUTERS: WORLD BANK MULLING MYANMAR VISIT TO RESUME TALKS
23 January, 1999 

BANGKOK- The World Bank is considering sending a team to Myanmar to resume
talks with the military government and study the country's needs, a senior
bank
official said.

The bank, one of the world's lenders of last resort, cut off financial ties
with cash-strapped and politically isolated Myanmar last September and said it
would not consider giving the government any more money because it had failed
to make repayments on past loans.

A decision on whether to make the visit, however, hinged on the views of the
bank's major donors, the bank's vice president for East Asia and the Pacific
region told reporters late on Friday.

If the visit was approved, bank representatives would most likely plan to
visit
Yangon in March or April, Jean-Michel Severino said.

``We have found in the past that isolation of countries, like in the case of
Myanmar or North Korea, never works,'' he said.

``That is one of the reasons behind our consideration of a plan to visit
Myanmar to resume discussion with the government and all concerned people.''

Severino said World Bank representatives would also seek to meet Myanmar
opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who heads the National League for
Democracy
(NLD) party, which is at odds with government.

He said the visit was not in any way connected to news reports late last year
that international donors and western nations might consider giving Myanmar $1
billion in aid in return for government reconciliation and dialogue with the
opposition.

``This is not connected with those reports. It is just that we feel that there
may be growing social and structural needs for the Myanmar people that need to
be looked into,'' he added.

Myanmar's military government has been isolated by western nations for its
poor
treatment of the pro-democracy opposition.

The ruling State Peace and Development Council has harassed the NLD, curbed
its
political activities and detained and later released thousands of the party's
members. Suu Kyi and the opposition criticise the government for not fostering
democracy and ruling the country with an iron hand.


Critics of the military, which seized power in a bloody coup in September
1988,
want it to recognise the results of a 1990 general election which the NLD won
with a landslide victory.

The military government has refused to do so and rejected NLD calls for the
convening of a Peoples Parliament of elected representatives from the 1990
poll.

The country has been buffeted by the Asian economic crisis, with high
inflation
and rising social needs among its people.

The World Bank said last September that Myanmar's loans and credits had been
placed on a ``nonaccrual'' status, meaning the government would not be able to
borrow money from the Washington-based multilateral lending agency.

Myanmar could only borrow again after it had cleared its arrears, estimated in
September at $14 million.

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BANGKOK POST: TALKS POSTPONED INDEFINITELY OVER BURMA'S PARTICIPATION
23 January, 1999 

Thailand yesterday announced an indefinite postponement of talks between the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the European Union after they
disagreed on conditions for Burma's participation.

The postponement was made because "the two sides cannot find a resolution on
the meeting formality," Foreign Ministry deputy spokesman Kitti Wasinondh
said.

The announcement came after the latest effort of Thailand, host of the 13
Asean-EU Joint Cooperation Committee, which proposed that Burma and Laos sit
behind a plaque that reads "non-signatory."

Bangkok circulated the proposal yesterday but the two groupings could not
reach
agreement in time.

The Thai proposal primarily aims to counter that of the EU, which wants a
plaque reading "new member" to be placed in front of the seats of the Laotian
and Burmese representatives.

Mr Kitti said the EU proposal was unacceptable as there were no longer new
members in Asean, which the two countries joined two years ago.

Neither of the two have signed the Asean-EU cooperation agreement. But Laos
has
a bilateral agreement with the EU.

Yesterday's abrupt cancellation was the second time after the EU called for
the
postponement of the meeting in November 1997, when Asean insisted on Burma's
participation as an observer.

Asean and the EU later agreed last October that Burma would attend as an
observer and refrain from speaking if not necessary.

The agreement also provided for the meeting to display the flags of Asean and
the EU rather than those of individual member states.

Sources said Brussels had sent a letter to Thailand to insist that Burma
should
not speak in the meeting.

A senior ministry official said Burma had agreed that its representative would
not speak on issues involving inter-grouping cooperation. "But as a sovereign
country, it cannot refrain from speaking on other issues, and it wants its
dignity as an Asean member to be properly taken care of," the official said of
the Burmese position.

Senior officials of the two groupings are supposed to discuss various issues
including trade, economic, industrial, forestry and technical cooperation in
the meeting starting on Monday.

The current cooperation agreement between Asean and the EU has been used since
1980.

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THE NATION: BURMA AGREES TO HOTLINE WITH THAILAND
22 January, 1999

BURMA has agreed to a Thai proposal to set up a hotline between their foreign
ministers in an attempt to prevent clashes at sea, Foreign Ministry deputy
spokesman Kitti Wasinondh said yesterday.

Burma's Foreign Minister U Win Aung mentioned the establishment of quick
communications in a letter dated Jan 19 to his Thai counterpart, Surin
Pitsuwan.

"Thailand believes the hotline between the foreign ministers will be an
effective and quick means for both countries to contact each other if there is
any incident at sea," Kitti said.

The establishment of the hotline is among three proposals put to Rangoon after
a series of violent naval clashes in the two countries' maritime zones during
the past few months, which resulted in deaths on both sides.

The other proposals are joint naval patrols and the despatch of Burmese
officials to a fishery coordination centre in Ranong province.

The deputy spokesman said these issues are expected to be discussed by the
Thai-Burma Regional Border Committee chaired by regional commanders and is
scheduled to be held in Phuket in March.

The incidents were usually caused by alleged intrusion of Thai fishing boats
into Burmese waters because of an unclear maritime zone, which led to gunfire.

The clashes prompted both foreign ministries to summon each other's
ambassadors
to submit protest notes.

Kitti quoted U Win Aung as saying in the letter that both countries should
cooperate to prevent further incidents and exercise restraint to prevent
similar misunderstandings and clashes.

According to the Burmese foreign minister, diplomatic channels will work
effectively to prevent further misunderstanding between both countries.

U Win Aung, who was appointed as foreign minister in November, accepted an
invitation  to visit Thailand. Officials concerned are working to prepare for
the  visits which is expected in March or April.

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ANNOUNCEMENT: SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA BURMESE DEMOCRACY MOVEMENT INFORMATION
EXCHANGE MEETING.
22 January, 1999 from <RAMyint@xxxxxxx>

Date:        Saturday, January 30th, 1999
Time:        5:30 PM
Place:       Chin Restaurant
             110 Old County Road
             Brisbane.  CA
             Tel: 650-468-8811
Program:   5:30 PM          Registration
           6:00 - 7:00      Meeting (Keynote speaker: Aung San U from NLD L/A
           7:00 - 7:30      Open discussion
           7:30 PM          Dinner  
     Followed by music, dancing and karaoke ( open mike !!! ) 
           Door prizes, Raffle, etc... ( sponsored by Burma Relief )

Tickets:     $15.00 per person advance reservation
             $20.00 at the door   
Note:  The meeting is optional and open only to those persons interested in
the
Burmese Political situation, NLD LA and related news and activities. All
others
are requested to join us at 7:30 PM for dinner and stay for the evening
activities. 
For tickets, reservations and information contact one of the following:

Chit Ko     415-752-1618
Manny       415-826-5271
Sein Tun    510-494-1666
Tun Lin     650-994-4305

This announcement posted by Richard Aung Myint on behalf of the Organizing
Committee 

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ANNOUNCEMENT: THE KARENNI RAINBOW FOUNDATION- BURMA PRESENTATION
22 January, 1999 from <rolo@xxxxxxx>

The Karenni Rainbow Foundation invites you to:

A  Presentation & Gathering : The Karenni and Burma, for all those interested
in visiting and hearing the perspectives of NGO's, refugees, political groups
that are involved in Burma on a delegation in March.

Date: February 13th  
Time: 3:00 - 5:00
Place: Takatsu Gardens, Tennoji-ku, Osaka, Japan


For more details contact rolo@xxxxxxx

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