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Burma Courier No. 202 Oct 16, 1



Subject: Burma Courier No. 202     Oct 16, 1999


BURMA COURIER No. 202           Oct 10 - 16, 1999

"Please use your liberty to help promote ours."
-- Daw Aung San Suu Kyi of Burma

Headlines:	  
	DAW AUNG SAN SUU KYI SENDS A MESSAGE TO CANADA	
	UN ENVOY CONDUCTING HIGH LEVEL TALKS IN RANGOON 
	ALERT IN BURMA OVER 'TERRORIST' MENACE
	WARRIORS' ARREST SET AS CONDITION FOR RE-OPENING BORDER
	THAIS BEEF UP BORDER SECURITY FOR REFUGEES
	SOLDIERS SENTENCED FOR BEATING DEATH OF TRUCK DRIVER
	
******************************************************************
For the record

DAW AUNG SAN SUU KYI SENDS A MESSAGE TO CANADA

This week marked the eighth anniversary of the announcement awarding the
Nobel Peace Prize to Aung San Suu Kyi of Burma.  Daw Suu has just sent the
following message to Canadians through the Canadian Friends of Burma in
Ottawa.

Canada is one of those countries which has a special place in my heart
because it is very far away from Burma and yet consistently the people and
the government of Canada have shown great concern for our struggle for
democracy. For that I would like to thank the people of Canada, the members
of the Parliament of Canada and the Canadian government. It has been a very
difficult time for us over the last 18 months.  In this time, when the
oppression of the military regime has increased, the support of our allies
all over the world has meant a great deal to us.  We have been encouraged
and heartened by your consistent stand in favour of democratic change in
Burma. 

Canada is one the strongest industrial nations in the world.  The
investment of Canadian firms in Burma is for this reason an important
issue. The National League for Democracy supported the call for sanctions
which started several years back after it became obvious that foreign
investment was only benefiting the military authorities and their close
allies. We do not think that investment in Burma at this time can do our
country any good.  It is not because the National League for Democracy is
against business as such. It is not because we are against foreign
investment. It is only because we do not think that the time and
circumstances are right for investment. Investment made at the right time
and in the right way could be of enormous benefit, not only to the people
of Burma but to those who are investing Burma. But that time has not yet
come.  It is only when there is a democratic framework that allows the
operation of a genuine market economy is in place that investment can be of
benefit to both investors and to the people of country that the investment
takes place.

As we are talking about the economy, I would also like to talk about an
issue which is very closely linked to the everyday lives of the people of
Burma. This is the question of drugs.  As many of you are aware, Burma
produces more opium than any other country in the world.  Not only that, in
recent months the production of amphetamines in Burma has increased. The
drugs that are produced in Burma are consumed by people all over the world.
I'm sure they have found their way to Canada as well.  We are facing social
problems connected with drug addiction in our country and so are the people
of Canada and other countries.  In order to get rid of this great danger,
we need a government that is committed to the eradication of drugs; a
government that will have no truck with drug traffickers; that is to say, a
government that is accountable and responsible.  A government that is the
people's government.  Only a government that is controlled by the people
through regular democratic elections will be able to work for the good of
the people. Only a government that has to account to the people for
everything that it does will be able to rid Burma of this terrible problem
of drug production and trade. 

I'm sure that the people of Canada and the members of the Canadian
parliament are as keen as we are to get on with the eradication of drugs in
Burma.  But it is important that we should go about it in the right way. 
To cooperate with organizations and groups which can do nothing about
eliminating the real cause of the drug production in Burma would reap only
very small short-term benefits. In order that we may eradicate drugs
completely and that the problem of drug addiction in Burma as well as in
the rest of the world may be dealt with effectively, we need in place good
governance.  Democracy is about good governance. 

Everything I say comes back to that -- democracy in Burma. The movement for
democracy in Burma is working for many things. And at the same time, it is
working for just a few things.  If we were to detail all the effects that
we expect from good governance in Burma it would be endless.  And yet we
could put it all down to a few basic facts. What we want is an accountable
transparent government that will work for the good of the people.  What we
want is a system that ensures a healthy balance between freedom and
security.  With such a government and with such a system, we would have no
trouble going about the eradication of opium production which does so much
harm our people and to peoples all over the world.

I'd like to thank the members of the Canadian government for their support
for our Committee Representing the People's Parliament.  As many of you are
aware, democratic elections took place in Burma nine years ago and still
the results have not been honoured by the military authorities.  By
supporting our Committee Representing the Parliament, you are supporting
the process of democratization in Burma.  I hope that you will strengthen
your support and with your help, and with the strength and perseverance of
our people we shall achieve our goal in the near future, within a short
time, the shorter the better.

That we may achieve our goal in as short a time as possible, we would like
to call upon our friends in Canada to help us and support us at this time,
when support is very badly needed.

*******************************************************************
International focus

UN ENVOY CONDUCTING HIGH LEVEL TALKS IN RANGOON 
Based on Reuters and AFP reports:  October 15, 1999

RANGOON -- A senior U.N. official is in Rangoon on a delicate mission to
promote dialogue between Burma's ruling military council and the opposition
led by Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.

Accompanied by World Bank and International Monetary Fund representatives,
Assistant U.N. Secretary-General Alvaro de Soto arrived here Thursday and
immediately held a working lunch with Myanmar Foreign Minister Win Aung and
officials.

On Friday de Soto was due to meet Lieutenant General Khin Nyunt, First
Secretary of the ruling military council.  He was also scheduled to hold
talks with Home Affairs Minister Colonel Tin Hlaing and Brigadier General
David Abel from the prime minister's office. 

Besides Suu Kyi, De Soto was scheduled to meet the chairman of the Shan
National League for Democracy, Khun Tun Oo, as well as leaders of some of
the ethnic minority cease-fire groups, including Nai Shwe Kyin from the New
Mon State Party (NMSP) and Zaw Mai of the Kachin Independence Army (KIA). 

De Soto's visit follows a request by the U.N. Assembly to Annan to try and
end Burma's isolation by persuading the government to negotiate with the
opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) led by Suu Kyi.  He has
already visited the country on five previous occasions.

In a last minute change, an economist from the World Bank was included in
the U.N. team.  When De Soto visited the country a year ago, he raised the
possibility of World Bank development aid if the government initiated a
dialogue with the opposition.  So far the military has refused to negotiate
with Suu Kyi's party unless the NLD disbands the Committee Representing the
People's Parliament.  The CRPP was formed a year ago when the military
government began arresting parliament members in a crackdown on the
opposition. The U.N. delegation is expected to stay in Rangoon until
Monday. 

******************************************************************
Political developments

ALERT IN BURMA OVER 'TERRORIST' MENACE

RANGOON, Oct 15 (Reuters) - About 15,000 people gathered for a
pro-government rally in the Burmese capital on Friday to condemn
"terrorists and terrorism'' in an apparent response to a siege this month
of the junta embassy in Bangkok.

Witnesses said the demonstration, which lasted a little over an hour, was
made up of members from 22 state-sponsored 'people's organizations from
various parts of the country.  It coincided with a visit to the Burmese
capital of assistant U.N. secretary-general for political affairs Alvaro de
Soto who is holding meetings with military government officials and members
of opposition groups in a bid to promote dialogue.

Rally organizers proposed a motion, approved unanimously by the largely
subdued crowd, that ``we firmly support the efforts carried out by the
government for the prevalence of peace and development.''

The military government has been embarrassed by the 25-hour siege of its
embassy in the Thai capital on October 1-2, which ended when five student
radicals freed their  hostages and escaped in a Thai government helicopter.
 Relations with neighbouring Thailand were damaged by the siege and by
Thailand's refusal to condemn the action.  The generals have since accused
Thailand of glorifying the "terrorists.''

The NLD issued a statement accusing the Burmese Military Intelligence of
organizing Friday's rally.

Sources in Rangoon said a similar rally might also take place in Mandalay
but gave no further details.  In the past, the military government has used
similar rallies to put pressure on the opposition. It engineered a series
of rallies in 19 Myanmar cities a year ago to try to isolate the NLD and
Suu Kyi from popular support.

Meanwhile Shan Herald sources report that the country has been under an
officially decreed 'state of emergency' since October 2 when the Bangkok
embassy was seized.  A previous 'state of emergency' declared in August in
anticipation of 9999 disturbances had ended on September 30 just two days
before the new order went into effect. 

According to the source, township Peace and Development Councils all over
country  were summoned into session on October 10 to listen to the junta's
version of the Bangkok siege and to make preparations against a possible
attack by Thailand and 'minions' (a term for exiled activists).  Members of
the Red Cross Society, fire brigades and the Union Solidarity and
Development Association (USDA) in each township were directed to keep an
eye on "suspicious characters and behaviors" and report to the authorities
on an hourly basis.

*******************************************************************
Countercheck

ARREST OF 'WARRIORS' SET AS CONDITION FOR RE-OPENING BORDER
Based on Rangoon newspaper and news agency reports:  Updated to October 15,
1999

BANGKOK -- The Burmese junta has demanded that Thai authorities arrest the
radical group known as the 'Vigorous Burmese Student Warriors' who were set
free after storming the Burmese Embassy in Bangkok earlier this month.

U Hla Maung, the Burmese ambassador to Thailand, indicated that this would
be a condition for resolving current problems over border crossings and
fishing rights.

''We want Thailand to arrest the five who stormed the Burmese Embassy and
to put them on trial here,'' the ambassador said through an interpreter on
Wednesday. "The sooner the five are arrested, the sooner the border and
fishing problems will be resolved."

The ambassador was speaking after an hour-long meeting Wednesday with
Foreign Minister Surin Pitsuwan.  Bilateral relations between Burma and
Thailand have soured following the siege of the embassy on Oct 1. Burma has
sealed all border checkpoints and canceled concession for Thai fishers in
Burmese water, resulting in losses estimated at up to 40 million baht ($US
1,000,000) a day for the industry based in southern Ranong province. 
Estimates of the losses involved in border trade between the two countries
approach $ US 700,000 daily. 

But Surin has denied that the ambassador gave him any ultimatum during
their meeting on Tuesday. "The Burmese ambassador might have said so to the
press. He probably believed doing so could create some pressure," the
foreign minister said during an interview on Friday.

Meanwhile, Thai Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai denied reports in the local
press that he had canceled a mission to Rangoon to try to smooth ties by
former Thai army commander General Chetta Thanajaro.  "I did not stop him,
but I'm not sending him because the foreign ministry is working on this
issue," he said.  Chetta, now with the Interior Ministry, has close links
with the military in Rangoon and advises the government on Burmese affairs.

The prime minister also gave assurances that Thailand would arrest the five
hostage takers, if they were found on Thai soil.  In a related move, Gen Bo
Mya, leader of the Karen National Union this week pledged to help Thailand
arrest the five, if they were found in territory controlled by his troops. 
Bo Mya said the assailants had been released a long way from where the
Karen National Union operates.  He claimed that Rangoon's accusation that
the KNU was involved with the five was part of a smear campaign.

=====================================================

CLOSURE BACKFIRES ACROSS THE BORDER

MAE SOT, Oct 16 (BKK Post) -- Burma's border towns are running short of
food, fuel and other goods since Rangoon shut the border with Thailand two
weeks ago. Prices have soared and the black market is beginning to thrive
again.

Thai officials and traders in Mae Sai district, Chiang Rai, said Burmese
traders were sneaking across the Moei river from Tachilek township to buy
goods at Thai markets.  The smugglers revealed that prices of consumer
goods in Tachilek and towns in eastern Shan state had at least doubled
since the closure.

Farther south, the closure has hit the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army, the
junta's ally, which taxes goods passing through its territory as its
primary source of income. Myawaddy villagers opposite Tak province were
suffering a severe shortage of essential goods. Smuggling has intensified
and the cost of fresh food and fuel has jumped tenfold.

The only Thai-Burma crossing point still open facilitates the passage of
visitors to a casino. The Ranong-Kawthaung pass provides visitors, 85% of
them Thai, access to the Koh Song casino where at least 10 million baht
($US 250,000) changes hands daily. Sources said the temporary pass, where
each visitor is charged 250 baht, had until recently operated from
6.30am-6.30pm but is now open all day. 

*******************************************************************
Mailbag

JUNTA'S USE OF QUID PRO QUO CHALLENGED

Starting in July last year, SPDC began holding hundreds of Representatives
of Parliament from the NLD party captive at government guest-houses in
Rangoon. They refused to admit that the parliament representatives were
under arrest and insisted that they were just being invited for discussion.
However, when pressured by the  international communities, especially the
UN, they promised "to release them, if the NLD dissolved the CRPP which was
formed to represent the People's Parliament". A QUID PRO QUO.

Now, Burma's SPDC ambassador in Bangkok has said "the border closure will
not be lifted until the five hostage-takers are arrested and punished". 
Another QUID PRO QUO.

This clearly shows what the SPDC/SLORC military regime in Burma is nothing
more than a bunch of military thugs who do not hesitate to use whatever
strong-arm tactics they can think of on any one they find standing in their
way.

If this is not checked and challenged properly by the international
community, especially by the UN and ASEAN, the SPDC will get bolder in its
acts and the world will soon find them transcending national boundaries. 
SLORC/SPDC is an illegitimate government which came to power by a "miltary
coup" after killing thousands of pro-democracy demonstrators in 1988.  Ne
Win came to power after toppling an democratically elected govenment by a
bloodless "military coup" in 1962.  It's not the first time and it won't be
the last if nothing is done about it by the UN.

Allow me to appeal to the UN and the world communities at large not to deal
QUID PRO QUO with the SPDC under any circumstances.  Believe me. They are
so good at it.  More importantly, don't let them fool you.

Minn Kyaw Minn

********************************************************************
Refugee update

PRESSURE BUILDS TO GET BURMESE STUDENTS OUT OF THAILAND
Based on articles in BKK Post, UNHCR daily and other sources:  October 15,
1999

BANGKOK -- The United States has pledged full support for the planned
third-country resettlement of about 2,700 Burmese student exiles now in
Thailand, the secretary-general of the Thai National Security Council said
on Wednesday.

Kachadpai Burusphat was speaking after a meeting with US Assistance
Secretary of State Julia Taft on Tuesday.   He said he had told Mrs Taft
that the Burmese students had no future in Thailand and that resettlement
was the best thing for them. 

Mrs Taft had thanked Thailand for resolving the Burmese embassy crisis
without bloodshed and providing assistance to the asylum seekers, the NSC
boss said. "I told her that we could not be sure it would not happen again,
as long as Burmese students still live here."

At least two students from the Maneeloy holding centre in Ratchaburi
province were involved in the hostage taking incident.  Kachadpai has been
pushing the UNHCR to speed up third country resettlement of Burmese
students in Bangkok and at Maneeloy.

In point of fact, the UNHCR held a meeting on Tuesday with representatives
from a dozen Western embassies that have at one time or another accepted
Burmese student refugees to acquaint them with the current situation and to
see what could be done to find additional sponsorships for the students.

The numbers of Burmese student refugees being accepted by foreign countries
has slowed in the last couple of years.  Canada, which was taking in more
than a hundred annually for several years, is slated to take in only thirty
five government sponsored students through its Bangkok embassy this year. 
A few others continue to come through private sponsorship channels.  

Following meetings in Bangkok, Taft issued a statement saying that the U.S.
government was prepared "to increase the number of resettlement
opportunities for Burmese students".  An embassy official said the offer
was not directly in response to the hostage taking crisis.  The statement
also re-affirmed that Washington would continue its support for programs
being carried out by the UNHCR and NGOs to assist Burmese asylum-seekers in
Thailand.

*******************************************************************
At the borders

THAIS BEEF UP BORDER SECURITY FOR REFUGEES 
Based on several Reuters and AFP reports:  October 16, 1999

MAE SOT -- The Thai army this week said it had beefed up security for
thousands of refugees taking shelter along the western border with Myanmar.
 

The Thai move follows the Burmese junta's sealing of its 2,400 km (1,464
miles) border with Thailand after five student radicals stormed Rangoon's
embassy in Bangkok. "The fresh deployment is to provide security for
refugees in camps and to avoid possible violation of our territory,'' said
Major General Thomorn Kijsopol, Thai commander at the border.

In Ratchaburi's Suan Phung district where the Htam Hin and Maneeloi camps
are located, soldiers from the Thai First Army Region ordered reporters to
clear out of a border checkpoint area saying that an expected upcoming
offensive against rebel armies by Burmese troops could spill over on to
Thai soil.  

The area is opposite the Kamaplaw district in Burma where the five student
'Warriors' are believed to have found refuge with the anti-Rangoon group
known as God's Army.   There were reports of gunfire exchanges between the
Karen sectarian group and Burmese army units stationed in the area earlier
in the week, but no casualties were reported.

A senior Karen National Union officer said the Thai army may have
overreacted as an all-out offensive by Burmese government troops against
rebel armies is very unlikely because of the rainy season. The muddy
terrain has prevented both sides from engaging in all-out combat.  The next
round of any offensive will not be for another month when the wet season
ends, said the officer.

Meanwhile, there were reports of at least two clashes between Thai forces
and armed intruders who crossed into northern Mae Hong Son province near
camps where 10,000 Karenni refugees are sheltered.  Thai Third army region
chief of staff Major General Chamlong Phothong said an unknown number of
Burmese soldiers had crossed into Thailand near Ban Huay Phung village in
the Muang district on Thursday evening and that there had been an exchange
of fire. 

The incident followed another reported by NGO workers 10 kms farther south
at a location identified as Ban Maisape. The village, about 1.5 km from the
frontier, is about 4 km north of the refugee camp known as Karenni camp no.
2.   According to an informant the intruders opened fire on a group of 20
uniformed Thai soldiers who had moved into the area after a villager said
troops had crossed into Thailand.

In Rangoon, a military spokesman denied both incidents, saying that they
had probably been cooked up to co-incide with a visit to the Burmese
capital by U.N. Assistant General Secretary Alvaro de Soto. 

=====================================================

CLASHES WITH SSA  BRING HEAVY CASUALTIES TO JUNTA TROOPS 

LASHIO, Oct 15 (S.H.A.N.) -- The Shan Herald's source, in northern Shan
state says that Burmese army forces in the area have been suffering heavy
losses in their campaign against an expeditionary force of the Shan State
Army - South (SSA -S).

During an engagement on Sept 20 near the village of Namlin, in the Mongheng
Tract of Mongyai Township, the Northeastern Command's IB 41 from Lashio,
was reported to have suffered up to 70 casualties, among whom was the
deputy battalion commander.

Since June, when the expeditionary force led by Col Moengzuen entered
Hsipaw, Mongyai and Tangyan townships, at least seven commissioned officers
have been killed, sending a wave of shock into the Burmese Army's rank and
file," the source, identified simply as DIN, reports. "There was even
speculation that some of the officers' may have been assassinated by their
own men and not the SSA."  Junta officers have a reputation for
heavy-handedness in dealing with enlisted troops. 

Reports that some of the Burmese army losses may have been due to errors in
judgment by fighters from ceasefire groups who accompany the junta's units
on their patrols have enraged Shan members of these groups, causing some of
them to defect to the SSA - S.

*******************************************************************
Company news

BURMESE CIGARETTES TO FIND THEIR WAY TO MOSCOW

RANGOON, Oct 15 (MBZ) -- The Myanmar Billion Group has entered into an
agreement with a Russian company for the export of Burmese made cigarettes
to Russia, according to the Thai business sheet Myabuzz.

Russian smokers will soon be able to light up the popular London brand
cigarette produced by Rothman's of Pall Mall Myanmar Pte Ltd.  The business
daily said Rothmans  is planning to introduce several new cigarette brands
to the Burmese market, as well.

Pall Mall Myanmar must be doing well these days because the tobacco company
is the main sponsor of the Myanmar Golf Tour which got underway this week
in Mandalay. Mandalay Rum, Max Soft Drink Factory, Mandalay Airport Hotel
and foreign companies with outlets in Burma such as Wilson and Canon were
also listed as sponsors.

The Myanmar Billion Group seems to have diverse business interests.  In
addition to its export operations, the company is involved in agricultural
land reclamation projects and urban construction work.

=====================================================

EXPANSION AT S & K COPPER MINE AWAITING JAPANESE APPROVAL

VANCOUVER, Oct 16 (BNBC)  -- Ivanhoe Mines says the 40% expansion in
production at the S & K Copper Mine which it jointly owns with No. 1 Mining
Enterprise of Burma's military government will go ahead, if the project
gets approval from the Japanese financing consortium which is S & K's
principal lender.  The joint venture company  is proposing to finance  the 
budgeted cost of approximately $US 7 million through ongoing copper sales. 
The Japanese consortium includes Marubeni, Nissho Iwai and Chiyoda.  

The expansion which involves the construction of additional facilities at
the electrowinning plant which produces the mine's copper cathode will be
supervised by Merit Consultants, an engineering firm in Vancouver, Canada. 
The project is scheduled for completion by September, 2000.

A company spokesperson in Vancouver said that with world prices for copper
holding above the $ US 0.80 level the projected expansion looked to be
financially feasible.  

=====================================================

NEW ZINC MINE WILL BE JOINT VENTURE WITH AUSTRALIAN COMPANY

RANGOON, Oct 15 (BNBC) -- A surprise announcement in the junta press on
October 12 said that a profit-sharing agreement for the "production" of
zinc had been signed between Cornerstone Resources (Myanmar) Ltd of
Australia and the state-owned Mining Enterprise No. 1.

The notice did not provide further details about the venture except to say
that it was near Mongpawn in Loilem township, east of Taunggyi.  E.E.
Devenish was named as the signatory official for Cornerstone Resources.  A
search of Australian mining companies did not produce the name Cornerstone
Resources, leading to the supposition that the company is probably a shell
inside the stable of a larger Australian company.

Up until now, the main prospects for bolstering the sagging fortunes of
zinc production in Burma have centred around a slag recovery project at the
ageing Namtu mine and the possibilities of exploiting low grade reserves of
lead, zinc and gold, estimated at around 14 million tonnes, in the
Namtu/Bawdwin area of western Shan state.  Mandalay Mining of Australia is
still seeking a partner to help finance this project.

*******************************************************************
Monitor

SOLDIERS SENTENCED FOR BEATING DEATH OF TRUCK DRIVER
Based on information provided by S.H.A.N. and SHRF:  October 15, 1999

LASHIO -- A formal complaint submitted to military authorities in Rangoon
on the death of a truck driver in northern Shan state has resulted in
imprisonment for a sergeant and two privates of Infantry Battalion 522.

A pick-up, in which the driver, Zaw Lin, was returning to Hsipaw, was
stopped by the soldiers at a checkpoint located near Hsawngkae on the road
from Mongyai on June 23.  He and an assistant, Zaw Min, were severely
beaten by the soldiers who accused them of failing to stop at the
checkpoint the previous day on their way from Lashio to Hsengkeo with a
load of spare parts.  During the beating Zaw Lin was hit over the head with
a piece of wood.

A short time later when the two stopped over at the village of Gawnglang,
Zaw Lin complained of dizziness and died soon afterwards.

When the family lodged a complaint with LIB 522 the day following Zaw Min's
death they were told that by failing to register at the checkpoint, he and
his assistant had demonstrated 'disrespect' and that the troops on duty had
 "accidentally overused their force" in trying to teach them a lesson. 
According to an account of the incident published by the Shan Human Rights
Foundation in its July report the truck had failed to stop at the
checkpoint on June 22 because no one was on duty at the time they had
passed through. 

Dissatisfied with the answer, the family took their case to the Muslim
League in Rangoon which launched the formal complaint that eventually
resulted in the sentencing of the three soldiers.  The names of the three
men were not given in the news of the sentencing, but the SHRF story
mentions a staff-sergeant, Maung Pyaung, and a sergeant, Tin Win, as being
on duty at the time the two drivers were beaten at the checkpoint.

=====================================================

CHIN NATIONAL FRONT ACCUSED IN SHOOTING DEATH OF MONK
Based on information provided by the CNF, the CHRO and MIC:  October 14,
1999

CHINLAND BORDER -- The Chin National Front (CNF) has issued a statement
saying that it is deeply saddened by the shooting of a Buddhist monk,
Sayadaw U Thu Nanda at Tlangrua village in Chin state on October 9.

A bulletin issued by Burma's military on Monday accused "a group of armed
terrorists from the CNF" of the shooting death of the 41 year old monk
which it also held responsible for the looting of the village monastery. 
According to the junta newssheet. Villagers and government troops were in
"hot pursuit" of the armed assailants.  

The Chin resistance group strongly condemned the brutal attack on the monk,
maintaining that it had absolutely nothing to do with it.  It said that it
was CNF's position that "different religious beliefs and faiths among the
nationalities of Burma must be respected and free from political
interference".   The CNF statement pointed the finger for the killing at
"Bo Khin Ngut and his group", but did not provide further details.

In Ottawa, Bawilian Salai of the Chin Human Rights Organization said he was
shocked and saddened by the news of the death of the religious leader.  He
said that information received from Thantlang indicated that forty persons
were under arrest in the town in connection with the killing.

*******************************************************************
Briefs

PROGRESS REPORTED IN EFFORTS TO SECURE RELEASE OF GOLDWYN

LONDON, Oct 15 (BBC) -- The parents of Rachel Goldwyn have made progress in
their negotiations to free their daughter who was inspired to make a solo
protest  in Rangoon by the plight of refugees in Thailand   It is reported
that Rachel herself is in good spirits.
---------------------------------------------

EU EXTENDS SANCTIONS AGAINST BURMA

LUXEMBURG, Oct 11 (BBC) -- The European Union has extended for another six
months sanctions against Burma, because of continuing concern over the
state of human rights in the country.  A statement of the EU foreign
ministers meeting in Luxemburg said the EU urged the government of Burma to
take early and concrete steps towards demonstrating respect for human
rights and promotion of democracy.  The EU sanctions, first applied in
1996, include a ban on visits by Burmese officials, withdrawal of trade
privileges and an arms embargo.
------------------------------------------

TINY PRIMATE COULD RE-WRITE SOME HISTORY 

WASHINGTON, Oct 14 (Reuters) -- Teeth and bits of jaw from a tiny,
squirrel-sized animal that lived 40 million years ago in Burma suggest
primates originated in Asia, not Africa as was believed, researchers said
on Thursday.  A team of researchers from France and Burma say the little
animal, which they have named Bahinia pondaungensis, was probably the
ancestor of modern apes, monkeys and humans.  The fossils were discovered
several years ago in the Tagaung district along the Irrawaddy in the
northern reaches of Mandalay division.

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