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Date:         Sat, 5 Sep 1992 18:48:02 EDT
From:         "John A. MacDougall" <apakabar@ACCESS.DIGEX.COM>
Subject:      BU: 'Burma Focus,' August 92

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From apakabar@igc.apc.org Sat Sep  5 18:39:14 1992
Date: Sat, 5 Sep 92 15:40:56 PDT
From: Indonesia Publications/Task Force <apakabar@igc.apc.org>
Message-Id: <9209052240.AA09298@igc.apc.org>
To: apakabar@access.digex.com
Subject: Burma Focus,No.2,Vol.6,Aug 1992

/* Written  4:02 pm  Sep  5, 1992 by pns:absdf in cdp:reg.seasia */
/* ---------- "Burma Focus,No.2,Vol.6,Aug 1992" ---------- */
*****************************************************************
*                     THE BURMA FOCUS                           *
*      Published By The All Burma Students' Democratic Front    *
*                                                               *
*                 Bi-monthly Newsletter                         *
*                                                               *
*****************************************************************
*Vol.2                        No.6                  August 1992 *
*****************************************************************

Education Under Evil Men

Burmese Universities open amid tight security

Universities reopened amid tight security in Rangoon and in other
Burmese cities on the 24th of August, after being close down for
eight months because of the pro-democracy student called for the
release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize winner.

Watchful university staff and uniformed campus security guards
checked the students' recently issued passes.  No private vehicles
were allowed onto the campuses.

The returning students found new walls inside the campus that make
easier for police to seal off and isolate the riot on the spots.

Other changes have been introduced recently in an attempt for head
off any more trouble on Burma campuses.

Some 3,000 universities teachers were sent to mandatory re-
education courses that stressed discipline and controlling
students.

Khin Nyunt, the country powerful intelligence chief and who is also
chairman of the Education Committee, subsequently blamed
universities lecturers for failing to control their students and
for the "poor management and lack of discipline"  which had led to
the protest.

State-run media, while welcoming the reopening of colleges, warned
against the dangers of destructive acts and external interference
attempting to "disrupt peaceful studies."

Teaching staff would have to be constantly vigilant against
infiltration by "undesirable elements" among the student body, the
official media warned.

All institute of higher education were shut down throughout the
country last December after two days of pro-democracy rallies at
Rangoon Universities and dozens of students were arrested during
and after the demonstration.  University gates were padlocked and
all students bussed home.

Although the state-run newspaper said on 25th August that "students
of the universities, institutes and colleges and schools are now
attending their classes happily begin today," the universities
reopened amid tight security.

Burmese students committee for social affairs based in Bangkok said
several students who led the pro-democracy protests in Dec last
year were sentenced ranging from 6 to 20 years imprisonment by the
military tribunal in Insein prison in July.  They were Thein Than
Htun(Zoology), Than Win(10th Standard), Zaw Win and Zaw
Min Khing(both from Geology), That Hun and Ko Ko Gyi,(both from
International Relations).

After crushing the student-led mass democracy movements and staging
a military coup in September 1988, the State Law and Order
Restoration Council(SLORC) led by Gen. Saw Maung shut down colleges
for more than three years.  After killing, arresting, sentencing,
and chasing thousands of dissidents to Thailand, SLORC reopened
colleges in May 1991.  Professors, students, and parents were
forced to sign notes promising not to protest| violators would be
arrested.

Today, 2,000 to 3,000 Burmese dissident students are facing
starvation at border camps as well as arrest and deportation inside
Thailand.  Their struggle for democracy and "freedom from fear"
under the relentless persecution of both Burmese and Thai military
regimes contrasts with the insecurity of college students in
central Burma who attend classes under duress, and surveillance.

This, year, unless Burma changes, students will continue to be a
target of repression by the Burmese military junta.  The arbitrary
opening and closing of colleges, and a decaying educational system,
are shaping a sad political future for Burma.

(Sources:Bangkok Post, Bangkok & Working People's Daily, August
25, Burmese Students' Committee for Social Affair, 27th August and
The Christian Science Monitor, August 31, 1992)

Spies for Burma's junta

Far Eastern Economic Review, August 20 - Several Burmese
opposition politicians recently released from detention by the
military regime are finding that strict conditions are being put on
their freedom.  Agents from the feared Directorate of Defence
Services Intelligence, or secret police, have told the politicians
that they will be arrested unless they cooperate with the ruling
State Law and Order Restoration Council by acting as informers on
the political opposition, most of whom have gone underground or
fled to remote parts of the country.

Burma agrees to abide by Geneva war conventions

The Nation, Thailand, 27 August - The Burmese junta announced
it has officially acceded to the humanitarian principles of the
1949 Geneva Conventions.
The accession on 24th August, binds the ruling junta to the four
humanitarian Geneva Conventions for the amelioration of suffering
to wounded soldiers on battle-grounds and at sea, for the treatment
of prisoners of war, and the protection of civilians in war time.

At a ceremony in Rangoon, Foreign Minister Ohn Gyaw officially
announced the Burmese commitment to the Conventions before
representatives of the Geneva-based International Committee of the
Red Cross(ICRC).

Ohn Gyaw said the accession did not suggest "our commitment to the
humanitarian principles enshrined in these Conventions starts only
today.  As a matter of fact, it is no secret that the humanitarian
principles in these Conventions have not only been a part of the
educational and training process in our armed forces, but also have
been part of the values cherished by them for years past."

The delay in recognizing the charters was due to "external de-
stabilization influence on the fledgling political process" in
post-independence Burma, he said.

Since 1982 the ICRC had tried to encourage the military government
in Rangoon to accede to the Convention.

"Our armed forces have been engaged in operations to suppress
insurgent movements since independence," Ohn Gyaw said.  "At the
present time, through historical necessity to uphold and defend the
three cardinal national causes, we have a military government
backed by the State Law and Order Restoration Council which spurned

no efforts to ensure smooth transition to a multi-party democratic
system aspired to by the Burmese people."

Western countries and international aid and humanitarian groups
have criticized and condemned the SLORC for gross human rights
violations, its brawled and excessive use of force against pro-
democracy dissidents, civilians and ethnic nationals.

Burmese Military Arrests Young People

BBC, Burmese Service, August 28 - Hundreds of the Burmese
young people age under 20 year-old were arrested by the military
troops to carry their ammunition and food, during last week.

Over two hundreds of them managed to escaped into Mae Sod, border
town of Thailand, according to the news services in Thailand.
Forty of them have already been arrested by the Thai army and they
will be deported back to Burma soon, said Thai military officers.

The fact that arrest the young people by the Burmese army  clearly
pointed out the Rangoon's Government is planing to lunch military
offensive against the Karen rebels during the coming dry season,
said the Thai military officers.

The arrested young people said they were forced to carry arms and
ammunition for the army and some of them said they were forced to
work at the construction site in these areas, according to the news
services in Thailand.

Although the Burmese junta declared to stop war against ethnic
Karen rebels in April this year, they didn't not withdraw their
troops from the border.  Thai Military officers in Bangkok said
while the Burmses army is stopping the war against Karen, the army
have built up their forces and have made concrete bankers in the
camps which they captured from the Karen rebels.

A spokesman of the Karen rebel said they think that the Burmese
junta will start their attack during Nov or Dec as like they did in
last year.  However, foreign diplomats in Rangoon don't think that
the junta would like to start their offensive against the Karen
while trying to convene the National Convention.

MPs Escape Into Kachin Liberated Area

Kachin News and Information Service, August 20 - One elected
representatives of the National League for Democracy party(NLD) and
two party organizers have fled to Kachin liberated area at the
beginning of August.

A joint statement issued by them said, "we have seen the suffering
of the people and we can no longer remain inactive.  We have been
elected by the people because they believe that we can help them
free from this repressive military regime.   We have a
responsibility to fulfil this mandate and we believe we can
accomplish this more effectively from the liberated areas."

To date, total 9 NLD elected representatives of the parliament
and NLD organizers have arrived to Kachin liberated area.

Foreign Relations

NAM agrees on Burma readmission

Bangkok Post, Thailand & NCGUB statement, September 1 - Burma
reapplying for return to the Non-Aligned Movement had been
accepted, said the Indonesia Foreign Minister Ali Alatas.

He said the NAM foreign ministers had agreed to heads of states the
readmission of Burma.  These triggered reservations most strongly
expressed by India which voiced concern that approval would make
NAM look like a movement whose members could come and go at will.

India later agreed to go along with general consensus on the
matter, which reportedly was pushed by Southeast Asian member
states of NAM.

Burma pulled out of the movement after voicing criticism at its
sixth summit in Havana, Cuba in 1979.
Meanwhile, the National Coalition Government of Burma, NCGUB
strongly criticized the decision of the NAM's reacceptance of
Burma's junta in the movement.  The NCGUB statement issued on 1st
Sept asked on which criteria the Government of Burma which is
illegitimate and not representin1g the people of Burma was
reaccepted in NAM.

It added that the junta reproached the NAM not because of its
genuine belief in the policy of the NAM but because of its
intention to exploit the power base of NAM in international
community.  Beside, the junta violation of human rights against its
own people, mounting border tension between Burma and Bangladesh
and Burma and Thailand are clearly contradicted from the policy of
NAM.

The NCGUB urged the NAM members, not to make blind eye on it and
review their decision on reacceptance of junta in NAM.

Polish Arms For Burma

Far Eastern Economic Review, August 13 - Despite international
pressure to halt arms shipments to the military regime in Burma,
Poland delivered 12 Mi2 attack helicopters, 100 tones of ammunition
and other equipment to Burma on 17 July.  At least PZL W3 transport
helicopter was also unloaded from the Polish Ship, Marian Buczek.
In Poland's on going military programme with Burma, Polish trainers
are training Burmese pilots.

Burma Bids To Reopen The "Death Railway"

Bangkok Post weekly, Thailand, August 28 - Burma military
government has proposed a rail link with Thailand along the  route
of the "Death Railway" that Japan built during World War II, a
State Railway of Thailand(SRT) official said on August 17.

Thai authorities have accepted the Burmese proposal in principle
but want to discuss it further with Rangoon, the official said.
Burma railway officials are expected to come to Bangkok soon to
discuss the proposal.

According to proposal, Bangkok would construct a new railway line
along the original route of the "Death Railway," which winds
through mountainous and jungle terrain in Kachanaburi to the Three
Pagoda pass border point to link up with Burma's southern rail
route at Thanbuzatay township.

Construction of the 416 kilometer railway link from Burma to
Thailand began in June 1942 by Japan, using some 88,000 Allied
prisoners of war and 330,000 Asian slave laborers under the
direction of the Imperial Japanese Army.  Working from both ends to
ward the middle under brutal conditions, they met at Konkuita,
Thailand in Oct 1943.  By the time the last spike was driven, some
16,000 POWs and 100,000 Asian laborers had died through starvation,
disease and ill treatment.
Trade Unions

ICT puts pressure on Burma Junta

Federation Trade Unions, Burma, August 12 - The Secretary
General of the International Confederation of Trade Union, Asia-
Pacific Region has sent a letter to the leaders of the Burmese
military junta asking for explanations to the death of Port
Corporation Union and National League for Democracy, Central Worker
body leader, U Maung Ko who was detained and tortured to death and
called for the release of all political prisoners in Burma
including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, 1991 Nobel Peace Prize winner.

At a meeting between the International Transportation Workers
Federation(IFT), the Federation of Trade Unions, Burma(FTUB) and
the Seafarer's Union of Burma(SUR), the ITF declared that
international brotherhood of transport workers will stage boycott
on the Burmese junta owned Five Stars Shipping Corporation and also
ships flying the Burma Five Star flag of Convenience will be asked
to re-register under another country.

The ITS and trade unions are taking the initiative to stop the
military regime earning foreign currency, which is used mainly to
purchase arms.

Law & Society Trust honors Suu Kyi

Sari Lanka, August 31 - Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the Burmese
political activist and scholar, has been conferred a professorial
fellowship by the Law & Society Trust.

The fellowship is tenable for one year with effect from Sept 1,
1992.

Ms Suu Kyi has agreed that when she is released from indefinite
detention, she would visit Sari Lanka and deliver a series of
lectures and participate in seminars under the auspices of the Law
& Society Trust, a news release from the Trust said.

She has conveyed the acceptance of the award through her husband,
Dr Michael Aris, during a recent visit.

The Trust in its citation noted that the award "is an
acknowledgement of the contribution made by her to the study of the
intellectual and cultural made by her to the study of the
intellectual and cultural history of Burma, and to an understanding
of the humanistic traditions within Theruvada Buddhist though".
The citation also referred to her moral courage and unwavering
commitment to human rights and democratic values.





Environmental

Rights Groups Express Over Disapproval Of IDA's Assistance To Burma

Activists protested the International Development
Association's(IDA) September disbursement of US $1.5 million to
Burmese military regime, slated for a project, Wood Industries II
and Timber Distribution in the forest industry.

The protest note signed by international environmental groups,
Banking and development groups, peace and religious groups and the
groups working for free Burma sent an open letter to the President
of World Bank, Lewis Preston, on the 1st of Sept.

The groups wrote in their letter, "we are also understand there are
other monies, approximately $120 million as of Nov 1991, slated for
disbursement to a variety of projects."

"The human rights abuses caused by the ruling military junta are
very well documented by the human rights groups including the
Amnesty International, which called Burma "A State of Terror," said
the letter.

The groups also charged that the junta has not allowed the Burmese
people's legitimate democratic leadership to take power and those
democratic leaders have either been arrested, killed or forced to
flee their country and given the worst example as continue
detention of Nobel Peace Prize winner Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.

There is a link, the groups said, between the exploitation of
natural resources and major human rights abuses in Burma.  By
exploiting the natural resources, in particular forests, the junta
able to keep its oppressive pressure against the people.

Concerning with the deforestation, the groups charged, not only the
massive unchecked logging causing ecological devastation, but in
conjunction, destruction to the remaining forest homelands of  the
ethnic minorities which is the only safe havens for political
refugees.

The groups, a coalition of environmental and human rights groups
condemned the IDA's continued disbursement of funds and asked to
cancel all development credits to Burma, otherwise, these funds is
to support a brutal dictatorship with no regard for basic civil
liberties, democracy or environmental protection.

Foreign Investment

Exploitation of Burma Gems

Working People's Daily, Rangoon, August 22 - Burma(Myanmar) Gems
Enterprise and the VES Groups Co.Ltd Thailand signed the Joint
Venture Agreement for exploitaton of Burmese Gems.

The agreement was signed by the Managing Director of Ministry of
Mines, U Khin Oo and Mr Vikrom Aisiri, Managing Director of VES
Group Co.Ltd for the gem cutting, polishing, jewellery making and
marketing.

International human rights groups and law groups and the Burmese
pro-democracy groups and activists call for the international
economic boycott against the Burmese junta for their violation of
human rights toward its own people.

Burma sends honey to Germany

Working People's Daily, August 18 - The bee-keeping department of
the Ministry of Livestock Breeding & Fisheries in order to earn
foreign exchange exported 30 metric tons of honey produced from
European bees in fiscal 1992-93 as the first consignment to a
company in Germany on 17th August.

The honey was sent by "Sagaing" Vessel of the only Burma Shipping
Line, Five Star.

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

The Burma Focus is published by the All Burma Students' Democratic
Front(ABSDF).  It will continue to publish bi-monthly, documenting
the information mainly on human rights violations, ecological
crisis, foreign investments, refugees problems and opium trading in
Burma.  Anyone who wish to obtain information are welcome to
contact its offices: Head office(P.O Box 1352, G.P.O, Bangkok
10500, Thailand, Tel & Fax:66-2-318 8507, Europe Office,
Vaxlarevagen 67, S-171 65 Solna, Sweden, Tel & Fax;46-8-624 36 26
and Norway Office, Sars gate 50, 0566 Oslo, Norway, Tel:47-2-52 24
87.)

Burma Information Bureau
All Burma Students' Democratic Front
(Europe-Office)
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU