Newsgroups: bit.listserv.seasia-l
Date:         Tue, 28 Jul 1992 04:40:47 PDT
From:         "Indonesia Publications/Task Force" <apakabar@IGC.APC.ORG>
Subject:      BU: ABSDF 'Burma Focus' Issue
X-To:         seasia-l@msu.edu

/* Written  7:05 am  Jul 28, 1992 by pns:absdf in cdp:reg.seasia */
/* ---------- "Burma Focus, No.3&4, July1992" ---------- */
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                        THE BURMA FOCUS

      Published by the All Burma Students' Democratic Front

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Vol.2                      No.3 & 4                   July 1992
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Protest notes

Popular Anger grows over draft constitution

Far Eastern Economic Review, July 23, 1992 - On the afternoon of
26th June, a car drove at high speed along Anawratha Street in the
Burmese capital of Rangoon.  A man in the front seat looked around,
checking the street for police.  Then, as the vehicle accelerated
away, he heaved a bundle of anti-government leaflets through the
window.

Similar mimeographed leaflets and pamphlets have appeared in other
parts of Rangoon and in Mandalay, Burma's second-largest city, for
the first time in more than a year.  Hand-written anti-military
posters have also been spotted on walls in the capital.

The military authorities reacted with their usual efficiency.  More
than 30 young activists are believed to have been arrested over the
past few weeks.

The leaflet campaign is a response to efforts to draft a new
constitution, which is not going as smoothly as the SLORC hoped
when it began talks in June with Burma's political representatives.
The leaflets denounce the meetings as a charade and say no serious
talks can be held as long as all major political figures -
including the main opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi - are in
prison or under house arrest.

They also demand that the National League for Democracy(NLD) -
which won a landslide victory in the 1990 general election - should
be allowed to govern the country, and not have its role reduced to
that of participant in military directed "discussion" about a new
constitution.

Talk between the SLORC and opposition groups

Three meeting between the SLORC and seven political parties,
including the NLD, have been held so far, but the televised
sessions do not appear to have engendered much optimism among most
of the Burmese electorate.  The NLD leadership has been removed
twice since its formation in September 1988.  Its chairman Tin U
and general secretary Aung San Suu Kyi were detained in July 1989.

A new central executive committee, led by former army brigadier and
one-time ambassador to Australia Aung Shwe has been notably
accommodating to the SLORC, and on 15 December 1991 even gave in to
SLORC pressure to expel Aung San Suu Kyi from the party.

Not surprisingly, dissatisfaction with the new NLD leaders is
reported to be wide-spread, both among the public and party units
throughout the country.  A clear indication of this came shortly
after the first meeting between the SLORC and the political parties
on 23 June.

The NLD appointed a 15-man delegation to the talks, headed by Aung
Shwe.  However, his performance was seen as so weak that even the
22-man support committee, which the party set up on 4 June to
advise the negotiators, protested.  This committee, led by veteran
politician and former government official Thakin Soe Myint, is said
to be pressuring Aung Shwe to be bolder and demand the release of
all "persons who should be taking part in these talks."

The only person so far who has asked questions of any significance
during the talks is a representative from an ethnic Shan party, who
wanted to know whether freedom of expression would be guaranteed
during the negotiating period.  The answer from the military
representative, Maj-Gen Myo Nyunt, was evasive.

Further protests are expected as more people realise that a
constitution has already been drafted by former state leaders,
rendering the consultative process virtually meaningless.  Sources
in Rangoon say a committee, including former presidents Maung Maung
and Sein Lwin, finished their work several months ago.

The new constitution will be essentially the same as the one
promulgated in 1947 and abolished when the SLORC assumed power in
1988, but with two main differences.  First, a multi-party system
will be enshrined.  Second, a bicameral parliament will be
introduced with a directly elected lower house and an appointed
upper house representing Burma's various ethnic groups.

But as a Rangoon-based diplomat noted, "the old, pre-1962 federal
system is not going to be reinstated;  it will be a highly
centralized power structure in which the army will remain the most
crucial player, perhaps even with the constitutional right to
assume power if the situation so demands."

NCGUB

Burmese Opposition Broadcasts to Burma

International Herald Tribune, July 20, Oslo(AP) - On the eve of the
third anniversary of the house arrest of the opposition leader Daw
Aung San Suu Kyi, Burma's rebel government started daily radio
broadcasts Sunday to the southeast Asian nation.

Transmission are made on a shortwave transmitter in Kvitso, an
island off Stavanger in northern Norway.  The staff includes three
Burmese refuges, said Hallvard Kare Kuloy, chairman of the
Norwegian Burma Council, an independent support group.

Mr Kuloy said the first broadcast was memorial to Daw Aung San Suu
Kyi's father, the national hero Aung San, who led his country to
independence from Britain.  He was assassinated by Burmese rivals
in 1947.  The anniversary of his death fell on Sunday, Mr Kuloy
said the broadcasts can be heard in Burma and neighboring areas on
the short-wave frequency 17840 kHz.

Foreign Relations

Burma-ASEAN-US

Asean Members Split On Burma Attending Talks

The Nation, Bangkok, July 20, 1992 - ASEAN is split over whether to
invite Burma to participate in its future meetings, with Malaysia
strongly opposed to the idea.

The Philippines, which is hosting the annual Asean ministerial
meeting, tried for weeks to secure agreement among Asean members
for Burma to come to Manila as an Asean guest, according to
conference sources.

The source said Philippine Foreign Minister Raul Mandlapus last
week learned from diplomatic channels that Malaysia was against any
invitation to the repressive regime in Burma to attend this week's
meeting, while other Asean countries appeared to favour the
invitation.

Malaysia believed that Burma's participation would be an
embarrassment to Asean because of Rangoon's record of human rights
violations, especially its attitude towards the Rohingyas, the
Burmese muslims who have been forced to flee the country, the
sources said.

However, Thailand Foreign Minister Arsa Sarsin said on 21st June
that Asean should create "conducive" conditions and an environment
to help Indochina and Burma to become Asean members.  He added that
Asean must act collectively and individually to help their entry
into Asean.

"We must therefore keep our doors open and continue with the
process of building bridges to assist our less fortunate neighbors,
so that they too will become an integral part of the region's
increasing economic progress and prosperity," Arsa said, referring
to Indochina and Burma.

Meanwhile, US Secretary of State James Baker said at the ASEAN
meeting, he did not see any major political changes in Burma during
the recent time and the move toward democratic system was zero.  Mr
Baker urged the Asean members to put the pressure on Burmese
military junta collectively for the sake of the human rights and
democracy in Burma.  However, he admitted that there have been
different idealogy between the US and Asean members toward Burma.

(Source: The Nation, July 20th & 22nd, 1992 and the BBC, 26th July)

Burma-European Community

The Nation, Bangkok, July 22, 1992 - The European Community on 20th
July called on the Burmese authorities to lift travel restrictions
on leading dissident Aung San Suu Kyi and let her resume political
activity, Reuter adds.

In a statement marking the start of her fourth year under house
arrest, the Community said Suu Kyi, aged 47, should be allowed to
travel to and from Burma as she wished and also be permitted to
take part in the political process.

"We believe that this will open the way to national reconciliation
in Burma and the early establishment of a democratically elected
civilian government, reflecting the wishes of the Burmese people as
expressed in the elections of May 1990," said the statement.

Burma-Poland

Against the Wind

Far Eastern Economic Review, Intelligence, July 23, 1992 - Poland
is due to deliver up to 11 armed Mi2 helicopters and at least one
transport version of the same machine to Burma.  Poland sold about
20 Mi20s to Burma in late 1990, and immediately came under pressure
from the US Government and exiled Burmese opposition groups to stop
supplying the military junta in Rangoon with war material.
Washington is understood to have called on Warsaw to halt the
present deal, but cash-starved Poland is said to have rejected the
request.  The helicopters, plus spares and other equipment, were
due to arrive in Rangoon by mid-July.

Refugees

90-day grace time for Burmese exiles to prove students status

The Nation, July 22, 1992 - Thailand will allow a 90-day grace
period for more than 400 Burmese exiles registered with the
Interior Ministry to prove their status as students, while pushing
ahead with a plan to house dissident Burmese students.

Following repeated international criticism alleging Thai police
harassment of exiled Burmese students, the government last
September agreed to set up a holding center to accommodate about
1,500 students.  It subsequently allocated a Bt 16 million budget
to meet registration overheads and renovation costs of a former
border patrol police camp in Ratchaburi Province, and the daily
operation of the center.

More than 1,300 Burmese had registered with the ministry by Nay 16
when the three.month registration period expired.

A government official, who asked for anonymity, said the meeting of
all government agencies concerned agreed that only 515 out of the
more than 1,300 Burmese were genuine students, based on records
with United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and screening
interviews with Thai officials.  About 300-400 were found to be
political asylum seekers.  The remaining Burmese, totalling more
than 400, did not meet the student criteria and were considered to
be economic migrants, the official said.  However, the panel agreed
to allow this group a 90-day grace period to appeal and provide
documents and evidence to prove their identity as students.

Those who appeals are unsuccessful will be asked to leave the
country as they will be considered illegal immigrants and not
genuine refugees, the official said.

The official said the renovation of the camp was 95 per cent
complete and that 500 students can be housed there at the first
stage.

An informed source said more than 90 per cent of those registered
with the Interior Ministry were found to be persons of concern of
the UN High Commissioner for Refugees(UNHCR).

The UN refugee agency is still negotiating for its presence in the
camp.  But the Thai Government has rejected the request, insisting
that it will be the sole authority over the camp and will permit
only access there to the UNHCR.

Over 1,800 Burmese including students have been recognized by the
UNHCR, and an average of 100 students are still applying and
seeking UNHCR, protection and assistance every month.

250,000 illegal Burmese in Thailand

Bangkok Post Weekly, July 17, 1992, Tak - About 250,000 Burmese
illegal aliens have slipped into Thailand through this province's
five border districts in the past several years, a senior official
said on July 3.

National Security Council deputy secretary-general Khachadphai
Buruspat said about 150,000 Burmese slipped across the border to
seek jobs in Thailand and 100,000 others have fled fighting inside
Burma since 1984 to seek political asylum in Thailand.

Although about 2,000 Burmese have been sent home each month, more
keep slipping into Thailand.

"The problem remains unsolved because the Thai-Burmese border is
more than 2,300 km long," Mr Khachadphai said.

However, with some changes in the Burmese leadership, an end to the
crackdown on anti-Rangoon minorities and the release of some
political prisoners, the problem of Burmese migration into Thailand
will ease, he said.

Remember 7th July!

This year's 7 July marks the 30th Anniversary of the first students
massacre in Burma under military dictatorship.  Even though the
nation-wide mass uprisings of 1988 seemingly over-shadowed the
student movements of the past decades, the incident of 7 July 1962
is instrumental in constantly inspiring the historically rebellious
Burmese students in their struggle against the oppressive regime
ever since the British rule.  A reflection of this incident, in
brief, may explain its significance and the political role the
students are now playing in shaping the future of Burma.

On 4th July 1962, four months after General Ne Win had seized power
by force from the democratically elected government on 2nd of
March, Ne Win's Revolutionary Council announced the formation of
the Burma Socialist Program Party.  All existing political parties,
except the BSPP, were banned and the country was heading for a one-
party system, dominated by the military.

On 7 July, a mere three days after the formation of the BSPP,
thousands of peaceful student demonstrators, led by the late Ko Ba
Swe Lay - the then Chairman of Rangoon University Student Union,
were mowed down by the soldiers with newly imported West German G-3
assault rifles and over one hundred students were killed and many
hundreds injured.  The students were the first to demonstrate
openly against the military take-over and called for the
restoration of democracy.  The next morning Ne Win, notorious for
his strong anti-intellectual temperament, ordered the destruction
of the Student Union Building - an invaluable historical shrine to
Burma's struggle for independence.  The corpse of the fallen
students were buried by the army at a secret location west of
Rangoon.  A number of wounded students were buried alive with the
death.

On the wall of the Student Union Building was a battle-cry,
"Remember 7 July!", written by a wounded student, Ko Kyaw Win with
the blood flowing from his wounds.  When the Union was destroyed by
heavy explosives he and many of his wounded comrades hiding in the
building were blown to pieces and every trace of the building was
removed.  The student unions have been banned since then.

But the battle cry of the fallen students - "Remember 7 July!" -
continues to ring on the campus as the message has been passed from
one generation to another, serving as an inspiration for the series
of student uprisings throughout the next decades.

Finally as a consequence of the well publicized uprising of 8
August 1988, Ne Win's BSPP came to and end on 26 September and the
so-called Burmese Way to Socialism was dissolved - a triumph of 7
July over its tyrannous foe - Ne Win.  Even then the victory was
only partial and the struggle for freedom and democracy is yet to
accomplished, as the military-dominated BSPP evolved itself under
the name of the State Law and Order Restoration Council and
continues its violent suppression of peaceful demonstrators.  As a
consequence the students were forced to flee to mountainous ethnic
revolution areas - after a quarter century of peaceful resistance
during which they had been repeatedly and mercilessly crushed.

On the evening of the massacre Ne Win dared to be so barbarous as
to challenge the unarmed students by his announcement on the radio
that he was prepared to fight them "...dah(sword)for dah, and spear
for spear(sic)".

The fallen students can be rest assured that 7 July will always be
remembered until the time when they would be honored with a
monument in front of the Student Union Building, rebuilt without
fear of being destroyed once again by another heinous dictator like
Ne Win.

(The above article is contributed by Salai Kipp(Zoram) of European
Burmese Association(Hamburg) Germany for the Burma Focus to mark
the 30th anniversary the first student massacre in Burma.)

The World's Most Two Notorious Men From Burma..
Wanted to low profile

The America's top court ruled that the United States could kidnap
a criminal suspect from a foreign country over that country's
objection, targeting Thailand and Burma because of the heroin trade
originating in the Golden Triangle, and opium growing area where
the Thai, Burmese and Laos borders meet.

Soon after that, the Burmese Foreign Ministry spokesman said on
25th June, the US supreme Court ruling would violate accepted norms
of international behavior and principles contained in the UN
Charter.

About the same time with the Burmese military criticizing on the US
supreme Court decision, the notorious drug kingpin Khun Sa who
wanted by the United States for being a world's single biggest
producer of heroin, has also signed a letter clarifying his status
as "an ordinary Shan citizen" and an ordinary member of the Muong
Tai Army(MTA).  "Shan doesn't belong to Khun Sa.  The Army does not
belong to Khun Sa. Effective today(June 30), the People's
Representatives Committee considers Khun Sa an ordinary Shan
citizen," according to the letter there were no explanation, a copy
of which was obtained by the Bangkok Post newspaper on June 30.

One month ago, on 5th May, the similar letter appeared on the
official newspaper of the Burmese military junta, signed by another
Burmese notorious man, military general, Ne Win, clarifying his
status that "I, retired president," and then, appealed that
"request the persons concerned to remove my photos from civil and
military offices and departments, and also in future to refrain
from displaying my photos."   The announcement, in Gen Ne Win's
handwriting, did not elaborate and there was also no accompanying
explanation.

However, most people in Burma and Burma's observers believes that
both of them are still in power.

(Sources: Bangkok post, 5th May, The Nation, June 26 & Bangkok Post
Weekly, July 10)

Group Campaign to Free Suu Kyi

The Japan Time, July 3, 1992, Osaka - A citizens' group here mailed
a packet of letters Thursday to the Myanmarese Embassy in Tokyo,
calling for the release of Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu
Kyi, who has been under house arrest for nearly three years.

The Burmese Relief Center Japan has received 74 letters from 13
countries so far in its international letter campaign, which
started last March.

In the drive, the group asked Suu Kyi's supporters to write letters
to the detained opposition leader, the military government of
Myanmar and U.N. Secretary General Boutrous Boutros-Ghali.

Supporters were also asked to send copies of the letters to the
group.

Suu Kyi, the outspoken leader of the National League for Democracy,
has been under strict house arrest by the military junta since July
1989.  The group will continue the campaign.

Call for Release of Suu Kyi

The Nation, July 20, 1992 - Australia Foreign Minister Gareth Evans
called on 19th July for the immediate release of Suu Kyi, who has
been under house arrest in Burma since July 20, 1989.

About 80 demonstrators rellied in front of the Burmese Embassy in
Tokyo, Sunday, demanding Suu Kyi's release.

Honorary degree for Queen, Suu Kyi

Bangkok Post, June 29, 1992 - Burmese democracy campaigner Aung San
Suu Kyi will receive an honorary doctorate degree in political
science, Rector Noranit Sethabutr of Thammast university said.

The University Council also agreed to confer an honorary doctorate
degree in journalism and mass communications on Her Majesty the
Queen.

Broken Hill Leaves Burma

International Herald Tribune, July 20, Michael Richardson - Broken
Hill Pty, the international resource conglomerate based in
Australia, has pulled out of the search for oil and gas in Burma.
Although no public announcement of the move has been made, a BHP
spokesman in Melbourne cited "technical reasons."

While BHP and other foreign companies from the United States,
Britain, Japan, South Korea, Canada, Malaysia and Thailand have
failed to find oil or gas in commercial quantities since the
Burmese military regime started offering concessions in 1989, there
may have been an additional inducement for the Australian firm to
leave.  Gareth Evans, the Australian foreign minister, has said
that Canberra would soon decide whether to impose sanctions against
Burma.

Burma Boycott Alertt

FOREIGN INVESTORS PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR THE MURDEROUS SLORC OF BURMA
US COMPANIES INVOLVED IN JOINT VENTURES WITH THE BURMESE MILITARY

Please write to the executives of these corporations and tell them
that doing business with the oppressive regime of Burma is
expensive, umprofitable, and very bad for their corporate image!

Apache Corp. - Mr. Raymond Plank, CEO, and Mr. John A. Kocur,
               Vice Chairman of the Board 2000 Post Oak Rd.
               Houston, TX  77056 tel. (713) 296-6000

Apache's concessions are in central Burma, east of the Irrawaddy
River,  near Prome; they are an attempt to revive old Burmese oil
fields. "An Apache International Inc. unit said it signed a
production-sharing  contract with Myanma Oil & Gas Enterprise, the
national oil company of  Myanmar.  The Apache unit will be the
operator and hold a 50% interest in  two blocks comprising about
one million acres."  Wall St. Journal, June 18th, 1992.

Texaco Inc. - Mr. James L. Dunlap,
              Chairman of the Board, and
              Mr. Earl R. Johnson, CEO
              2000 Westchester Ave
              White Plains, NY  10604
              tel. (914) 253-4000

Texaco has purchased at least a 42% share of the Croft concession
in Burma.

Amoco Corp. - Mr. H. Laurence Fuller, CEO, and
              Mr. Patrick J. Early,  President,
              Amoco Production Co.
              200 East Randolph Drive
              Chicago  IL  60601
              tel. (312) 856-6111

Unocal Corp. - Mr. Richard J. Stegemeier, CEO, and
               Mr. John F. Imle, Senior VP
               1201 West 5th St.
               Los Angeles, CA  90061

Amoco, Unocal and Texaco have had significant drops in
profitability which forces them to curtail unprofitable operations.
This is the best time to convince them that doing business in Burma
is not worthwhile.

PepsiCo - Mr. Wayne Calloway, Chairman of the Board, and
          Ms. Sharon Percy Rockefeller, Member,
          Board of Directors
          Purchase, NY 10577
          tel. (914) 253-2000

Boycott Pepsi products (Pepsi Cola, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Taco
Bell, Frito-Lay, Pizza Hut, Mug Root Beer, Slice soda, Mountain Dew
soda), and inform PepsiCo that you are boycotting them.

From: Project MAJE, 14 Dartmouth Rd. Cranford NJ, 07016 USA

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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:47-2-35 71
52.)
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU