Newsgroups: bit.listserv.seasia-l
Date:         Tue, 13 Oct 1992 00:57:32 PDT
From:         "(Coban Tun)" <tun@QUARK.SFSU.EDU>
Subject: Burma Focus No 7&8 Sept 1992

/* Written  5:12 pm  Oct 11, 1992 by pns:absdf in cdp:reg.seasia */
/* ---------- "burma focus,Vol.2,No.7&8,Sept1992" ---------- */
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*                     THE BURMA FOCUS                           *
*      Published By The All Burma Students' Democratic Front    *
*                                                               *
*                 Bi-monthly Newsletter                         *
*                                                               *
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*Vol.2                     No.7 & 8              September 1992 *
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*Lines follow:864 lines*

SLORCish Time In Burma

Military Still In Charge For Four Year

Thailand, Bangkok Post, AFP, Sep 18 & Bangkok Sep 19, 1992
(IPS/Yuli Ismartono) -- Four years after Burma's junta answered
cries for freedom with rifle fire, the world watched in horror as
a popular uprising against 25 years of military dictatorship in
Burma was mercilessly crushed, leaving hundreds dead and wounded
and thousands fleeing to neighboring Thailand.

Today, despite promises of democracy and economic liberalization,
the generals who formed the ruling State Law and Order Restoration
Council (SLORC) show no signs of relinquishing their power.

Western donors immediately cut off aid and trade ties after the
tragic events of Sep. 18, 1988.  SLORC tried to improve its
international image by promising multi-party elections and a return
to civilian rule.

Burma, renamed Myanmar by SLORC, had been ruled by Gen Ne Win who
came to power in 1962 after ousting the civilian government of
prime minister U Nu. He embarked on the disastrous Burmese way to
Socialism and allowed only the Burmese Socialist Program party to
function.

Endowed with rich natural resources and once known as Asia's rice
bowl for being a top exporter of quality rice, Burma gradually slid
back into the United Nations' category of least developed
countries, needing assistance for its most basic needs. It gave up
its membership of the Non-Aligned Movement, further isolating
itself diplomatically.

During the two decades under Ne Win's iron rule, Burma regressed
socially and economically while its South-East Asian neighbors
bloomed.

In 1988, with food and fuel shortages worsening, students staged
protests in Rangoon, supported by monks and civil servants. In the
aftermath of the bloody crackdown, a seemingly chastened SLORC
promised changes.

But when the opposition National League For Democracy (NLD) won a
landslide victory in the 1990 elections, SLORC refused to hand over
power. Instead, the army cracked down on pro-democracy dissidents,
jailing them without trial.

Aung San Suu Kyi, the firebrand NLD leader and daughter of national
hero Gen Aung San, has been under house arrest since July 1989.
The military escalated its campaign to crush insurgent groups at
the border areas, buying one billion dollars' worth of arms from
China, its biggest ally.

Press freedom was curtailed and public gatherings of more than five
people were banned. The people lived in fear again after a short
period of openness.

In April, Gen Than Shwe replaced Gen Saw Maung who led the 18th
Sept 1988 coup, reportedly Ne Win's agent.  Than Shwe set free some
political prisoners and initiated the government's first
face-to-face meeting with opposition leaders since the 1990
elections.

Universities in Rangoon and Mandalay, the site of the students'
uprising, were reopened after being shut down for over a year.

Although press freedom and public gatherings remained restricted,
the junta lifted the all-night curfew earlier this month which had
been in effect since 1988.

In the international arena, Burma rejoined the Non-Aligned Movement
at its 10th summit in Jakarta early this month. But Burmese
dissident student groups exiled in Thailand are not giving up. ''We
will continue our struggle against tyranny,'' said a member of the
All Burma Students Democratic Front in Bangkok.

They have gained new support from a newly launched underground
radio station. Run by the dissident groups from faraway Norway, the
Democratic Voice of Burma began its clandestine short-wave
broadcasts into Burma in July.

Burma Junta Shows No Sign To Give Up Power

Thailand, Bangkok Post, Sep 28- Burmese military leader Gen-
Than Shwe, dashing any hopes his junta may be prepared soon to hand

over power to an elected government, has said that for "political
and security reasons," the military regime must remain until "the
appropriate time."

"Hostile elements both inside and outside the country have been
creating difficulties for us, exerting military and political
pressures on us, and inciting ethnic minority races against us,"
Than Shwe told a meeting of regional leaders on 15th Sept.

Than Shwe also called for a review of the military regimes' four
years in power.  "A period of four years is just about the normal
term of a government, so we should identify our successes and
failures in that period and make them the basis of our future
program," he said.

Burma's Junta Expands its Strength

Thailand, Bangkok Post, Sept 25 & 26 - Burma's military junta
has given more top government jobs to senior figures in the armed
forces despite its pledge of an eventual transition to civilian
rule.

The Junta expanded the Cabinet from 21 to 29 members.  The navy and
air force chiefs and three regional army commanders were given
ministerial posts, Rangoon Radio announced on 24th Sept.

Former Navy and Air Force Chiefs, Vice-Admiral Maung Maung Khin and
Lt-Gen Tin Tun were appointed as Deputy-Prime Ministers and the
junta created two new ministries one for border areas and minority
groups and the other for hotels and tourism.

The other ministerial appointments were navy chief Rear Admiral
Than Nyunt, health;  Major-General Tun Kyi; trade, Major-General
Kyaw Ba; hotels and tourism; Maj-General Maung Thint, development
of border areas and minorities; Maj-General Aye Thaung, labour.

Beside, Brigadier-General Lun Maung was named minister for the
prime minister's office and Burma's ambassador to Thailand Nyunt
Swe was named a deputy foreign minister.

The diplomat in Rangoon said it appeared former health minister Pe
Thein had retained the education portfolio and former trade
minister Brigadier General David Abel, planning and finance.
Tun Kyi, Kyaw Ba and Aye Thuang are the army's commanders,
respectively.  It was unclear they would continue to hold these
positions.

A diplomat in Rangoon said the new appointments suggested the junta
was consolidating and centralizing its administration rather than
preparing to step aside.  "You don't normally appoint senior people
to these sort of positions if you plan shortly to rearrange
everything again," he said.

Academic:Power Transfer Will Take Time

Thailand, Bangkok Post, Sept 19 - The transfer of power to an
elected government is "absolutely" desired by Burma, Rangoon
University deputy rector Dr Than Nyunt said on 18th Sept, but he
made clear that this would take time. Dr Than Nyunt delivered a
paper to a seminar in Bangkok organized by the Institute of Asian
Studies, Chulalongkorn University and Foreign Ministry's
International Studies Center.

Speaking to the Bangkok Post, Dr Than Nyunt stressed that a
national convention would be held by February next year, to form
guidelines for the new constitution; according to these guidelines
for the new constitution would be drafted by representatives
elected in May 1990; the draft would then be presented to a
national referendum for approval before it is enforced as the new
constitution.

By engaging in the drafting of the constitution, the elected
representatives of two years ago would be functioning as a
"constituent, legislative assembly," he pointed out.  To obtain
executive power, they would have to seek re-election, he added.

Regarding with the foreign investment in Burma in his paper
delivered to the seminar, he pointed to the Foreign Investment Law
enacted in 1988 as "landmark" in SLORC new economic policies.

Citing figure from the Foreign Investment Commission, he said US
companies topped the list with investments amounting to US$ 163.7
million. These went into six enterprises largely dealing in oil and
gas production and fisheries, he noted.

Japan was listed as the next largest investors($100.7 million),
followed by the Netherlands($80 million) and Thailand($38.7
million).

He described China, Japan, Thailand and Singapore as Burma's main
trading partners and major creditors are Japan and Germany, he
said.

Burma Ends Martial Law, Summary Tribunals

Burmese Junta's Radio announced on 26th Sept, lifting of Martial
Law decrees which included cancellation of their originally issued
orders given the regional army commanders full martial law powers
and introducing the summary military tribunal system in July 1989,
just days before then opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi was placed
under house arrest.

The moved announcement comes as the United Nations General Assembly
begins its annual meeting in New York.

The military tribunals were empowered to deliver one of three
sentences; a jail term of not less than three years with heard
labor, life imprisonment or death, "regardless of provision under
the existing law,"

The orders were being revoked "in consideration of the improvement
in stability of the general situation in the state and in view of
the wishes of the people," the radio said. Diplomats described the
action as primarily cosmetic and unlikely to satisfy critics of the

government, although they acknowledged that it could result in a
small improvement in the human-rights situation in the country.
"It may be cosmetic change, but it's useful cosmetics," an Asian
diplomat said of the announcement.  "For a civilian accused of a
crime, it's almost certainly better to have at least the facade of
a civilian trial.  The civilian system has at least a little due
process built into it." (Source:Bangkok Post, Sept 27 & 28, The
Nation, Sept 27 and International Herald Tribune, Sept 28)<D>
<B>(Editor note# The Lawyer Committee for Human Rights based in New
York published a report during 1991 called "Summary Injustice,
Military Tribunals in Burma(Myanmar) and stated that since the
military tribunals has established, more than one hundred persons
had been sentenced to death, but the actual figure may be much
higher as few convictions are ever publicly reported.  A number of
political activists have received terms of 20 years' to life
imprisonment.)

Burma Lifts Nationwide curfew, Frees More Prisoners

Thailand, Bangkok Post, Sept 12 & The Nation, Sept 21 - Burma's
military Junta ended a four-year nationwide night-time curfew on
6th Sept and freed another 31 political prisoners, Rangoon Radio
reported.  The order ending the curfew was signed by Maj-Gen Khin
Nyunt, the nation's powerful intelligence chief.  He said, the
curfew which imposed in 1988 could now be lifted as the Burma's
internal security situation was under control.

Radio Rangoon announced on 19th Sept that 27 male prisoners had had
their sentences commuted and had been released from Myaung-mya
Jail, 125 Km southwest of the capital.

On 18th Sept, Radio Rangoon reported the release of 33 prisoners,
including one woman, had had their sentences commuted and had been
freed from Ma-Ubin Prison just south of the capital.

Junta report on 28th Sept, the total number of political prisoners
released since April was now 534, many of them believed to have
been political prisoners.

Burma To Replace Local Officials with Civilians

Thailand, Bangkok Post 29 Sept - Rangoon Radio on 28th Sept
said an official order had been passed yesterday requiring that
chairman of the ruling SLORC's administrative bodies at the
township level(currently military officials) all be civilians,
according to the AFP report.

Township administrations would now be headed by one civilian
official, one police chief and one immigration department official,
the radio said without elaborating.  Until the junta's announcement
on 28th Sept all the chairman of the SLORC township bodies were
military officers.

Burma's Forgotten Civil War

Burmese Aircraft Raid Rebel Positions

Thailand, Mae Hong Son, Bangkok Post, Sept 1 - Burmese war planes
and helicopter-gunships have conducted a series of air strikes
against the Karen National Union's positions in Pha Paun District.

The air-strikes, against KNU defensive positions some 40 kilometers
north of here, continued on 31st August from dawn to dusk.  Burmese
solider and KNU forces in the area have been fighting every day
since July 25, the KNU report said.  The KNU reported that their
forces have also captured a large number of Burmese military
supplies including 81mm and 60mm mortar shells, and M-79 grenade
launchers.  The report said the Burmese last Friday used five
planes four PC-6s and a PC-7 to bomb and strafe the KNU positions
in 3 villages.

Burmese ground forces have fired 120mm and 81mm mortars and 75
recoilless rifles at the area which is being grimly defended by the
KNU's 20th battalion, the report said.

Several Burmese army regiments including the 48th, 57th and 60th
have been used to reinforce the areas.

Rangoon 'Preparing To Raid Karen Base'

Thailand, Bangkok Post, Sept 6 - Ethnic insurgent in Burma claim
Rangoon's military regime is preparing a new offensive against
their jungle headquarters near the Thai border later this month.

Burmese troops are repairing roads and bridges all along their
communications routes in preparation for their summer offensive
against Manerplaw, the Karen Nation Union said in a statement from
Manerplaw, 190 km northeast of Rangoon.

The government launched an offensive in January aimed at capturing
Manerplaw, which is also the base for civilian pro-democracy groups
opposed to the Rangoon regime. The regime, the State Law and Order
Restoration Council,was close to capturing Manerplaw when it had
suspended the operation as part of a campaign apparently aimed at
improving its international image.

The KNU said, "Fresh troops from the No. 22 Light Infantry Division
are replacing troops at various fronts facing Manerplaw to initiate
the offensive, the KNU statement said.

It also said troops shelled and fired on KNU position at Mukhalobu
and Sawtayakyu, both about 120 km northwest of Manerplaw, after
three days of heavy fighting.

A clandestine radio station run by Burma's alternative government
also reported on Thursday that Burmese troops had launched
operations against Karen positions near Papun, about 70km north of
Manerplaw.

Troops Put On Alert on Burmese Border

Thailand, Bangkok Post, Sep 24 - The Third Army Region has placed
troops along the Thai-Burmese border from Chiang Rai to Mae Hong
Song on alert in anticipation of a possible spill over of fighting
between Burmese and rebel forces.

A military sources said on 23rd Sept reinforcements had also been
despatched to Mae Hong Son after about 2,000 Burmese troops aided
by about 1,000 porters were deployed opposite the province in
preparation for a dry-season offensive against Karen forces.

International Relations

Red Cross Must Help Burma's War Victims

Thailand, The Nation, Sept 2 & Far Eastern Economic Review,
Briefing, Sep 10 - The International Committee for the Red
Cross(ICRC) has a duty to adhere to the Geneva Conventions, signed
by Rangoon on 24th August, and offer help to victims of the war in
Burma, visiting Australian academic Dr Alan Smith said.

Burma's Junta has signed four protocols of the 1949 Geneva
Convention on protection of victims of armed conflict.  The four
protocols cover wartime violations of human rights, mistreatment of
prisoners-of-war and mistreatment of civilians in time of war and
it make Burma become the 110th country to sign.

Flagrant abuse of human rights continues in Burma and Dr Smith, a
lecturer in peace and conflict studies at Queensland Universities
says the ICRC should accept an obligation to get into Burma as soon
as possible and argue for a case fire.

As the dry season approaches fighting has already started between
SLORC forces and opposition groups in Manerplaw and Karen State.
SLORC has built up a large stock of arms during the rainy season
and built new infrastructure, said Dr Smith, and the battle is
expected to be bloodier than the last.

Dr Smith hopes if the ICRC cannot bring about a quick cease fire,
then the international community will implement a international
total arms embargo and effective trade and investment sanctions.

A current embargo allows trade in equipment to be used
commercially.  Under this, Swiss planes with Canadian engines which
are sold to SLORC for commercial purposes are instead used as
bomber and Japanese trucks and helicopters from Poland are used in
combat, Dr Smith said.

India Backs Downs On Burmese Issues

UPI, New Delhi, Sept 2 - Burma's government-in-exile has set
up an office in New Delhi after the Indian government relented in
its opposition to the move, officials said on 24th Sept. A Burmese
government-in-exile was set up with its headquarters along the
Burma-Thailand border after the country's dictatorship refused to
honor the results of the May 1990, national election. The New Delhi
office of the government-in-exile is headed by Tin Swe, a NLD
member of Parliament.

India tried to block Burma's readmission to the Non-Aligned
Movement on grounds that the decision to rejoin had been taken by
a regime whose legitimacy was under challenge.

Asean Registers Concern With Burma

Thailand, The Nations, Oct 1 - The Association of Southeast
Asian Nation(ASEAN) has raised international concern over
developments in Burma with that country's foreign Minister, the
Singapore Foreign Minister said on 30th Sept.

In his role as chairman of the Asean Standing Committee, Foreign
Minister Wong Kan Seng and other Asean officials met in New York on
27th Sept with Burmese Foreign Minister U Ohn Gyaw and Asean side
expressed the hope that the recently encouraging action by the
SLORC would lead to further positive political changes.

Human Rights Abuses

Burmese Group Raises Plight Of Jailed Journalist

Thailand, Bangkok Post, Oct 1 - The Burma information group
quoted Amnesty International as saying that U Win Tin "is in very
poor health" and " may die if he does not receive medical
attention," and call on the military junta in Rangoon on 30th Sept
to allow medical treatment for U Win Tin.

U Win Tin, a journalist and editor of Hanthawaddy daily newspaper
until 1987 is being held at Insein prison since July 4 1989 and
said to have been subjected to hard labor for the past three years.

He was due to be released in July this year but Amnesty
International is said to have received unconfirmed reports that he
had received an additional sentences of seven years.

He became vice-chairman of the Writers Association during the
pro-democracy demonstration. in 1988 and subsequently worked
closely with Aung San Suu Kyi.

A poet, Maung Thawka who also held in Insein prison died after he
was tortured and denied proper medical treatment, the Burma
Information Group said.

Changes In Burma?

New York, Asia Watch, Sept 6, 1992 - Since April 1992, developments
in Burma have suggested to some that the ruling junta in Burma is
beginning to moderate its hardline stance, said a report on 6th
Sept issued by the internationally organized human rights
organization, Asia Watch based in New York.

"While some of the measures are welcome and may show the impact of
international pressure, Asia Watch finds no reason to believe that
the human rights situation has fundamentally changed" charged the
report.

The report said key political leaders remain in detention, in
addition to Aung San Suu Kyi, at least 16 other Members of
Parliament of the 485 elected in 1990 remain in custody, with over
100 more disqualified for political reasons, thousands of civil
servants throughout the country have lost their jobs or been
demoted as a direct result of their political thought or
affiliation and military abuses continue to be reported along
Burma's borders.

The Asia Watch's report well documented the situation in Burma and
its border areas including the list of the members of parliament
recently released from prison, the MPs those who are still in
prison and the list of MPs who had been disqualified and the
international responses.

The report said the international community should increase that
pressure on Burma, making it clear that the limited measures
introduced that far are insufficient to address the fundamental
human rights problems.  Mainly, the United Nations General Assembly
should adopt an even tougher resolution than the one it unanimously
approved last December, the report said.  It added that it should
expand and build upon the concerns and requests laid out by the
Human Rights Commission, placing the region's recent steps in a
broader, long-term perspective and providing framework for
additional international action.

The report said United State should actively consult with other
permanent members of the Security Council as well as Burma's Asian
neighbors regarding the possibility of Security Council action to
formalize an international arms embargo on the ground that the
military regime in Burma represents a threat to international peace
and security.

The US should continue to put press the ASEAN countries to move
beyond their current policy of constructive engagement, discourage
or ban US private companies investing in Burma, utilize every
opportunity to stigmatize China for its arms sales to Burma and to
exert diplomatic pressure on Burma to all UNHCR and independent
monitoring in Arakan State, Burma, said the report.

The report also suggested Japan could increase pressure on Burma,
while maintaining its current policy of bilateral dialogue, by
indicating it will review its continuing ODA to Burma.

Environmental

Asia's rainforests, Going, Going, Gone..  Seeing neither
forests nor trees

Thailand, Bangkok Post, Sept 30 - Need and greed are eating up
Asia's rainforests faster than ever before Kunda Dixit reports

The needs of Asia's growing numbers of poor people and the
activities of commercial loggers are gnawing away at the regions
last remaining forests, and experts warn the earth could soon lose
an irreplaceable natural heritage.

Five million hectares of Asian forests vanished last year - four
times the annual lost rate 10 years ago. By the year 2001, an area
the size of Thailand will have disappeared.

Within some Asian nations, forest lost has been catastrophic. The
Philippines has lost 90% of its jungles in the last 50 years. Over
half of Thailand used to be forest in 1961, today only 18% is under
forest cover.

"As a consequence of deforestation and degradation of forest
resources, the biological system is near the threshold of
collapse," warns F.J Dent, a soil expert with the United Nations
Food and Agriculture Organization's regional office in Bangkok. "It
is a question of need and greed," explains Mr Dent. Deforestation
and shifting cultivation are the symptoms, not the cause of the
crisis. Putting legal curtains between people and forests will not
work."

Last year, the Washington-based World resources Institute (WRI)
analyzed latest satellite data and found Asian forests were
disappearing much more rapidly than an FAO estimate 10 years ago.

The WRI report, which was commissioned by the United Nations
Development Program (UNDP), pinpointed logging as the main culprit.
For instance, Burma was mowing down its jungles at a rate 500 times
faster than the FAO's 1980 estimate.

Elsewhere in Southeast Asia, the eastern Malaysian state of Sarawek
has become synonymous with rapacious rain forest plunder. More than
half of Japan's imports of tropical hard woods come from this strip
of rain forest in Northern Borneo.

Not all the blame for Asia's rain forests loss can be placed at
Japan's doorstep. Countries that banned log exports like Thailand
have simply moved across to cut their neighbor's teak trees.

Y.S Rao, the FAO's forestry officer for Asia-Pacific, says tree
replanting efforts at present are replacing only 10% of forests
loss in the region. He adds that unless the people themselves have
a stake in protecting trees, banning logging will not work.
Says Mr Rao: "In planning strategies for reforestation, we must ask
three questions: Who decides? Who participates? Who benefits? The
answer to all three questions must be the people.

"Community forestry programmes are gaining ground," says Mr Rao.
"But reforestation efforts still need dynamic planning and
management."

Green November 32 and its first magazine

Green November 32 is an environmental and human rights organization
based on the Burmese/Thai border. It was formed in November 1989
with a membership drawn from amongst the indigenous peoples
organizations and Burmese dissidents groups. In mid 1991 the
membership of the group was opened to wider participation and a
number of other Burmese joined, as did the few Westerners, bringing
the membership to over 60.  Mya Yadana (Emerald Environment),
August 1992, appeared as the inaugural issue of "Green November
32". Focusing mainly on oil, logging and forced relocation, clearly
written articles and emotionally gripped stories uncover the little
documented informa tion about Burma's environmental crisis and the
suffering of the indigenous people of Burma.

Anyone who wish to contact or make a donation, may contact the
following address:  Mr S. Thompson, G.P.O. Box 2400, Bangkok 10501,
Thailand. Fax (662) 236 4858

Foreign Investments

Thai Military Bank Opens in Burma

Working People's Daily, Rangoon, August 29 - The Central Bank
of Myanmar(Burma) on 28th August issued a license to the Thai
Military Bank Ltd of Bangkok to open a representative office in
Yangon(Burma), said the Burma junta's newspaper.

Winning Ways

Far Eastern Economic Review, Intelligence, Sept 24 - Aye Zaw
Win, son-in-law of Burma's former military dictator Ne Win, visited
Taipei in late August - ostensibly on a private business trip.
However, he also used the opportunity to "unofficially" liaise
between the Burmese military regime and the Taiwan Government.

He met Premier Hau Pei-Tsun, Foreign Minister Fredrick Chien and
Presidential Secretary-General Chiang Yen-shih during his stay,
indicating the importance the Taiwan Government places on ties with
Burma.

The British-educated businessman has formed his own company in
Rangoon, Associated Business Consultant Services Ltd, which serves
as a channel for potential Taiwanese investors in Burma.

Egat To Have More Talks On Burma Water

The Nation, Sept 25 - The Electricity Generating Authority of
Thailand(Egat) will probably have to draw water from Burma's
Salween River, part of which forms the Thai-Burmese border, to
supply Bhumibol Dam in Tak province in the future, the Egat
spokesman said on 24th Sept.
Supin Panyamark said the two countries had discussed the matter
once and still have to negotiate the issue in more detail but there
are still some problems as part of the Salween River is under the
control of a minority group along the Thai-Burma border.

An Egat official said the water in the northern region's Ping River
would not be sufficient to supply the hydro-electric dam in the
future and the Meteorological Department has predicted that the
country's climate would be drier next year with slightly higher
temperatures than this year in many regions.

Burma Oil Exploration Help

Thailand, Bangkok Post, Singapore, Sept 17 - Director General
of the Energy and Planning Department of Burma, Thein Tun appealed
at the closing session of the three-day eighth Asia Pacific
Petroleum Conference(APPEC) in which some 500 delegates from 34
countries participated.

Burma's current total production of oil was about 16,000bpd(barrels
per day) and 85 mcfd(million cubic feet per day) of natural gas, he
said.  <B>(Editor note#According to the International Herald
Tribune, July 20, 1992, 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 Australia firm to
leave.  Gareth Evans, the Australian foreign minister, has said
that Canberra would soon decide whether to impose sanctions against
Burma.)

Refugee Crisis

Burmese-Muslims Secretly Sent Home

The Nation, Sept 24 & Oct 2 - Forty nine Burmese muslims, or
Rohigyas were the first of 280,000 refugees to go back. Bangladesh
television said afterwards they had returned voluntarily.

But the first batch of this repatriation has been Bangladesh's best
kept secret. Officials at the camp are tight lipped about their
activities. The officials refused to explain the reasons for their
secrecy, though the local authorities have, since early this month,
imposed restrictions on all visits to Burmese muslim refugee camps
by reporters and aid agencies.  But UNHCR sources said agency's
office in Dhaka was only informed of the repatriation after it
began, and that non of its officials were present to observe it.
"We cannot verify if it was voluntary or not," a UNHCR spokes women
said.  The UNHCR strongly criticized the deportation of the
refugees without consulting it and other relief agencies working in
19 refugee camps in southeastern Bangladesh.

AFP reported that some 1000 refugees who have volunteered to return
will be repatriated in secrecy. Mr Chowdury, a Refugee Commissioner
said "The next group will be repatriated at any time in secrecy and
the press will be informed in due course of time. "Some of the 40
refugees are now awaiting repatriation in Rangikhali refugee camp.

According to Mr. Omar Farook, a Bangladesh official who recently
visited Burma said that Bangladesh and Burma made little progress
in talks on the repatriation of almost 300,000 refugees camping
along the border. "We shall meet again some time next month in
Bangladesh to work out in details," he added.

A repatriation agreement signed in April has been ineffective
because the refugees insist they would not go back unless Burma
allows UNHCR to supervise their journey home. Burma has so far
rejected this condition, but Farook said Rangoon had agreed to
consider the UNHCR's role in the repatriation. He did not gave any
details.

So far Dhaka has handed over lists of 64,205 refugees to Burmese
authorities who have cleared 12,558 for return, according to
officials.  Five refugees were killed and more than 100 injured in
a clash last week between refugees opposing repatriation and the
Bangladesh security forces in a camp near Cox's Bazaar.

Months grace for Burma asylum

The Nation, Oct 1 - The Thai Interior Ministry yesterday extended
by a month the deadline for Burmese students granted asylum here to

report to the authorities for entry to a holding center in
Rachaburi province.

An official told a press conference that the Burmese who had passed
screening process and been granted the status of asylum-seekers
would be allowed until Oct 31 to report to the ministry.

He said the Burmese would be housed at the Ratchaburi holding
center. He dismissed the fears that the Burmese sent to the center
would face deportation and would not be allowed free movement in
and out of the center. Those housed at the center were eligible to
continue their studies outside the camp, ha said.

The Burmese who did not enter the camp could face arrest and
repatriation, he said. Of 511 students who fled the suppression of
the pro-democracy groups in Burma and had passed the screening,
only a few turned up at the ministry to enter the holding center
during the set period of Sept 14 to 21, he said.

Meanwhile, an informed source said the decision to extend the
reporting period followed by requests by some Burmese students who
first wanted the new Thai government to take office.
An international human rights association, Asia Watch, recently
called for the Thai government to delay sending the Burmese
students to the holding center. It criticized the screening process
as inadequate and said Burmese women were likely to be abused by
Thai security units guarding the center.

Drug Issue

Major Heroin Refineries on Thai-Burma Border

Thai border patrol police sources said the little-known minority
group, the Karang from Burma had been growing marijuana and opium
poppies and producing heroin in Kacng Krajan subdistrict for the
past three years.

The source said the Karang minority made up of remnants of the
Communist Party of Burma and Thailand received financial backing
from Taiwan-based drug traffickers as well as certain influential
Thai politicians in Phetchaburi and Prachuap Kiri Khan to produce
marijuana and heroin in an area covering about 5,000 rai, believed
to be one of Thailand's largest drug-producing areas.

"Based on our reconnaissance, we believe the heavily-armed Karang
forces could defend their fortified main base from an attack by
four platoons of troops for up to 15 days," one of the sources
said. The sources said the border patrol police were negotiating
with Burma's regional army opposite Phetechaburi to try to persuade
them to take part in the drive against the minority group and the
border patrol police trying was also trying to enlist the help from
Karen minority group in the offensive against the Karang and was
given a positive response from the Karennis, who denied any link to
the drug production.(source:The Nation, Sept 22)

Five of nine team sent to the Thai-Burma border in Kaeng Kranchan
District of Petchaburi province in August were killed in the
ambush.  Anti-Rangoon rebel sources told the Bangkok Post that it
was done by the Democratic Patriotic Army(DPA) which was formed by
former members of the Burmese Communist Party.

After the collapse of the BCP(Burma-China border) and the surrender
of its leader, Ba Thein Tin to Chinese authorities in April 1989,
the DPA who has 400 armed troops operating in southern part of
Burma refused to give up their armed struggle and started its own
crusade; tax Thai fishermen who operate in Burmese territorial
waters, cultivate marijuana and trade in the drug with Thai
traffickers in order to get hard cash to buy arms to protect
themselves against outside encroaches.

Unlike the Karen National Union(KNU) or the New Mon State
Party(NMSP), sources said the DPA was quite reclusive.  They have
not made contact with the Thai authorities nor would they allow any
strangers to venture into their territory, the sources added.

The sources said a former governor of KNU in charge of Tavoy and
Mergui districts of Burma, Col Marvel, once offered to crack down
on the DPA provided that the Thai military attack the rebel group
if it crossed the border into Thailand, said the sources, adding
that this was turned down by then army chief Gen Chavalit
Yougcharyudh.  (Source:The Nation, Sept 23)

On 29th Sept, the Bangkok Post newspaper quoted as saying that
Narcotics Suppression Commission Pol Lt-Gen Kowit Phakdeephum, the
group was believed to be involved in cultivating marijuana only.

The drug chief said some Karen living on the Thai-Burmese border
had been growing small amounts of marijuana but Border Patrol
Police had found no evidence of heroin factories in the dense
jungles surrounding Kaeng Kranchan Dam.  "Marijuana has been
smuggled out by sea through Ranong for the United States and
Europe," he said.  He added that the Karen generally did not deal
in drug may be involved in illegal logging or mining.  Red Wa
minority may deal in drug, he said.

Meanwhile, Supreme Commander ACM Voranart Apicharee said on 28th
August, it was still uncertain whether a group of armed intruders,
who have set up bases on Thai territory along the Thai-Burmese
border in Phetchaburi Province, is a foreign narcotic gang or Thai
communist insurgents.  He also expressed concern over the Thai-
Burmese border problem.  "The problems always occur every time
Burmese forces conduct a suppression drive against Burmese rebel
groups as they usually flee into Thailand," he said.

The Nation newspaper on 29th Sept quoted from the informed sources
in Phetchaburi yesterday, that there are several groups at the base
of the drug producers including dissident Burmese students and
members of the communist parties of Burma and Thailand.

The Burmese students have sought to meet Thai authorities to
clarify they are not involved in the drug-producing activities, the
sources said.  Also in the 30th Sept issue of the Nation newspaper
reported the letter of Dr Thaung Htun, a member of the Central
Executive Committee of the ABSDF clarified the fact that there are
no Burmese students in the area where the informed sources in
Petchaburi claimed the producing of drug and the students camps in
southern tail of Burma are based in Minthami and Moetaung Camp
located on the Burmese side, which is 60 kilometers away from
Kachanaburi.  He also added that the ABSDF is an organization that
strongly opposes the use of drugs, its growing and trafficking.

Sources said the Thai forces had asked for combat support from the
Burmese troops and Karen minority forces based around the target
area, base of the narcotic armed producers, reported in the 1st Oct
issue of the Nation newspaper in Bangkok. <B>(Editor note#Series of
news reports concerning with the major heroin refineries on
Thai-Burma border appeared in the newspapers in Bangkok, Thailand
since 22nd of Sept 1992, but Thai Border Patrol Police or Thai Army
or Narcotic Suppression Commission in Thailand have not yet been
confirmed or launched against the real responsible drug producers
even those using a thousand of Border Patrol Police, helicopters,
Thai and Burmese army troops and the Karen National Union forces.

It may be true that the little-known minority group from Burma had
been growing marijuana and opium poppies since last three years
covering 5,000 rai, but why BPP found out such a huge opium poppies
growing area in Thailand after 3 years later.

It could also possible Thailand wanted to improve its bad image
against the anti-narcotic suppression at the international trying
to create such an issue.

At the same time, some army officials & politicians in Thailand and
Burmese junta wanted to diverge the world attention of the major
opium producing in the Golden triangle and Kokang & Wa region,
Burma north-eastern border areas. Exactly, just like the Thai
Supreme Commander ACM Voranart Apichjaree expressed over the Thai-
Burma border problem, series of deteriorating situations in Burma
are spill over into its neighboring countries, not only the growing
refugees flow into its neighboring countries and threatening the
regional stability but also the spreading of deathly opium and AIDS
both inside the country and around the world.  As long as Burma's
junta is still on power, the future of Burmese people cannot be
foreseeable.)

Acknowledgements

The All Burma Students' Democratic Front deeply thanks the Swedish
government, Diakonia (Sweden) and all those friendly organizations
and individuals for their long term and continuing support to the
ABSDF's Europe Office, Burma Information Bureau and the oppressed
people of Burma.

Our thanks are due also to the Norwegian government and the
Norwegian-Burma council for their assistance to continue ABSDF's
activities in Norway and their kind support for all the Burmese
democratic forces struggling for the true democracy.

To our readers,

The All Burma Students' Democratic Front would like to inform you
that the ABSDF Information Office (Europe) has been moved from
Sweden to Norway and merged with it's Norwegian branch.
Please contact us at the following address.

Burma Information Bureau
All Burma Students' Democratic Front(Europe Office)
Bekkefaret 19 A, 0280, Oslo, Norway
Tel. & Fax. 47 8 52 24 87(Temporary)
E-Mail:absdf@pns.apc.org
                      *********************
The Burma Focus is published by the All Burma Students' Democratic
Front(ABSDF).  It will be published bi-monthly decumenting the
information mainly on human rights violations, ecological crisis,
foreign investments, refugee problems and illegal opium trading in
Burma.  Anyone, who wish to get information are welcome to contact
its offices. (Head Office: ABSDF, P.O Box 1352 G.P.O, Bangkok
10500, Thailand, Tel & Fax:66-2-318 8507)