----------------------------- BurmaNet -------------------------------
"Appropriate Information Technologies, Practical Strategies"
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

The BurmaNet News: June 18, 1996
Issue # 445

Noted in Passing:

        All that was bestowed on her, including the Nobel Prize . . . given
        according to the wishes of the CIA . . . were wages for being used
        by the West Bloc. - the New Light of Myanmar referring to Daw
        Suu.  (see AP: BURMA MEDIA RAP NOBEL PRIZE)

HEADLINES:
==========
AP-DOW JONES: BURMA REBEL GROUP CHALLENGES U.S.
S.H.A.N : SLORC ARRESTS EC MEMBERS OF SNLD
AP: BURMA MEDIA RAP NOBEL PRIZE
UPI: SUU KYI APPEALS TO FOREIGN BUSINESS
NLM: DEMOCRACY IS NOT POWER
THE TIMES OF INDIA: THE PRISONERS OF SILENCE
THE ASIAN AGE : BURMESE STUDENTS PROTEST AGAINST LEE
REUTER: AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL ACCUSE MAJOR GOVTS
LIM KIT SIANG: PRESS STATEMENT ON BURMA
INDEPENDENT REPORT: COMPUTER INDUSTRY IN MYANMAR
BRC-J: RELIEF WORK ON BURMA BORDER: WANT TO CONTRIBUTE??
**********************************************

AP-DOW JONES: BURMA REBEL GROUP CHALLENGES U.S.
DIPLOMAT ON FORCED LABOR
June 17, 1996
From: John Scherb <mcs@primenet.com>

 BANGKOK -- A Burmese rebel ethnic group has disputed a U.S. envoy's
assertions that American companies have helped reduce forced labor in
Burma.

 The American oil company Unocal should be brought to account for
investing in an area where forced labor is clearly documented, said a
report released Monday by the Karen National Union (KNU), which has
been fighting the Burmese government for autonomy for the ethnic Karen
people since 1948.

 The assertions were made by William Brown, a former U.S. ambassador to
Thailand, who has been touring Asia at the behest of President Clinton to
try to forge consensus among nations on how to get a dialogue going between
the Burmese military government and democracy advocates led by Aung San
Suu Kyi.

 In a news conference in Bangkok Saturday, Brown said one positive
development in Burma has been that 'the use of forced labor in the
economy, and particularly in projects that involve American firms, has
been significantly addressed.'

 He added that as the Burmese military has gained control of ethnic areas,
'the issue of forced labor for porterage diminished.'

 The single largest American investor in Burma is Unocal. It is in a joint
venture with Total of France and the Burmese government to build a
pipeline to carry natural gas from the Gulf of Martaban to Thailand.

 But the KNU said forced labor has increased since the contract for the
project was signed in 1990.

 'Forced labor has been used, drawn from the whole district,' it said.

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

S.H.A.N : SLORC ARRESTS EC MEMBERS OF SNLD
June 1, 1996
From: "SHAN<H.NG.P  SPM" <100706.1311@CompuServe.COM>

On May 21,1996, at about 20:30 hours, members of the SLORC's MIS ( Military
Intelligence Service ) arrested an important person belonging to the SNLD (
Shan
National League for Democracy ) Zai Pah - an EC member - at his house in Tike
Gyi township not far from Rangoon in Burma proper.

On the same day in Shan State the MIS also arrested Zai Khun Parng ( SNLD
representative of Parng Long township ) in the town of Parng Long.

This was during the time when NLD, led by Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, was
preparing and attempting to hold its first Party Congress.

Only two members of SNLD are known to have been arrested by SLORC so far.
This news has been confirmed by 4-5 other sources though no one was sure
about the reasons of the arrests. But just before the events, some high level
members of SNLD had been visiting Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and NLD and some
guessed this could have been the cause.

The bizarre thing is that this news has not come out in any newspapers or
broadcasting stations like BBC and VOA etc. Perhaps it was too small and
insignificant in comparison with news about Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and NLD.

In the 1990 General Election, the SNLD party won 23 seats for its
representatives, second only to the NLD in the whole of Burma, and first in
Shan
State.

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

AP: BURMA MEDIA RAP NOBEL PRIZE
June 17, 1996  (abridged)
From: John Scherb <mcs@primenet.com>

   BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) Burma's state-run media claimed Monday
that the CIA ordered the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize be awarded to
pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

   ``All that was bestowed on her, including the Nobel Prize . . . given
according to the wishes of the CIA . . . were wages for being used by the
West Bloc,'' the New Light of Myanmar newspaper said.

   Burma's military regime has stepped up its verbal and printed attacked
on Suu Kyi in recent weeks as part of a crackdown in which 262 of her
followers were arrested. About half have since been released.

   A favorite tactic of the military regime is to portray Suu Kyi as a tool
of former colonial powers bent on subjugating Burma. Most Burmese,
however, believe Suu Kyi is working for the country's interests, and not
for foreign powers.

   In an essay, the newspaper questioned why India's Mahatma Gandhi and
Suu Kyi's father, Burma's independence hero Gen. Aung San, never
received the Nobel Prize.

   ``These persons opposed the colonialists,'' the paper said. ``Suu Kyi is
working according to the wishes of the British colonialists and opposing
Myanmar's (Burma's) independence and sovereignty while attacking the
economy.''

   The essay was written by Thet Shay, which is believed to be the pen
name of a high-ranking military officer.

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

UPI: SUU KYI APPEALS TO FOREIGN BUSINESS
June 17, 1996  (abridged)
From: John Scherb <mcs@primenet.com>
     
RANGOON, Burma, June 17 (UPI) - Burmese opposition leader Aung
San Suu Kyi has urged neighboring countries to take an interest in her
nation's political and cultural well-being rather than concentrating on
economic gain.
        
           Speaking to an audience of about 7,000 who braved a heavy monsoon
        downpour as well as the government's displeasure, Suu Kyi said
        Sunday:  "Happiness is not the concern of economics but that of
        politics and culture. I would, therefore, like to urge our
        neighboring states to recognize that the Burmese people will be
        happy only if they have achieved the political and cultural changes
        which they desire."
        
           Suu Kyi said foreigners doing business in Burma cannot avoid
        involvement in Burmese internal politics.
        
           "But I would request my own countrymen not to harbor any ill-will
        against these foreign businessmen, but instead to let them pray that
        Burma should soon become a country which would ensure a speedy
        success of their businesses."
        
***************************************************************

NLM: DEMOCRACY IS NOT POWER
June 12, 1996  (New Light of Myanmar - SLORC publication)
by Kaythari   (abridged)
From: John Scherb <mcs@primenet.com>

I am a school teacher. We teachers have to teach our pupils with full cetana
[goodwill] so that they may become good, patriotic people and intellectuals
and intelligentsia. Every time I see students pursuing education peacefully,
I am filled with joy and pleasure. By training and nurturing the children
carefully to pursue education peacefully and become educated persons and
patriots, I am fulfilling my historical obligations.

 Yes! In order to fulfill my historical obligations, I am teaching and
nurturing the students with full cetana and with zeal and perseverance, so
that they will become good and able persons. The reason why I have to
fulfill my historical obligation is because we ourselves once got caught in
the quagmire of strikes and demonstrations. We had discarded the cetana of
our parents and teachers and had been instigated by our surrounding to
take part in the demonstrations. Beginning from the year we were in the
ninth and tenth standards, we took part in the strikes. Being youths; we
were very eager and active. If we wanted to do something there was no
stopping us and went rights ahead despite being stopped by the elders.
Those who organized and led us were senior students and they also included
some senior girl students. We enjoyed very much but we did not know the
real reason for staging the strikes and demonstrations and for whom. We
were told that it was to fight the colonial education and to oppose
oppressions and suppressions and so forth.

 Under cover of fighting against colonial education and opposing oppression
and suppression which we were made to believe, the main aim was for the
BCPs to gain power from behind the scenes and we became aware of this
only then. If we only had known that the laying of mines by those from the
jungles, extortion, murder and burning down villages were that acts for
the BCP to gain power we would not have taken part in the strikes and
demonstrations.

At the four-eight disturbances [8 August 1988], we did not take part any
more. We came to know after studying that the leftists and rightists, forces
within and without the country and above ground and underground forces
were hand-in glove to wrest state power under the system of whoever gets
it takes it. Later on, some Western embassies came to meddle in it,
warehouses were ransacked and looted, the wildcats from the jungles
destroyed mills and factories and the situation went so far that there were
decapitations of people by own race of people.

 I came to understand that the wife of Michael Aris who got married in
England and lived there and mother of Ken and Alexander, Ma Suu, owed her
allegiance to the Western Bloc. The lives of thousands of students who
believed in their sweet talks were ruined at Manerplaw and in the other
country. The students who realized their mistakes and returned to the
country were sneered at, meaning they did not like the idea of their
returning to the bosom of their parents. When the parents and the public
came to know that the leaders of four-eights disturbances had inveigled the
students to go outside the law so that they could be used by the Western
Bloc, they became very angry. The BCPs, in order to come above-ground
and take over the reins of the country and foreign neo-colonialists in order
to be able to put their puppet on the throne and pull the strings from
behind, make use of Ma Suu. In reality, just ponder over whether the BCPs
and other leftist elements made use of Ma Suu and Ma Suu made use of them
The real power of Ma Suu is not leftists but rightists liked by the West.
They would make efforts to gain power by placing Ma Suu in the forefront
and after that they would share the post.

 Ma Suu Kyi had lived in a foreign country for full 28 years and I would not
like to tell on hearsay how she lived there and what had happened to her.
One thing which I would like to say is that if she loved Myanmar
Naing-Ngan [state of Burma] and the Myanmar people so much say did she
take refuge in the English bosom and wasted her time? We think that she
should have come back to Myanmar worked for the betterment of the
Myanmar people.

Those who like Ma Suu say that Ma Suu married an Englishman as she lived
there for a long time (Ma Suu herself has said this). Why she lived there
for a long time was because she was not given permission to return to
Myanmar.

On 18 September 1990, an exhibition on Myanma Political Objectives was
held at the Tatmadaw Hall. I had a chance to read an article exhibited there.
It was written that a responsible official urged Daw Khin Kyi, Ma Suu's
mother who was at that time Ambassador to India, to send Ma Suu back to
Myanmar Naing-Ngan. To send her back to Myanmar fearing that she might
get married in a foreign country and she would be taught to become a big
scholar. Daw Khin Kyi promised to make arrangements to send her back as
mentioned in that article. In reality Ma Suu did not come back to Myanmar.
It looked as though Ma Suu's mother did not have the power to bring her
daughter back.

We would like to cite Prime Minister of Pakistan Benazir Bhutto as an
example. Benazir Bhutto had been educated in England and had lived in
England for a long time. Her father Ali Bhutto had been a Prime Minister
and later he was arrested and put to death. Benazir together with her
mother, continued to engage in politics and she was put in jail in Pakistan.
When Pakistani president Ziaul Haq died in a plane crash, the
Vice-President announced that elections would be held. Benazir Bhutto who
could not live in Pakistan but lived in England, returned to Pakistan.

Not long after returning to Pakistan, Benazir Bhutto got married. Foreign
newsmen asked her why she got married in such a haste. She replied that
she would take up politics and when she goes on campaign together with
menfolk there would be no cause to talk about her if she got married and
retained her composure and dignity. She also said that she got married in
accordance with three points -- (1) her spouse must be a Pakistani
national; (2) must be of same religion (Islam) as her; and (3) one who
does not meddle in her political affairs. All those who heard this came to
give her great respect.

It became more vivid that Ma Suu stayed abroad for a long time and got
married to a foreigner and even came under a foreign influence. At the end
of the four-eights disturbances, Ma Suu, who said she would return to
England for the sake of education of her two sons, after meeting with US
congressman Stephen Solarz in September 1988, made efforts to form an
interim government. It looked as though she had calculated on becoming
leader of the interim government.

Nearing the end of 1995, US Ambassador to the United Nations Madeleine
Albright came and met Ma Suu. After that she started opposing the National
Convention. She made use of her power to order her people to boycott the
Convention and to quit. It can be said that whenever her spouse and her
children come from abroad they bring directives from the Sayagyis
[masters] of Western Block. It is heard that there are criticisms made that
diplomats and foreign correspondents are those who are closely
supervising and giving her advice.

The usage four-eights is designated by BBC. It was BBC which gave
directives for staging strike simultaneously in the entire country on
8-8-88. The date 27 May 1996 is the sixth anniversary of the election.
BBC announced before-hand that the National League for Democracy [NLD]
would hold a convention that day. This was to give orders to Ma Suu. Why I
can say this is due to the fact that BBC gave the verbal orders about one
month in advance and the NLD acted accordingly.

In the third week of May, Ma Suu told BBC that in holding a constructive
meeting, the concept for negotiation is no longer workable and no longer in
fashion and the international sphere should approach through another
method. What she meant to say was that there was no way to make
arrangement for her to meet with Nawata [State Law and Order Restoration
Council] and solve the problem and no way to get power with that method
and that the West should use some other methods. All those who heard knew
that she meant to say that Myanmar should be attacked using military force
to put her on the throne.

On 7 June, the BBC made another announcement, saying that although the
Nawata has prohibited the holding of public lectures in front of Daw Aung
Suu Kyi's house on Saturday and Sunday evenings, the NLD officials and
Daw Aung Suu Kyi will continue to hold public lectures and gave
instructions to disobey orders and to oppose the law. The Nawata is
preserving peace and stability in the State by lawful means and directives
while the BBC and VOA (neo- colonist group of West) are giving
instructions to Ma Suu and her followers, inciting them to break the laws
in order to cause disturbances.

The entire public, including us, are supporting nation building tasks and
denouncing the destructionists on an extensive scale in all parts of the
country. It is time when the entire public desire the betterment of the
country by working constructively and no longer accepts foreign
destructionists and minions within the country who are sending decoys to
fight and unanimously voiced at mass rallies.

Hence, the public wish to live in peace and desire the development of
Myanmar Naing Ngan. They want to make effective use of genuine
democracy which would assure the public the right to make efforts for the
development of the country. Therefore, it is time Ma Suu came to
understand the attitude and the real desire of the Myanmar public. If so she
should abandon the existing ways of her being under foreign influence to
cause disintegration of the State and to return peacefully to her family in
London. As for us, we wish to continue with our peaceful teaching work. Ma
Suu please go back. Democracy does not mean power.

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

THE TIMES OF INDIA: THE PRISONERS OF SILENCE
16th June 1996  (New Delhi)   abridged
From: "FTUB (WB)" <aungsan@giasdl01.vsnl.net.in>

Indian has been strangely reticent on events in neighbouring
Myanmar.
 
Indias neutral stand on Myanmar and its refusal to criticise the
ruling State Law and Order Restoration (SLORC) stems from a
complete re-think of Indian foreign policy initiated by the
Narasimha Rao government in 1991. The new pragmatism, an
offshoot of the economic reforms initiated by the former Prime
Minister, helped to set the agenda for a change in India's attitude
towards the military rulers in Yangon.
 
The new United Front government of H.D. Deve Gowda is likely to
continue Rao's policy. "Our security concern, the fact that Myanmar
borders our sensitive north-eastern region and the need to counter
the prevailing Chinese influence calls for continuing a non-
confrontation line. There is unlikely to be any policy change on
Myanmar," an Indian official told The Sunday Times of India.
 
Prior to this, India has actively supported the movement for
democracy in Myanmar. The leader of the pro-democracy front,
Aung San Suu Kyi, had always been regarded as a special friend of
India. Her family ties with Indian leaders go back a long way. Suu
Kyi herself spent much of her youth in India and has many friends
and admirers in this country. It was, therefore, not surprising to find
the Indian government lending all support to the democratic forces
in Myanmar. At the same time, as one of the largest democracies in
the world, it was natural for New Delhi to lend support and
sustenance to a struggle against the military regime in its
neighbourhood.
 
Even before the United States and rest of the free world took up her
cause, India lend unstinted support to the pro-democracy activists.
Apart from granting asylum to a large number of students and
supporters, the state-run All India Radio, beamed its programmes
to Burma and kept the people informed of the happening in the
democratic camp. The military rulers objected time and again
against these broadcasts, calling them a blatant interference in
Myanmars domestic affairs. New Delhi shrugged aside these
objections and continued the broadcasts. Naturally relations between
the two countries remained frosty through the late 1980s.
 
When the late Congress came to power in July 1991, a review
Indias policy towards Myanmar took place. The growing influence
of China at Indias doorstep caused concern among policy planners
in the Capital. Even as New Delhis stocks fell in Yangon, Chinas
ratings with the military junta since the late 1980s was skyrocketing,
"This led us to take a hard look at our previous policy, and decide to
build bridge with the government in power," an Indian diplomats
explained.
 
Reports of Myanmars efforts to equip its armed forces with Chinese
arms was suspiciously close to the countrys turbulent north-east to
cause anxiety. "Border management," was an imperative for India.
A hostile Myanmar, which could encourage Indias separatists
rebels in the north-east was a danger New Delhi could not ignore.
Improved relations with Myanmar would ensure that insurgent
groups of the area could not use Burmese territory for their camps.
While the "no mans lands" between India, Myanmar and
Bangladesh was being used as a meeting place by the various groups
in both sides of the border, India wanted to make sure that the
separatists were thwarted in regions under control by Yangon.
 
Till the late 1970s the Chinese had actively encouraged the north-
eastern separatist groups. The danger of the Chinese resuming arms
supplies to the militants with the connivance of the authorities in
Myanmar was an inherent danger to Indias security.
 
A major worry for India was Chinas overwhelming presence in
Myanmar. Between 1988 to 1990, when Myanmar found itself
increasingly isolated internationally, China was only country which
was ready to be friends with Myanmars ruler. As countries
hesitated, China went into Myanmar in a big way and established a
major commercial presence in the country. At the same time, China
supplied arms worth $1.4 billion to Yangon. In 1994, Chinese Prime
Minister tarvelled to Yangon on a goodwill mission and gave a
clean chit to the military rulers. This was followed by a visit by the
Chinese defence minister when another defence deal was signed
between the two countries.
 
Policy planners in India have long worried about the reported move
by Chinese to use Myanmars naval bases to monitor the movement
of ships on the Indian Ocean. If the Chinese gained access of
Haingyi and Coco islands, New Delhi fears that Indian naval bases
in the Andamans and Vashakapatnam would become vulnerable.
There has been much speculation about this project in the
international and Indian, but so far there has been no confirmation
from either the SLORC or the Chinese government.
 
***********************************************************

THE ASIAN AGE : BURMESE STUDENTS PROTEST AGAINST LEE KUAN YEW
June 13, 1996
From: shar@tom.unv.ernet.in

(note from ABSL: More than 6 National Newspaper of India published
in Hindi and more than 2 in Urdu version also covered the events with
different photos of the demonstration.)

Support to Army junta condemned

New Delhi, June 13: The All Burma Students League held a demonstration
on Thursday in front of the Singapore embassy in New Delhi to protest against
the alleged remarks of former Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew on
the pro-democracy movement in Burma.

The students' league condemned the remarks of Mr Lee on the ongoing democratic

movement of the people of Burma. Calling Mr Lee an "autocrat", the League said

that his aim to legitimize the military rule in Burma would not succeed and
the
destiny of Burma would be determined its citizens.

In a statement last week, Mr Lee had implied that Ms Aung San Suu Kyi would be

unable to govern Burma, and suggested that she would be better off remaining a

political symbol.

He had said, "If I were Aung San Suu Kyi, I think I'd rather be behind a fence
and
be a symbol," than be "found impotent" to lead the country. "You've got to
create
an instrument of government and there isn't one, Mr Lee had added. (PTI)

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

REUTER: AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL ACCUSE MAJOR GOVTS OF
TRADING IN TERROR WITH SLORC
June 17, 1996
from: julien moe <moe@gramercy.ios.com>

   LONDON (Reuter) - Major governments are trading in terror by selling arms
and security equipment to countries with bad human rights records and then
denying responsibility when atrocities occur, Amnesty International said
Tuesday.

In its annual report the human rights group gave details of abuses in 146
countries and highlighted a trend toward targeting civilians in military
conflicts.

It urged Britain, France, Germany, China, Russia and the United States,
among others, to ban the sale of security equipment to countries where it can
be misused for torture.

    ``The international community all too often tries to wash its hands of
these atrocities by claiming that they are 'local affairs' over which they
have no influence,'' Pierre Sane, secretary-general of Amnesty International,
said in a statement.

    ``But who is arming and training those committing the atrocities?''

    Sane said the same governments which deny responsibilty are busy
promoting and exporting military and security equiptment to people who have
shown they use these weapons and devices to kill and torture.

    The 360-page report said China, France, Germany, Russia, Britain and the
United States were among nations ``trading in terror'' by selling military,
security and police equipment.

    ``Governments are falling over themselves to sell weapons and human
rights are increasingly being pushed to one side,'' Amnesty spokesman Mark
Ogle told Reuters.

    Ogle said certain countries, particularly the United States, Britain and
China, had considerable influence over other nations and if they put pressure
on governments to improve human rights they would certainly get a response.

``Responsibility for human rights abuses does not lie only with those who
pull the trigger or apply electric shock,'' said Sane. ``It also lies with
those who supply the weapons and the training needed to use them.''

    Conflicts in Afghanistan, Bosnia and Burundi were the most highly
publicised conflicts in 1995 and ones in which civilians were targeted. But
human rights abuses occurred in prison cells and police stations from
Colombia to China.  More than 4,500 people died because of inhuman
conditions or torture in custody in 54 nations, among them Egypt, Kenya,
Burma and Turkey.

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

LIM KIT SIANG: PRESS STATEMENT ON BURMA
June 8, 1996
>From yokte12@pc.jaring.my

By Malaysian Parliamentary Opposition Leader, Democratic Action Party
Secretary-General and MP for Tanjong, Lim Kit Siang, in Petaling Jaya
on Saturday, June 8, 1996:

DAP condemns Myanmese military junta for its proposal to ban National League
for Democracy and threat of mass arrest of pro-democracy leaders
----------------------------------------------------------------------------

DAP condemns the Myanmese military junta, the State Law and Order Restoration
Council (SLORC), for its proposal to ban the National League for Democracy and
threat of mass arrest of pro-democracy  leaders.

Myanmese Senior General Than Shwe has signed an order authorising the Home
Ministry to ban Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) and ban

its members.

The order gives the ministry power to ban any organisation violating laws
against unlawful gatherings or "obstructing the development of a constitution
through the government's National Convention".

Effective immediately, members of a banned organisation could be given prison
sentences of five to 20 years and fines if found guilty of encouraging or
instigating activities which "adversely affect the national interest".

The draconian SLORC order is aimed at Aung San Suu Kyi and the National League

for Democracy for its party congress last week, which adopted a resolution to
draft an alternative constitution and continued to hold public meetings.

It is clear that one reason why the Myanmese military junta had been
encouraged to embark on more undemocratic measures is because of the
"acquiescence" of the ASEAN governments to the mass arrest of the NLD
leaders prior to the NLD party congress.

SLORC must have interpreted ASEAN's "acquiescence" and "constructive
engagement" policy as condoning and even as a "blank cheque" for the
Myanmese military junta as far as domestic policies on repression of dissent
and suppression of the democratisation process are concerned.

In view of the strong evidence that SLORC is on the eve of a new dark age of
civil and political repression in Myanmar, the ASEAN nations must disabuse the

Myanmese military junta of any misconception that ASEAN  nations would condone

the further violation of democratic rights and civil liberties, as in the ban
on the NLD and the mass arrests of pro-democracy leaders.

ASEAN nations must make it clear to SLORC that it risks the rupture of
diplomatic relations if the Myanmese military junta should turn the clock back

on launching on a new wave of repression in the country.

The Japanese Government is also beholden to the international
community to issue a clear warning to SLORC to cancel all Japanese aid
programmes if there is any relapse  in Myanmar to undemocratic practices."

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

INDEPENDENT REPORT: COMPUTER INDUSTRY IN MYANMAR
June 10, 1996  By Moe K. T.
From: "Moe K. T." <moe@ORI.U-TOKYO.AC.JP>

General Information on the computer industry in Myanmar

The computer industry is certainly still at the stage of infancy stage in
Myanmar. In 1985 there were less than 20 mini computers( VAX, PDP) and
about two or three IBM mainframes(4381). Today the total number of PC
installed base is less than 10,000 units. The approximate market size in
1995 - was only 5000 units. But in 1996, this is expected to grow by 300%
to 15000 units (excluding Apple) which incidentedly has the largest market
share.

The market size for 1997 is expected to hit 30,000 units and 50,000 units
in 1998 respectively. With only a three years time lag behind Vietnam in
terms of market size, the market potential is tremendous.

To date about 80% to 90% of the PC sold in Myanmar are OEM brand mostly
from Singapore (either complete units or SKD parts). The various brands
that has already enter into the Myanmar market are Apple, Compaq, AST, IBM,
ACER, IPC and Wearnes. But yet there is somehow no particular brand that
have a strong market base in the Myanmar, thus giving much room for various
companies to market their products aggressively in Myanmar.

In 1995, the estimated ratio between Government/Commercial & Home market
was 70% to 30% respectively. In 1996 the Ministry of Defence & Education
will be the most aggressive buyer, followed by the Tourism Industry. The
Education Ministry has also given an official directive to have computers
installed in all the primary & secondary schools. The ministry will also
increase the number of computers in the colleges & the universities. This
will create a huge market demand over the next three to five years.

And finally, the good margin enjoy by locals when selling computers has
given rise to many computer outlets over the last few years. But the
locally assembled PC has spawned low quality products which has caused the
market to go for foreign assembled and branded PC. And Singapore branded
computers are perceived to fit into this gap given the high quality. In fact,
all other
brand names are Acer & Compaq are perceived to be similar to Singapore
branded computers.

Myanmar's Ministry of Telecommunication requested the Internet
connection information from KDD, Japan's biggest International
Telecommunication Company, last year.  KDD submitted a report months later
and since then officials from KDD have visited Yangon at least three times for
the Program and said they are still waiting the approval from Myanmar's side.

According to the news in this month's Computer Journal from Yangon,
Internet connection will start as early as in November. But they didn't
say, it's going to set up with KDD or any other companies. The Journal is
going to cover the news of detailed Internet programs & Data Communication
in coming months.

Information sources : ICSI, Myanmar
                http://www.it-tradeSources.com/comp.html
-------------------------------

I've heard Apple Macintosh (LC630) installation with the price of (US$
10?0) in the schools under the Ministry of Education, computer schools
under Ministry of Cooperatives and offices in other Ministries reached
about 10,000 units in 1995 and going to buy more this year too.

Moe K. T.
Ocean Research Institute, University of Tokyo

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

BRC-J: RELIEF WORK ON BURMA BORDER: WANT TO CONTRIBUTE??
June 9, 1996
From: Ken and Visakha Kawasaki <brelief@gol.com>

HUMANITARIAN AID: BUILDING DEMOCRACY ONE MICROSCOPE,
ONE TEXTBOOK, ONE T-SHIRT AT A TIME

     We all know that letter campaigns and demonstrations
have been effective means of promoting democracy in Burma.
But did you ever think of what a microscope, a textbook or a
t-shirt could do to liberate the country?  In the talented hands of
the hard-working students on Burma's borders, these humble
objects become instruments of quiet but steady change.
     Take microscopes, for example.  There is always a great
need for them as well as other medical instruments and
medicine for the growing health care program headquartered at
Dr. Cynthia's clinic in Mae Sot, Thailand.  Refugee doctors like
Dr. Cynthia have trained other students to serve as medics to
serve their fellow refugees as well as ethnic minority groups
long neglected by the central government.  Many of these
student doctors or medics are of Burman background, and by
caring for ethnic villagers and learning their language, they are
gradually reversing years of fear and distrust.
     Then there's textbooks.  A number of schools have been
set up by students on the border, and these are in great need of
supplies and operating funds.  In sharp contrast to SLORC
schools, these schools are founded on the belief that education
should enlighten rather than enslave the people.  Therefore they
teach the students their own ethnic language in addition to
Burmese and English.  Subjects as diverse as math and politics
are also included in the curriculum.  Democracy depends on an
educated citizenry, and these teachers are laying a firm
foundation for the future.
     Consider t-shirts and other clothes: People need clothes
to live and work, and the students on the border are no
exception.  Medics need shoes to walk through the jungle on
their way to treating patients in a remote village. Malaria
patients need blankets and sweaters to fight the chills.  Everyone
needs dry clothes during the rainy season.
     The Thai - Burma border presents some great
"bargains" for fundraisers.  Raising money, obviously, can
increase a group's esprit de corps and also provide opportunities
to increase public awareness of issues.  As for the bargains -- a
donation of $25 buys a thousand tetracycline tablets; an
artificial leg costs between $200 - 500; for $1,000 you can
build a small school on the border for forty children and keep it
running for a year.
     Since 1988, Burmese Relief Center -- Japan has served
as a liaison between the people on the border and their
supporters around the world.  You, too, can help build
democracy in very direct and tangible ways by helping Burmese
Relief Center -- Japan help the talented and hard-working
student-refugees on Burma's borders.
     Specifically, we are seeking (1) people to collect needed
items and (2) people to bring these donated items (or their own
medical or educational training) into Thailand.  People who
collect or donate items are asked to package them, then notify
Burmese Relief Center--Japan about the size and contents of the
package.  Burmese Relief Center--Japan then finds a volunteer
to carry the package into Thailand, where that volunteer either
mails or hand-delivers it to the intended destination or to a
go-between in Thailand.  (This system is intended to protect the
identities of both givers and receivers.)
     Interested?  Then please fill out the form below and
reply to:
     Cameron Beatty <cameron.beatty@snow.edu> (for
those in North America)
     Burmese Relief Center -- Japan <brelief@gol.com> (all
others)
     Burmese Refugee Project
<gsveticic@animus.mf.uni-lj.si> (medical volunteers)

Please visit the Burmese Refugee Project Homepage at:
www.kiss.uni-lj.si/sou/mp/slomsic/burma/burma.html

     Thanks for your interest!  Thanks for your help!
     =========================================
I want to help by: (Check as many as apply.)
<Medical>
( ) donating medical supplies
( ) collecting eyeglasses
( ) carrying medical supplies or eyeglasses to Thailand
( ) volunteering my skills as a doctor, nurse, dentist, or other
medical personnel on the border
( ) fund raising for medical programs on the border

<Educational>
( ) collecting books and school supplies
( ) carrying books and school supplies to Thailand
( ) volunteering as a teacher
( ) fund raising for schools on the border

<Other>
( ) general fund raising
( ) selling refugee handicrafts
( ) collecting clothes
( ) carrying clothes to Thailand

Humanitarian aid to Burma's border areas is TRULYconstructive engagement.

