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

The BurmaNet News: April 24, 1996
Issue #391

Noted in Passing:

                The USDA has become a very dangerous organization as
                it is now being used in the way Nazi leader Hitler used his
                brown shirts.  - Daw Aung San Suu Kyi on the SLORC's
                Union Solidarity and Development Association
                (see UPI: SUU KYI COMPARES BURMESE GROUP TO NAZIS )

HEADLINES:
==========
BKK POST: PEPSI 'TO SELL STAKE IN BURMA VENTURE'
UPI: SUU KYI COMPARES BURMESE GROUP TO NAZIS
SLORC: STATEMENT ON LEGAL ACTION AGAINST JAMES NICHOLS
ABSDF (DAWN GWIN): PRISONERS AND ABUSES BY SLORC
THE NATION: 'TIGER TRAP' SNARES TOP LIEUTENANT OF KHUN SA
THE NATION: JAPAN'S BUSINESS ROLE IN BURMA UNDER FIRE
BKK POST: THE GOOD, THE BAD AND ... THE FOREX CERTIFICATES
BKK POST: AMUSEMENT PARK
THE NATION: AUST COULD RETHINK BURMA POLICY
INDEPENDENT REPORT: BURMESE STUDENTS GROUP IN JOHNS
AP- DOW JONES: BURMA RICE EXPORTS TO TRIPLE BY 2001;
INDEPENDENT LETTER: A POST CARD FROM LONDON
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

BKK POST: PEPSI 'TO SELL STAKE IN BURMA VENTURE'
April 24, 1996
Washington, AFP

PEPSICO Inc plan to sell its 40% stake in a joint venture in
Burma after coming under public pressure to stop doing business
in the military-ruled country, Pepsi told activists on Monday.

Pepsi officials made the pledge during a conference call on
Monday with activists pressing the corporation to pull out
of Burma, said Boston-based investment analyst Simon
Billenness, who took part in the conference call.

No comment was immediately available from PepsiCo Inc
headquarters in Purchase, New York.

"Pepsi is planing to sell its 40% equity interest..in the
near term, but their franchise agreement will remain," said
Billenness, senior analyst at Boston-based Franklin Research
and Development Corp.

The firm manages a $500 million portfolio for clients who
favour "socially responsible" investment.

Billenness called the move a "significant step" but said it
was unlikely to satisfy anti-Burmese activists or local
governments that have passed or are considering legislation
banning contracts with companies that do business in Burma.

Pepsi whose subsidiaries include Pizza Hut and Taco Bell,
has gone under increasing pressure in recent months to halt
operations in Southeast Asian country, accused of gross
human rights abuses.

A handful of state and local governments across the United
State have passed "selective purchasing" laws barring
contracts with companies that do business in Burma.

Others including San Francisco, Okaland, and New York City
are expected to vote on similar legislation soon. Federal
sanction legislation is also pending in the House and Senate.

Several large American companies have recently pulled out of
Burma, including garment retailers Eddie Bauer, Liz
Claiborne and Federated Department Store.

Activists aiming to make Burma "the South Africa of the 90s"
have set their sights on multinational oil companies with a
substantial presence in Burma, including Unocal, Total and Texaco.

A PepsiCo spokeswoman said earlier this month that the
company earned about $8 million in profit from its Burma
operations last year, out of $30.4 billion world-wide.

"We don't support tyranny or dictatorship," spokeswoman
Elaine Franklin said.

Earlier this month, Harvard University scrapped a million-
dollar deal under which its dinning halls were to switch
from Coca-Cola to Pepsi after students objected to the scheme.

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

UPI: SUU KYI COMPARES BURMESE GROUP TO NAZIS
April 21, 1996
From: "W. Kesavatana-Dohrs" <dohrs@u.washington.edu>

RANGOON, April 21 (UPI) -- Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi
has compared a pro-government mass organization to Hitler's brown
shirts, saying the group was set up to crush her country's beleaguered
democracy movement.
        Speaking to a crowd of about 4,000 supporters in front of her Rangoon
residence Saturday, Suu Kyi said young ``thugs'' belonging to the
government-sponsored Union Solidarity and Development Association had
been assigned to intimidate her political party, the National League for
Democracy.
``The USDA has become a very dangerous organization as it is now
being used in the way Nazi leader Hitler used his brown shirts,'' she
said. ``I want the whole world to know that the USDA is being used to
crush the democratic movement.''
        The USDA was established in September 1993 by Burma's ruling military
junta.
        All government employees, including military personnel, are required
to belong to the organization and attend USDA rallies.
        Civilians also are pressured to join the USDA and must show
membership cards before they are allowed to buy air tickets or enroll
their children in school.
        Suu Kyi's blunt criticism of the organization followed reports of the
junta's heavy-handed attempts to prevent the NLD from participating in
public celebrations of the Burmese New Year last week.
        Responding to a question from her audience, Suu Kyi said officials of
her party were not allowed to perform two traditional Buddhist
ceremonies -- freeing live fish into ponds and paying homage to elders --
``because the authorities did not want the world community to know the
extent of the people's support to us.''
        ``I must speak about the episode at some length to let not only the
people of Burma but also the people of other countries know what exactly
happened,'' she added.
        She said NLD President U Aung Shwe had been summoned by the
authorities on Burmese New Year's Day, April 16, and asked not to go
ahead with the two Buddhist ceremonies because ``these would amount to
using the new year festival for political purpose.''
        The NLD canceled the ceremonies, but ``the matter did not end there
as we expected,'' Suu Kyi said. ``Subsequently the road in front of my
house was closed to traffic and some young members of the USDA were
brought to man the road and beat up anyone found entering it.''
        She said the young USDA men had white handkerchiefs tied to their
wrists and carried sticks.
        ``Now, the USDA was set up as a social welfare organization, but by
using its members as they did on Burmese New Year's Day its leaders have
changed it into an organization of thugs,'' SuuKyi said, drawing a loud
cheer from her audience.
        Critics of the USDA have said its stated aims are nearly identical to
those of the socialist party that ruled Burma from 1962 until 1988.

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

SLORC: STATEMENT ON LEGAL ACTION AGAINST JAMES NICHOLS
April 23, 1996
From: Bertil Lintner <lintner@ksc.au.ac.th>

The Burmese embassy in Bangkok put out a statement last night, and this
is it (in verbatim):

"The Embassy of the Union of Myanmar would like to make clarifications on
the news apppeared in the Thai Newspapers these days relating with the
legal action taken by the authorities against the one Mr. James Leander
Nichols. He is now in custody for investigation and legal action after
being found out his illegally using nine telephones and two fax machines
without permission of the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications.
Presently he is not an honorary consul of any country in the Union of
Myanmar as mentioned as in Thai Newspapers. Although he was once an
honorary counsul of Norway, Sweden and Denmark and his appointment had
been revoked once he was arrested on 24-3-1980 and subsequently sentenced
to two months and fifteen days for violation of criminal code starting
29-11-1982. Since 1983 after revocation of appointment as honorary consul
to Norway, Sweden and Denmark, he no longer represents to any country.
Now after finding out his legal violation again, he will be prosecuted
according to the Myanmar criminal code as he is a Myanmar citizen. These
points had been made clear by the Ambassador of the Union of Myanmar to
the Ambassadors who enquired his position at their call 18-4-1996 at this
Embassy. Furthermore, the description of Thai Newspapers his news
associated with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is rather a guesswork attempted to
dramatize the issue. In 1980 when Mr Nichols was arrested for
law-breaking, nobody raised a voice. If the lady would be there in
Myanmar at that time, we wonder whether somebody would make a hullabaloo
at the issue. In fact, legal action taken against any law breaker
according to the prevailing laws is quite natural in any country.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Comment from Bertil Lintner:
James (Leo) Nichols was arrested in 1980 on a trumped-up charge which had
something to do with his import-export business and related failure to pay
the right people off.  More importantly, he was also detained (but not
arrested)
shortly after Suu Kyi was placed under house arrest in 1989. His main crime at

that time was to have supported the NLD financially. A prominent Muslim
businessman was also detained at the same time on the same charge: he was
less lucky.  He suffered from some heart disease and the police did not give
him his medicine so he died in police custody in Rangoon. Leo was released
after a few days.

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

ABSDF (DAWN GWIN): PRISONERS AND ABUSES BY SLORC
April 22, 1996
From: <caroline@ksc.net.th>

Prisoner labor has been commonly practiced in Burma for a long time.  "We
will compensate for our crime with our sweat"  is the slogan for Burmese
prisoners who are ordered to work in labor camps.  Prisoner labor camps
are widely known as "Ye Bat camp" in [During the former Burmese Socialist
Program party (BSPP) era, "Ye Bat" was interpreted as criminal but during
Slorc's reign, political prisoners and pro - democracy activists are also
sent to "Ye Bat Labor camps" and ordered to work.  Political prisoners are
subject to torture and mistreatment by prison officials.  Political
prisoners (prisoners of conscience) are often kept in solitary
confinement, and even manacled and chained for no particular reason. Those
political prisoners sentenced to less than ten year imprisonment are sent
to prison labor camps across the country.

The number of prisoners in Burma increased considerably after Slorc's coup
in 1988.  Since then, prisoners, including political prisoners and student
activists, have been used not only in the labor camps but at military
bases for military purposes.

Along with local people, over 200 prisoners were used in the summer
military operation to carry supplies, food and ammunition to the Infantry
Battalion (19), LIB (340), (341) and (434), all based in Papon township
under the Southeastern Military command. These prisoners and other local
people were forced to porter supplies several times from Slorc supply
bases in Khaw Poke and Pa High to the military outposts along the Thai -
Burmese border. Each trip was 15 - 20 miles over rugged terrain, according
to eight prisoners who managed to escape to the Thai - Burma border.  The
only food they were given was rice which was never enough. Many porters
got malaria and other diseases and suffered terribly due to the hard
weather, according to them.  Soldiers kicked those who were sick or weak
and beat them with wooden stick or rifle butts. No medical assistance was
given during the portage. Three prisoners died due to the mistreatment and
lack of medical assistance, the escaped prisoners said.

Slorc has set up six new "Win Saung" (porter) battalions comprised of
prisoner - laborers in order to cope with the shortage of prison
facilities resulting from an increase in prison population.  These "Win
Saung"  battalions are mainly used for the porterage in the frontier.
During military operations porters are reportedly and regularly used as
human mine sweepers.  Prisoners are kept ready for porterage whenever
requested by the local army battalions.

Currently, Myitkyina, Loi Kaw, Thaton and Mergui have one porter battalion
each and Pa-an has two porter battalions. The treatment in the prison
labor camps is very harsh and brutal according to eyewitnesses.  Only
those prisoners who can afford to pay bribe money (from 5 - 70000 kyat)
can avoid going to the labor camps.  Ko Too and Ko Kan Saung, both from Ye
- U township, Sagaing Division, were sentenced to three years imprisonment
with hard labor for their political activities during the 1988 uprising.
They were sent to a prison labor camp and died after brutal mistreatment
and harsh labor conditions, a local resident of Ye-U township reported.

Moreover, the Venerable U Kawira, the chairman of the "Kalon Ni"  (magic
bird) Strike Committee in Mandalay in 1988 was forcibly disrobed and sent
to Moe Hnyin prisoner labor camp in Kachin State, according to a released
political prisoner from Myingyan prison.

ABSDF News Agency
ABSDF (Dawn Gwin)
***********************************************************

THE NATION: 'TIGER TRAP' SNARES TOP LIEUTENANT OF KHUN SA
April 23, 1996
Parith Iampongpaiboon, Yindee Lertcharoenchok

THAI police last week arrested a suspected leading
lieutenant of opium warlord Khun Sa, the 12th captured so
far under the US' Operation Tiger Trap, designed to bring to
justice 20 black-listed members of the Golden Triangle's drug ring.

While the US Embassy in Bangkok said Chaou Yu-an was
arrested last Tuesday in Mae Sai district of Chiang Rai, a
senior Thai official source said last night that the suspect
was captured in Muang district of Mae Hong Son province
either last Wednesday or Thursday.

Senior authorities from the Office of the Narcotics Control
Board and the Police Department's Narcotics Suppression
Bureau could not be reached for confirmation or comments
yesterday as they were abroad.

The source said Chaou was arrested after sneaking into
Thailand. The source could not confirm Chaou's nationality
and if he was Thai. He was not carrying an identification
card upon his arrest.

Eight out of 11 of Khun Sa's lieutenants arrested in
November 1994 were found to be Thai nationals.

In 1994, the US asked Thailand to help arrest and extradite
20 of Khun Sa's top aides who were believed in Thailand.
Those wanted had been indicted by the eastern district court
of New York on drug trafficking charges.

The US Embassy yesterday confirmed Chaou's arrested and that
extradition had been requested so he could stand trial in the US.

"We have requested his extradition because he is part of the
original group of people whom we indicted two years ago," an
embassy official said.

Although the Drug Enforcement Administration had earlier
declined to members wanted under Operation Tiger Trap,
reliable sources said the list included Khun Sa and his
uncle Khun Seng. However, Khun Sa's chief of staff Chang
Shu-chuan, or Sao Palang in Shan was not included.

Khun Sa, who has secretly negotiated a peace settlement with
the Burmese junta, surrendered his well-equipped Mong Tai
Army and his controlled territory in the southern part of
the Shan State to Rangoon in early January.

Sources confirmed that Khun Sa and Khun Seng have living in
Rangoon since early March and the former, who is America's
No.1 drug enemy, would be unlikely to be prosecuted by the
military leaders over his drug activities. (TN)

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

THE NATION: JAPAN'S BUSINESS ROLE IN BURMA UNDER FIRE
April 23, 1996 AP

DEMOCRACY activist Aung San Suu Kyi yesterday accused
Japanese who do business in Burma of ignoring the plight of
her countrymen working as slave labourers in conditions
similar to the infamous "Death Railway" of World War II.

Suu Kyi has called for a halt to foreign investment in Burma
until there is real progress towards democracy.

Some major Japanese companies have committed to investments
in Burma. The Daiwa Research Institute, an affiliate of
Daiwa Bank, is helping to set up a stock exchange. The
Japanese government has granted debt relief to Burma's government.

Human Rights groups and international labour organizations
have condemned the Burmese military for forcing villagers to
work as slave labourers to build the country's infrastructure.

"Men, women and children toil away without financial
compensation under hard taskmasters in scenes reminiscent of
the infamous railway of death," Suu Kyi wrote in her weekly
column in Japan's Mainichi newspaper. She was referring to
the "Death Railway" built by Japan in World War II to link
Burma with Thailand. Over 100,000 Allied prisoners of war,
most of them Asian, died working as slave labourers to build it.

"If businessmen do not care that our workers are exposed to
exploitation, they should at least be concerned that a
dissatisfied labour force will eventually mean social unrest
and economic instability," she added.

Japanese businesses and government officials say investment
can help speed up democratic change in Burma. But Suu Kyi
said large Japanese companies "who come to Burma to enrich
themselves" are among the "despoilers" of the nation.

She noted, however, that many Japanese people care about
democratic progress in Burma and offer her encouragement at
her weekend talks in Rangoon.

"I am strengthened by the knowledge that our struggle has
the  support of Japanese people," she wrote.

The Burmese government has approved more than US$3 billion
of foreign investment since 1988, but only about a third of
that has actually been disbursed. (TN)

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

BKK POST: THE GOOD, THE BAD AND ... THE FOREX CERTIFICATES
April 23, 1996
By Mya Maung

The United States' dollar is dominating the financial system
in Burma where no one wants "bad" money _ the local kyat _
and wants only "good" money.

The dollar has become a standard of value and a store of
wealth instead of the kyat that has become almost worthless
in the eyes of the public. Since 1988, the kyat has become
bad to hold in case the notes are demonetised or the
currency is devalued.

Unwillingness to hold kyat is worsened by strict foreign
exchange controls relentlessly maintained by the government
with an artificially fixed exchange rate of around six kyat
to the dollar, compared with a black market rate of 120:1.

The move toward dollars began in 1990 when foreign companies
sold luxury consumer durables at prices quoted and sold in
that currency. Domestic private companies and even state
enterprises and state-owned shops began following suit.

On February 4, 1993, following the past Chinese example to
capture foreign exchange from tourists, the Central Bank of
Myanmar began issuing foreign exchange certificates in $1,
$5 and $10 denominations.

These certificates were decreed to be generally accepted and
used inside Burma only. The coupon has become the second
legal tender in Burma, locally doubbed "Burmese dollars".

Foreign tourists were required initially to buy a minimum
$200 worth of the certificates in 1993, before the minimum
was raised to $300 in 1994. This minimum is de facto forced
conversion of $300 into Burmese kyat at the official
exchange rate. It also amounts to a tax or an entry fee
imposed on visitors.

Last December, the government opened a central foreign
exchange centre with 10 countries in Rangoon to participate
in the black market by buying and selling the coupon
changers have been licensed to perform the same function.

According to the government, the objective is supposedly to
eradicate the foreign exchange black market and stabilise
the value of the kyat.

Unlike the previous issuing of coupons to foreign tourists
in exchange for dollars they brought into Burma, the
government now seems to be printing and selling the
certificates to money changers with no dollar backing or
reserves of any kind.

If the new coupons are printed and put into circulation for
direct exchange with kyats in circulation, the amount of
currency in use will remain unchanged.

However, if the government keeps on printing and injecting
kyat notes into circulation, as it has been doing to finance
its mounting deficit, as well as using the coupons for
purposes other than the simple currency swap, it will
increase the money supply. This will stoke inflation and
cause the kyat to depreciate further against the dollar and
the coupons on the black market.

In effect, the government action of opening the exchange
counters to trade coupons amounts to making the kyat more
worthless to hold. It represents the introduction of new
notes in denominations of $1, $5, and $10 in addition to the
existing kyat notes of 12 denomination ranging from 5-500,
including the oddly-denominated 45k and 90k bills introduced
by Gen Ne Win to counter bad omens in 1987.

The question is, who will benefit from the exchange of kyats
into certificates? The answer is not ordinary people with an
average per capita income of about 1,300 kyats ($10.80 at
the black market exchange rate) with fixed income and no
savings, but the state and a few privileged and wealthy
military elite, businessmen, black market kingpins and
brokers with millions of kyats at their disposal to buy
expensive foreign goods priced and sold in dollars and certificates.

While the government action eradicate foreign exchange black
markets and stabilise the value of the kyat? So far, the
answer is negative. Evidence of this is reflected in the
rise of the black market price of the coupons from 117k last
December to 124k this month.

As long as the government continues to maintain a foreign
exchange regime with no convertibility between kyats and
dollars, as well as the coupons at the official exchange
rate of six kyat to the dollar, excess demand for dollars
and coupons will perpetuate black markets.

The Burmese government should learn from its Chinese
mentor's experience that using certificates to capture foreign
exchange was an economic blunder to stabilise its currency.

The value or strength of a nation's currency lies not in the
power of the state to create new banknotes and interfere
with the functioning of a free and open-market economy, but
in its ability to promote economic growth and public confidence.

Note: Mya Maung is a professor of finance at the Wallace E.
Carroll School of Management, Boston College, United States.

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

BKK POST: AMUSEMENT PARK
April 23,1996

Burma was awarded the "Revelation of the Year" trophy by a
world tourism fair, or Salon Mondial du Tourisme in Paris
earlier this month.

The majority of tourism press chose Burma after seeing
programmes on its tourist attractions telecast by French
television. Burmese Ambassador to France U Nyunt Tin
accepted the award. French tourists topped other Westerners
visiting in Burma, followed by Germans, and Italians. (BP)

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

THE NATION: AUST COULD RETHINK BURMA POLICY
April 23, 1996

New Australia Foreign Minister Alexander Downer has conceded
that his country's policy on Burma has been less than
effective. He spoke to Radio Australia's Bangkok
correspondent Even Williams.

How can Australia's policy towards Burma be improved?
The previous (Labor) government had a policy of setting
benchmarks and took a view that as those benchmarks were
met, if they were met, then the Australian government would
gradually liberalize its position towards Burma. And it
(Labor government) made the judgement that if a sufficient
number of those benchmarks had been met, there could be a
significant liberalization.
We haven't changed that position and it's an issue that I
want to look at more closely. Obviously at the end of the
day what we would like to see is an advance in the process
of democratization in Burma and proper respect for human
rights. We don't want to break faith with Aung San Suu Kyi.
So we are sensitive of all those issues. Therefore. we have
decided, certainly in these early weeks of the new
government, to stick with the previous government's policy
which was a commitment I gave to the Australian Burmese
community before the elections.

You don't want to "break faith" with Suu Kyi. What does that
exactly mean?
Well I think if we were to abandon our (Burma) policy
suddenly overnight and adopt a different course, it would
come as a surprise to her. She would feel that  the
Australian government, and by implication the Australian
people, are not prepared to go out of their way to support
her. I think the Australian people's view is that they would
like to support her and the Australian people certainly
support the process of democratization in Burma.  So we are
certainly hastening slowly in terms of looking at that issue.

What's your view of Suu Kyi's future role in Burma? Do you
think he'll be running the country eventually?
Well it's up to the people of Burma. That's not up to the
Australian foreign minister.
The people of Burma did express their views some years ago
and they expressed that view very strongly by a sizeable
majority. That is the reason why Australian is against what
has taken place in Burma recently. Subsequently, there has
been the implementation of a fairly harsh set of rules by
the new regime. There are many reports of human rights
breaches coming out of Burma. It's almost daily that these
reports are coming out. It's a pretty serious situation.
In the end, the role that Aung San Suu Kyi plays in the
future of Burma should be a matter for the Burmese. But at
least they should have some say on the matter instead of
being denied any voice.

The benchmarks and that whole policy approach really has
failed to do anything. The military junta is ignoring any
approach to benchmarks, particularly Australia's approach in
the past. Isn't it time for a change?
Well I wouldn't rush into a change at this stage because the
previous position and still current position is one which
represents a strong protest about what's happened in Burma.
Obviously to some limited extent Burma is disadvantaged by a
country like Australia which is one of biggest economies in
the region - if not the biggest economy in the immediate
region - not fully participating economically with it.
But we will look and see what is the best way for the future. We,
however, are not about to do that in the next few days.

Are you indicating that the benchmarks would probably be
that way to continue?
We are sticking with the benchmark policy until we have the
time to look and effective. It's a fair point you've made,
that we have had this benchmark policy for a long time and
there hasn't been a major step towards liberalization in Burma.
The Asean countries have taken a different path - the
constructive engagement path. There is a view in the Asean
countries that the more Burma is open to the outside world
the more Burma can see the patterns of liberalization and
the effects of oppression.
But I don't think the Burmese people, judging by the way
they voted some year ago, are interested in oppression. And
the Burmese people obviously do want the restoration of
proper human rights in Burma. I don't think there are any
arguments about that.
But you can say the Australia policy has not worked. For
that neither has Asean's policy of constructive engagement.
So the regime still remains a harsh one. Aung San Suu Kyi
may not be any longer incarcerated in her own house but,
nevertheless, she does not have the full liberty that one
would hope. She, quite obviously, is not able to participate
in the full political process in her country. We've got to
keep working at trying to help her and help the process of
democratization and liberalization in Burma.

It is your view then that Western countries like Australia
should get together and actually push the sanctions line that
has not really taken off in the past?
The difficult is what I have already said - trying to find a
policy which is going to work. I say this is in relation to
human rights issues such as East-Timor. There is no point in
pursuing a policy which is some case prove to be
counterproductive.
We've got to develop policies which are productive, which
are helpful, and which move be, forward towards a greater
respect for human rights where that's necessary.

Do you include sanctions in there?
The history of sanctions is a patchy one. It can be argued
that sanctions were successful in the case of South Africa.
But that's an argument.
It seems to me that a number of things happened at the same
time such as the break-up of communism and the end of the
Cold War. These things all had implications for South Africa
as it turned out. So it's hard to pinpoint the impact of sanctions.
In other cases, sanctions have been unsuccessful and in some
cases it has been counter-productive.
If you look at the history of Burma, the country has been
isolated from the outside world. And the Burmese government, if
not the Burmese people seem to have been quite happy to
live with that. So I'm not sure whether toughening our policy from
benchmarks to sanctions is going to achieve anything at all.

Do you think Australia is sending mixed messages to the
region, as claimed by some leaders? Canberra seems to be
hard China in terms of human rights.
The new government's position is one of consistency. The
consistent message from the new Australian government is
that we're practical people seeking practical results. I
think often there are people in Australia who would like us
to take a harder line on some human rights issues like implementing
sanctions or putting out extremely nasty press releases.
But you've got to ask yourself what would work. I don't care
any less about human rights than the most ardent human
rights activists in Australia. But I do care about getting
results and I do care about Australia's national interest. I
could go in a so-called suicide mission and make a hero of
myself with me people by putting out press release that
lecture and denounce people all around the region.
But what would be the result of that? The only country that
would be isolated at the end of that exercise would be my
own country. And we would not be able to influence anybody.
We would just become a laughing stock - being seen as heavy-
handed and losing all influence.
It's a question of thinking these things through and working
out how best you can exercise influence. Not everyone would
agree with the precise details of how I would pursue those
strategies in relation to different countries.
But the objectives are consistent and the strategies, because
I'm a practical and realistic person, will vary a bit from
country to country. That would be the best path that I chose
in terms of achieving my objectives. (TN)

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

INDEPENDENT REPORT: BURMESE STUDENTS GROUP IN JOHNS
HOPKINS UNIVERSITY ACTION**
April 22, 1996      by Watherly
From: Watherly@aol.com

A Boycott Pepsi and Free Burma Sanction Bill Campaign was held at Johns
Hopkins University on April 19, 20, and 21, 1996. It was led by Mr. Than
Htay, an engineering student, and Mr. Yin Aye, also an engineering student.
Fifteen students and local residents took responsibility for the event for
three
days. Mr. Aye Min, a medical student at University of Virginia in Richmond,
Viginia also participated in the campaign.  He answered many questions
about human rights abuses in Burma.
                                                                        
Those on duty collected signatures for Boycott Pepsi and Boycott Heineken.
They also gathered many signatures  for the Free Burma Sanctions Bill. They
collected  two hundred signatures during the three day campaign.

The student group also exhibited many pictures of human rights abuses
by the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) which killed
thousands of peaceful demonstrators during the 1988 pro-democracy
movement. The Slorc also ignored the results of the 1990 national election.
Many guests and students who came to the Spring Fair in the university
paid much attention to the exhibition.  Mr. Yin and Mr. Htay said, "many
people
come and ask many questions for boycotting Pepsi."

"We will do more campaigns in many universities around Washington D.C.,
Virginia, and Maryland areas" both said. " All Burmese students and
non-Burmese
students can do like us" Mr. Htay said eagerly." "The PepsiCo helps the
military
regime in Burma to be strengthened, and why don't we do more campaigns
until the PepsiCo withdraws completely from Burma," Mr. Saw Maung Naing, an
engineering student in the Montgomery College, said.

The next campaign event will take place in Montgomery College, in Maryland
some
time next week. In the campaign, the students will show video tapes, collect
signatures, and  display pictures. The students will also write a letter to
the board of trustees to withdraw investment from PepsiCo. The students plan
to
write a petition letter to Rockville City Council too. That letter will ask
that
the city stop buying Pepsi.

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

AP- DOW JONES: BURMA RICE EXPORTS TO TRIPLE BY 2001;
IRRIGATION WORKS KEY   By Camille Klass
April 22, 1996
From: ider@mail.datanet.hu

   SINGAPORE (AP-Dow Jones)--Through extensive irrigation
projects that will cost the Burmese government 44 billion kyats,
or approximately $7.33 billion, Burma is aiming to treble its rice
exports to three million metric tons, an official with Burma's
Ministry of Agriculture told Dow Jones News Services Monday.
   That would see Burma's rice exports surge to levels not seen
since before World War II.
   Irrigation projects are the key to higher output and exports,
said U Aye Ko, deputy director-general of the ministry's Department
of Agricultural Planning (DAP).
   'These projects are primarily being undertaken to achieve the
objective of (producing) surplus rice,' said U. 'We envisage rice
exports at three million tons by 2001.'
   Burma last year exported 1.033 million tons, according to
statistics from the country's agricultural ministry.
   'We're trying to increase the cropping intensity and we need
irrigation because of the climactic conditions of the country,'
said U. 'We have three seasons a year - summer, rainy and winter.
The rainy season stretches from mid-May to end-October and when that
stops there's a long spell of dry weather from summer to winter. We
need sustainable water for the second crop of paddy and for other cash
and industrial crops to grow.'
   Among the irrigation projects the Burmese government will undertake
to achieve its objective of higher rice output and exports are the
construction of new reservoirs and dams and the renovation of existing
reservoirs, he added.
   Since 1990, 64 reservoirs and dams have been built, the costs of
which the government has borne alone, U said. The total number of
reservoirs and dams, which cover 11 of Burma's 14 states and divisions,
will grow to 139 by the end of the government's second five-year plan,
which comes into effect this month.
   The completion of the planned 139 reservoirs and dams will bring
the net irrigated area in the country up to 6.67 million acres, or 28%
of the total net sown acreage of 23.69 million acres, U said.
   By next year, U says that 5.65 million acres of the 16 million
acres of riceland will be irrigated.
   Although the government is currently planning to fund the projects
on its own, it is open to funding from international development
agencies, U said.
   Since the end of World War II, Burma's rice exports have fallen
by 66% because of population growth and policies adopted 'during
the previous socialist economy system,' U said.
   According to U, the current annual rice surplus is two million
tons out of a total yearly production of approximately 16 million
tons. However, total exports last year were only half of that surplus.
   U Nyunt Aye, general manager of Myanmar Export and Import Services,
the country's sole rice import and export arm, said the surplus that
is not exported is reserved for domestic stocks.
   Domestic consumption in Burma is the highest in Asia, said DAP's U.
   'Our per annum consumption is 190 kilograms per head compared to an
average of about 120 kilos per head in Thailand,' he added. Thailand is the
world's largest rice exporter.

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

INDEPENDENT LETTER: A POST CARD FROM LONDON
April 22, 1996  by Oung Myint Tun
From: O M Tun <omtun@gn.apc.org>

About three hundred Burmese and foreign guests took a
delightful 'gastronomic tour' at a fund raising food fair
sponsored by the All Burma Students Relief Fund (ABSRF)
in a hall in North West London on Sunday (yesterday).

The ABSRF have been holding such charity food fairs in
London since 1992, approximately twice a year. The ABSRF
have already sent an impressive sum of #39,434-50
to the students, so far. The event held yesterday
 (which collected nearly #3,000-00 according to the
latest news) was the 8th in about 4 years. The profits
from the magnificent food stalls, no fewer than 12,
which were set up by ABSRF members and several Burmese
democracy supporters, will go some way towards the
specific and general needs of some of those students
in the border areas who have been resiliently fighting
against the more numerous and better armed SLORC
mercenaries for the achievement of democracy
and human rights in Burma.

Thinking about the students, one cannot escape from the
overwhelming sentiments and the outrageous memories of their
innumerable sacrifices, inexpressible sufferings and unforgetable
brave deeds during their relentless struggle to FREE BURMA from
the military tyranny.  So, one likes to humbly express the profound
and heartfelt appreciation to all the Students in the Burma-Thai
border areas; the Burma-China border areas; the Burma-India border
areas; the Burma-Bangladesh border areas; Burma ( inside and
outside the SLORC's prisons); the various countries in the East and
the West; and to the outstanding student leader-  MIN KO NAING.
One would also like to wish ALL OF THEM a satisfying and
victorious  NEW YEAR, wherever they are.

Coming back to the gastronomic delights displayed at the stalls
around the hall where the ABSRF charity food fair was taking place,
lots of people, the Burmese and non-Burmese, were seen busily
devouring their favourite foods from the wide variety of
Burmese cuisine, and some were still in the process of making
hard choices from the delicious menu.  All were either sitting at
the tables laid there or jostling in the narrow spaces, looking
and exchanging pleasantries to each other. It was not only
a charming occasion for the gourmet cooks and the connoisseurs of
international foods and delicacies, but also a joyful opportunity
for the Burmese and the foreign supporters alike to meet up
and enjoy each others' company in the enchanting atmosphere of
the Burmese New Year.

It's always nice to enjoy the exquisite food and delicacies -
consisting of twelve main dishes and ten other delicacies - oneself,
and to see others enjoying them, especially for the good purpose
of collecting funds for the needy students championing the cause
of democracy. But, one cannot help recalling the unhappy food
situation and sky-rocketing food prices facing one's fellow country
people in Burma today. The democracy leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi
has been vividly exposing the tragic situations prevailing in Burma,
to the outside world, in her well known letters to the" Mainichi Daily
News" in Japan. In her letter No.7. entitled "Breakfast Blues", she
speaks about debilitating inflation facing the ordinary Burmese
people by mentioning facts and figures. She has compared the prices
of the food today with the prices of the food that prevailed before 1990.
People can get the details in her letter mentioned above.

But, to quote her letter a little roughly, the present prices
of chicken and mutton were 400 kyats a viss (about 1.6 kilograms)
while pork was 280 kyats,shrimps 100 kyats and giant prawns
over 1000 kyats a viss. At the same time the price of an average dish
of 'mohinga' has gone up to 15 kyats.

According to my own calculations, the prices in general have climbed
up to 3 to 4 times within 4-5 year time. That is the inflation rate
for the ordinary Burmese people today. So, if one likes to make a
wish to all the people in Burma to have a happy and prosperous year,
one wonders whether it might sound hollow, unrealistic and even
ridiculous to some people under the prevailing circumstances?

However, most people are fully aware that "even a week is a very,
very long time in politics" and every Buddhist believes that
"nothing is permanent and everything is subject to change."
 Moreover, it is better to be upbeat than downbeat and better
to be positive than negative. So, we, in London, would neverthless
wish a Happy and Prosperous New Year to all the people in Burma!

