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

The BurmaNet News: April 30,1996
Issue #395

HEADLINES:
==========
ABSDF(DAWN GWIN): SLORC HAS BEEN EXTENDING ITS MILITARY MIGHT
NDF: STATEMENT OF THE EMERGENCY MEETING OF THE
HUMAN RIGHTS-FINANCE: CALIFORNIA CITIES DIVEST FROM BURMA
S.H.A.N : CEASEFIRE GROUPS MEET
FTUB (WB): IRREGULARITY OF SLORC REGARDING PEASANTS
S.H.A.N : RECENT REPORTS - EXCERPTS
SAN FRANCISCO EXAMINER: THE ABOMINATION THAT IS BURMA
ANNOUNCEMENT: BURMESE WRITER WINS PEN AWARD
THE HINDU: LETTER TO EDITOR - "TIES WITH MYANMAR"
INDEPENDENT REPORT: US CONGRESS: MORE CO-SPONSORS
XINHUA: CHINESE MONKS STUDY BUDDHIST SCRIPTURE IN MYANMAR
BURMANET: BRIEF BUSINESS REPORTS
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ABSDF(DAWN GWIN): SLORC HAS BEEN EXTENDING ITS MILITARY MIGHT
WITH LOW PROFILE
April 27, 1996
from <caroline@ksc.net.th>

SLORC appeared to have only ten military commands and ten divisions.
Nevertheless, according to the sources from Captain Kyaw Soe,Grade-3,
General Staff Officer, who was from Loikaw Regional Military Command and
defected the SLORC recently,  in reality, in order to hoodwink the
international community, SLORC has been extending its military might with
low profile.

Prior to 1988, SLORC had only nine military commands and nine divisions.
Each division is composed of ten regiments. In 1991, it extended one
military command and one division. Following 1991, SLORC formed four
military divisions, called Regional Military Command, which is in the
same status of Division Military Command, in Tennasarium Division (
Mergui), Kayah State ( Loikaw), Shan State ( Kyein Ton) and Sagaing
Division ( Kalay). Moreover, at the end of 1995, SLORC extended a Coastal
Division Military Command in the southern part, a Triangle Division
Military Command  in the eastern part of Burma, and 12 Strategic Military
Commands, comprising ten Regiments in each Command, which are in the same
status of Division Military Command, in the whole country. It also
extended two bases for the air force in Taungoo and Nam-San, one base for
the navy in Tennasarium. Consequently, up till now, SLORC has promoted
its number up to 400, 000 in comparison with 186, 000 soliders in 1988.

ABSDF News Agency ( Dawn Gwin)

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

NDF: STATEMENT OF THE EMERGENCY MEETING OF THE
CENTRAL PRESIDIUM
April 28, 1996
From: NLD-LA <durham@ds90.intanon.nectec.or.th>
                                        
The presidium members of the National Democratic Front (NDF)successfully
held a two-day emergency meeting in the Karenni areas from 24 April 1996 to
25 April 1996. This is not only the first meeting of the (NDF)since the fall
of
Manerplaw to the enemy in January 1995, but also the first meeting in the KNPP

areas, and as a result, the assembly was a very auspicious one.

The meeting was attended by NDF members representing seven groups; the Arakan
Liberation Party(LAP),the Chin National Front(CNN),the Karen National Union
(KNU),the Karen National Progressive Party(KNPP),the Pa-O People Liberation
Organization(PPLO),the Palaung State Liberation Front(PSLF),and the Wa
National Organization (WNO).

Despite the relatively short duration of the meeting, because the delegates
were able
to hold very free and frank discussion, they achieved a number of important
decisions on current and critical issues.

All the NDF leaders agreed that the present situation inside Burma is
extremely
critical, and that the country is at a crucial political junture, which could
profoundly affect the future. The leaders agreed that at this time, it is
essential
for all members to hold firm to their basic principles of
equality,self-determination,
and federalism, in order to continue to oppose the SLORC regime, and to
prevent
the junta from enforcing their undemocratic     constitution, which will only
consolidate and  further their own military rule over the country.

The participants also agreed to promote certain of the Executive Committee to
fill
existing vacancies.  Accordingly,the vice- president of the NDF, Lt
Gen.Tamalabaw,
has been promoted to President,the current Deputy Secretary of Military
Affairs,
Gen.Aung Than Lay, has been promoted to Secretary,the current Deputy
Secretary of Foreign Affairs,Col.Hkun Okker, has been promoted to Secretary,
and the current Deputy Secretary of the Organizating Committee, Salai Myo Aye,
has been promoted to Secretary.

Other important resolutions were reached in the meeting on the NDFs policy
regarding cease-fired members and the National Council of the Union of Burma
(NCUB).  In terms of their immediate strategy, the NDF members present at the
meeting resolved to convince two further assemblies in succession within the
balance of 1996; the Fourth Congress of the NDF and the National Democracy
Seminar. The working committees for these two meetings were also fixed
respectively.

In conclusion, the NDF as a most fundamental and enduring organization
strongly reaffirmed its aim to abolish the SLORC military dictatorship
absolutely,
with the help of the democratic forces and the peoples power inside Burma,
under
the leadership of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. However,the NDF also agreed to
participate in tripartite dialogue initiated by the UN and other world
communities as
the central organ of the ethnic nationalities of Burma.

25 April 1996
 
1358, the waxing moon of Kasone, 9

Central Presidium Committee
National Democratic Front (Burma)

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

HUMAN RIGHTS-FINANCE: CALIFORNIA CITIES DIVEST FROM BURMA, NIGERIA
April 29, 1996  By Pratap Chatterjee
From: Simon Billenness <simon_billenness@cybercom.net>

SAN FRANCISCO, Apr 26 (IPS) - If you bought a can of Pepsi Cola in the city
of Berkeley this year, you didn't buy it from a vending machine operated by
the city. Starting soon, you won't be able to buy Pepsi from city-owned
vending machines in the San Francisco or Oakland either.

   Pepsi is one of the companies affected by decisions in local city
councils around the United States to stop doing business with companies with
commercial interests in Burma. The decisions are intended to protest the
massive human rights abuses by the miltiary dictatorship that rules the
country.

   Also affected by these decisions are companies like Apple computer, Arco,
Unocal, United Parcel Service, Texaco and Wilson Sporting Goods, according
to a list put together by the Investor Responsibility Research Center in
Washington.

   Activists say that the decisions are another salvo in an ongoing campaign
to bring down the Burmese military government which is known as the State
Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC), which recently renamed the
country Myanmar after annulling de
mocratically held elections.

  ''SLORC killed over 3,000 students during a protest in 1988, burnt their
bodies and dumped them in the lake. Villages have been torched, prisoners
are held in cells meant to hold dogs, minorities are forced into virtually
slavery to build an oil pipeline while the women working on the projects are
routinely raped,'' says Jane Jerome, from the Bay Area Burma Roundtable,
who helped table the resolutions in city councils.

   ''The democratically elected government of Burma, which has not been
allowed to take office, has asked international companies not to invest
money in their country because the money goes directly into the coffers of
SLORC which uses it to buy arms from China,'' she added.

   On Tuesday night the city of Oakland on the eastern shore of the San
Francisco bay voted to prohibit the city from doing business with companies
that have interests in Burma and Nigeria too. The city is also required to
divest from any banks that do business in Burma.

   The night before the city of San Francisco enacted a similar ban on
companies that do business in Burma emulating the example set by Berkeley
just over a year ago. Next week the county of Alameda, which also lies on
the eastern shore of the San Francsico bay, will vote on a similar measure.

   Santa Monica in southern California, Ann Arbor in Michigan and Madison in
Wisconsin, have also passed similar resolutions. Similar measures are
pending in Chicago, New York and Seattle.

   These resolutions were introduced by local activists who are copying a
decade-old strategy that they say helped bring down apartheid in South Africa.


   During the South Africa campaign, activists followed an organised
strategy of tabling divestment decisions at city councils and targetting
major institutions from pension funds to the University of California that
hold shares in companies doing business in South Africa.

   The activists also successfully tabled shareholder resolutions at company
annual meetings which encouraged over 160 companies to pull out of South
Africa.

    This tactic is now being used against companies doing business in Burma.
In 1994 and 1995 shareholders in Unocal, a major oil company, voted on a
Burma human rights resolution. In 1995 shareholders in Pepsi and in Texaco,
another oil company were also asked to vote on similar resolutions.

   During the annual meeting season, which starts next week shareholders in
these three companies plus Halliburton, an oil services company, will be
asked to vote on Burma-related issues.

   ''Shareholder resolutions are a useful tool because they allow concerned
individuals and groups to take matters directly to shareholders, management
and the board,'' says Simon Billenness, who works for Franklin Research in
Boston, which advises its clients on social responsible investments.

   Franklin Research is currently helping activists who are concerned about
Burma to target companies and cities on the east coast of the United States
while Progressive Assest Management in Oakland has been assisting groups on
west coast of the country.  Both firms manage about half a billion dollars
each worth of client funds.

   Billenness told IPS that the resolutions need to be part of a bigger
strategy of consumer boycotts in order to become effective.

   This is already happening. Students are building up protests movements on
campuses across the country. Last week Stanford university denied a
restaurant contract to Taco Bell, a subsidiary of Pepsi, after 2,000
students signed a petition to protest against the company. The university
denies that the decision was based on the student letter.

  In Chapel Hill, North Carolina, hundreds of students attending a national
Students for Environmental Action Coalition conference last October, held
demonstrations outside a Taco Bell.

   Oil companies say that the protests are misguided. ''We believe it's in
the best interests of the people of Myanmar to develop economic
infrastructure and improve living standards,'' said Unocal spokesman David
Garcia. His company has a 28 percent stake in a oil pipeline currently under
construction in Burma that activists say used slave labour.

   Other companies condemn the use of slave labour but are careful not to
say that they will pull out of Burma. ''We believe in a high respect for the
individual and we provide essential social services like schools or
hospitals, sometimes both, at our projects,'' says Cynthia Michener of
Texaco, which is currently exploring for oil off the coast of Burma.

   ''Unfortunately unlike other industries we cannot simply take our
business elsewhere. The oil reserves are under the ground in these countries
and it is our job to extract these resources,'' she said.

   ''We do communicate our concerns about human rights abuses in these
countries on our periodic meetings with the government,'' added Michener.

   Kitty Borah, a Shell spokeswoman in Houston Texas, expressed confidence
that the Nigeria resolution in Oakland would not affect their business.

   ''First of all Shell does not do business in Nigeria. Our parent company
Royal Dutch Shell is the one that works there. Secondly cancelling contracts
with Shell will only hurt the local businesses in California that have
franchises with us,'' she said.

   Pepsi officials did not return several calls from IPS requesting comments
on the city council decisions.

   Some companies have already publicly announced that they will not do
business in Burma such Eddie Bauer, Levi Strauss, Liz Claiborne and Macy's.

   Meanwhile city officials here are gearing up to follow the lead of Janice
Hanson, purchasing manager for the city of Berkeley, who has been making
sure that Pepsi does not get any city contracts

   Unocal will be one of the first companies to feel the impact of the new
resolutions. Up for the chop is a 98,000 dollar contract with the city of
San Francisco.

   Not all city council member are happy with the new wave of divestment
resolutions. Polly Armstrong, in Berkeley, says she voted against the
boycott. ''I just don't believe I was elected to enact foreign policy,'' she
said. (ENDS/IPS/PC/96)

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

S.H.A.N : CEASEFIRE GROUPS MEET
April 10, 1996

On February 1, 1996, high officials of several ceasefire groups such as the
PSLO/PSLA ( the Palaung group headed by Ai Mung ), the UWSP/UWSA ( the Wa
group
from Pang Sang ), the Kokang group led by Peng Kya Shin, the KDA ( the Kachin
group led by Ma thu Naw ), the SSA ( headed by Zao Zai Nong, Zao Kai Fah, Zao
Pang Fah ), SSNA ( headed by Karn Yord and Zai Yi ) and SURA ( led by Zao Yord
Serk - a breakaway group of Khun Sa's MTA which refused to surrender ),
conducted a meeting in the Loi Kha area ( in Hsipaw township, northern Shan
State ).

Surprisingly, a delegation from the KNIPP, an armed resistance group from
Karenni State, also attended the meeting.

Though the topics and results of the meeting are not yet known, they may
concern
the following : mutual assistance, mutual understanding, communication and
cooperation in resisting the increasing pressure upon ceasefire groups ( after
the surrender of Khun Sa's MTA ) from SLORC.

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

FTUB (WB): IRREGULARITY OF SLORC REGARDING PEASANTS
April 28, 1996
From: "FTUB (WB)" <aungsan@giasdl01.vsnl.net.in>

Because of the reinforcement of SLORCs soldier often and again in
Kalay township, the farmers of the jurisdiction have to loss their
cultivating lands, as the soldiers confiscated their lands for military  use.
They do not get another plot of land and no compensation for their
confiscated land.
 
The commanding officer Maj. Soe (BD-17181) Lwin and his assistant
Capt. Maung Maung Than (BD-17962) of Light Infantry Battalion No. 87
confiscated the 38.43 acres of cultivating land from (13) farmers and
made them sign the assignment forcibly on 31 March 1996. These farmers
entered  an appeal to the Army chief of staff asking for their land or
compensation but in vain. Farmers of this jurisdiction are being repressed
very badly.
 
Source : Information Agency  (ABSDF/WB)

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

S.H.A.N : RECENT REPORTS - EXCERPTS
April  1996

[BurmaNet Editor's Note: The Shan Herald Agency for News used to be
the mouthpiece of Khun Sa's Mong Tai Army.  Since Khun Sa's defection,
they have renounced their connection with him and are working independently.]

FORCED RELOCATION

In early March, SLORC in northern Shan State ordered SSA to dismantle one of
their military camps ( under Lt. Col. Pang Fah of 1st Brigade ) at Wan Hai and
move to Nam Lao village ( east of Murng Kao ). Many officers and soldiers and
some of their families had to take their belongings and move to Nam Lao.

GANG RAPE BY SLORC

In mid- August 1995, SLORC troops of LIR no.247 from Nam Zarng forcibly took
away 8 women from Tue Long village, Nong Hee ward, Nam Zarng township,
and gang raped them for two nights at Kun Sai village, about 3-4 miles from
Tue Long village. Of the eight women, two were housewives and six were
unmarried.

On March 23, 1996, SLORC LIR no. 99 stationed at Lang Khue gang raped a
married woman named Nang Lu, 28, a villager of Nam Hoo village, Nar Poy
ward, Murng Nai township. Soldiers of the whole section took turns and
raped  her until she lost consciousness. She had been captured while driving a

bullock cart to carry hay from a field over a mile away from the village.

SURA TROOPS AMBUSH SLORC

On March 23, 1996, a patrol from SLORC LIR no. 346's no. 5 company, led by
Capt. Myo Min Oo (stationed at Wan Long village, Murng Yorn ward, Murng
Kerng township) was ambushed by SURA troops ( who did not surrender with
Khun Sa's MTA ). Six Burmese troops were killed ( one Lt. , one 2nd Lt. , one
sergeant and three privates ), six disappeared, and many were wounded. Some
just fled for their lives.

1,000 CARS TO FREE-SERVE SLORC

Starting from late March and early April, SLORC have been enlisting all sizes
and sorts of cars across Shan State to serve them unpaid. Altogether 1,000
vehicles are needed to serve their purpose. This is said to be one of the
preparations in accordance with tactical operations in 1996 for the
implementation of four-cuts policies in the following townships at  present :
Kun Hing, Murng Nai, Nam Zarng, Loilem, Murng Kerng, Lai Kha and Ke See.

SLORC TROOPS FORCING PEOPLE TO GROW RICE FOR THEM

On March 7, 1996, SLORC IB no. 99 of Lang Khur ordered people of Pang Thun
village ( a little south of Lang Khur ) to grow rice for them during the early
harvest of the year in the fields belonging to the villagers which are
irrigated
with water from the Nam Ting river. Because the Pang Thun villagers refused to
do this, they forced people from three other wards, 12 miles to the north of
Lang Khur to come and work in the fields. Ten villagers from each village have
to take turns to work and those who have ploughing machines have to use them.
They are obliged to work until all is completed and the rice paddy reaches the
military camp of SLORC IB no.99 at Pang Keng.

EX-MTA SOLDIERS RAVAGE KHUN SA' FORMER RESIDENCE

After the surrender of Khun Sa's MTA to SLORC, some ex-MTA soldiers in the
areas
of Loi Lam, Par Ko, Ho Me Kham ( in Murng Sard and Tachilek townships ), who
have been neglected and let loose like pariah dogs, are now roaming the area
of
Mae Maw, Hin Taek and Hui Pherng.

In the past months or so, there have more than 20 occurrences of theft and
house
break ins in the area, including into Khun Sa's former residence, which people
have turned into a " Khun Sa museum " in order to make it one of the tourist
attractions. Pictures and furniture in bedrooms, living rooms and work rooms
that previously belonged to Khun Sa were vandalized by some ex-MTA who had
broken down the doors and entered during the night.

CHINESE NATIONALS BRIBE SLORC  OFFICIALS TO GET IDENTITY
CARDS AS SURRENDERING MTA MEMBERS

>From mid-February to late March, Khun Sa's MTA has been surrendering to SLORC
at
variuos places and times. Since then, SLORC authorities in Ho Murng, Mai
Soong,
Murng Sard, Keng Tung and Tachilek have been issuing temporary identity cards
to
the MTA members who have surrendered.

But in places like Piang Luang, Mai Soong and Tachilek,Chinese nationals who
are
simply traders and muleteers ( who had never belonged to the MTA ) have been
bribing SLORC authorities for each identity cards.

In Tachilek, Chinese who live in Hin Tek, Mae Chan, Hue Khrai, Hue Nam Khun,
Ban
Tham, Nam Cham and Mae Sai, have been applying in great numbers so that SLORC
immigration officials there are reaping a great deal of extra income. Any
Chinese who can afford the deal can get a card at any time without delay, even
during the night.

However, for the Shan soldiers and officials of the MTA who came from their
former strongholds of Par Ko, Loi Lam, Par Zang and Phak Tu Murng, the
situation
is rather different. Though they want to go home as soon as possible, they
usually have to wait 5-6 days, during which time they have to depend on the
Buddhist monasteries for food and lodging. Some have to ask for money, about
60
baht, for the cost of photographing, from some former MTA officers who are
running gambling dens, and have to join the queue to wait their. ( Some
Chinese
nationals who had previously been members of MTA have been granted permission
by
SLORC authorities to open up gambling dens in Tachilek. About 30-40 Shan
ex-soldiers of MTA who cannot go home are being hired to take the menial jobs
of
cleaning and serving at the gambling dens. )

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

SAN FRANCISCO EXAMINER: THE ABOMINATION THAT IS BURMA
April 26, 1996   By Dennis Bernstein and Leslie Kean
From: Michael Gold <Michael_Gold@qm.sri.com>

SAN FRANCISCO In Burma these days, wild elephants are captured and
used for forced labor. Often they are treated better than the more than 1
million
humans subjected to the same fate by the ruling generals.

The beasts are shot with tranquilizers at the time of capture. But men, women
and children, shackled and beaten as they forcibly labor for tourism and
infrastructure development, do not receive the soothing benefit of sleep darts
to dull the pain. And many political prisoners languish in Burma's prisons.
Some, chained to military dog cells, are fed food that animals refuse to eat.

Burma's struggle for human rights exploded into world headlines in 1988, when
thousands of peaceful demonstrators were massacred by the military. Pressured
by the expanding democracy movement, the ruling military junta known as SLORC,
for State Law and Order Restoration Council held elections in May 1990.

A stunning 82 percent of the vote favored the party of Aung San Suu Kyi, even
though she had been isolated under house arrest for almost a year. But the
generals refused to turn over power to the legally elected representatives. In
1991, while still detained, Suu Kyi was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

Since her release last July after six years of house arrest, Suu Kyi has
repeatedly called for a dialogue with SLORC. Her overtures have been ignored.
A junta official said recently that a dialogue is unnecessary as evidenced by
improving foreign investments and relations.

Burma has become the South Africa of the 1990s. The junta's quest to achieve
an economic miracle for a tiny elite has created a huge underclass of the
ultrapoor to be utilized when needed, discarded when unruly.

And the country has the added distinction of a booming drug trade. Production
of heroin has more than doubled since SLORC took over in 1988; 60 percent of
the heroin sold in the United States is imported from Burma.

It is time for the world community, as it did in South Africa, to take the
actions that will be most effective in supporting the restoration of democracy
for the 43 million people of Burma.

South Africa's own Nobel laureate, Archbishop Desmond Tutu, says political
violence in Burma may be worse than it was in his country.

``I think the world needs to use pressure,'' he has said, ``the kind that was
used against the South African regime: sanctions to isolate Burma.''

Like Nelson Mandela, Suu Kyi has requested that businesses not invest in
Burma's unstable economy.

``I would like to ask those who simply want to make profits out of Burma to
think of the long run,'' Suu Kyi said in a public speech in February. ``Help
us bring about a system that will make not only for the happiness of the
people but also for a strong economic system that will give those that invest
here the kind of returns they hope for.''

While the State Department has severely criticized the political repression in
Burma, it has committed a grave oversight by not recognizing the significant
role of foreign business in fortifying the regime with currency and a false
sense of legitimacy.

Some corporations have seized the moral high ground. On April 2, Columbia
Sportswear joined Levi Strauss, Coca-Cola, Starbucks, Amoco and a handful of
other U.S. companies who have terminated business operations in Burma.

Major U.S. corporations in Burma such as Unocal, Texaco, Atlantic Richfield
(ARCO) and PepsiCo have not responded to requests for an economic boycott.

Congress has a chance to send a clear message to the generals and to the
elected democracy. The Burma Freedom and Democracy Act, providing economic
sanctions against Burma, is pending in the House (HR 2892) and the Senate (S
1511).

This month, San Francisco joined a boycott endorsed by several other cities,
including New York and Chicago. The Board of Supervisors unanimously enacted
an ordinance that cancels contracts with U.S. companies that do business in
Burma. They include United Parcel, Unocal and PepsiCo, with city contracts
valued at a total of $125,000.

As a democracy of elected representatives ourselves, can we ignore, if not
openly defy, the policies of another democracy struggling against a thoroughly
lawless military junta? How can we in our right minds ignore this clear
request by allowing business investment in Burma?
---
Berkeley writer Dennis Bernstein is an associate editor of San Francisco-based
Pacific News Service and co-producer of KPFA-FM's ``Flash Point'' program.

Leslie Kean, who returned recently from a two-month visit to Rangoon, is
co-director of the Burma Project USA, based in Mill Valley, and co-author of
``Burma's Revolution of the Spirit'' (Aperture, 1994).

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

ANNOUNCEMENT: BURMESE WRITER WINS PEN AWARD
April 26, 1996
From: malexander@sorosny.org

     The 1996 PEN/Barbara Goldsmith Award goes to
     "Burmese Imprisoned Writer"
     
PEN American Center announces 1996 PEN Literary Gala
          
     PEN/Newman's Own First Amendment Award
     PEN Freedom-To-Write Awards Announced
     Thursday, April 25, 1996
     The New York State Theater at Lincoln Center
     
     On Thursday, April 25, the recipients of the Freedom-to-Write awards
     will be announced and honored at the annual PEN Literary Gala, a
     benefit to raise funds for PEN American Center, the nation's
     preeminent literary organization.

      The PEN/Barbara Goldsmith Freedom-to-Write Awards, established in
     1987, will honor two writers or journalists who have courageously
     defended free expression.
     
     The second recipient, Ma Thida of Burma, was sentenced to twenty
     years' imprisonment for "endangering public peace, having contact with
     illegal organizations, and distributing unlawful literature".  The
     charges were based on her tireless work to promote democratic change.
     A campaign assistant to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the Nobel laureate whose
     landslide victory in the 1990 elections was disregarded by the
     military government, Ma Thida has written many articles and stories
     about the damage done in her country by successive repressive regimes.
      She is also a qualified physician and the founder of a clinic for
     women.  A prolific writer of fiction, she is the author of The
     Sunflower and In The Shade of an Indian Almond Tree, among other
     titles, most of which are banned in Burma.  She is being held in
     solitary confinement at Insein Jail in Rangoon.  Her release date is
     August 7, 2013.
     
     (excerpted from PEN American Center Press release 4/23/96)

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

THE HINDU: LETTER TO EDITOR - "TIES WITH MYANMAR"
April 27, 1996.
From: "FTUB (WB)" <aungsan@giasdl01.vsnl.net.in>

Sir,
This is with reference to Mr. V. Jayanth's article "Ties with
Myanmar" (The Hind, March 1996). The rationale for justifying the
proposed Indian trade with SLORC military regime is one which
has been severely criticized by the pro-democracy movement in
Myanmar. Though the article claims that it is possible for Indian
traders "without mixing politics with business" to "establish
strategically important (development) relationship for the benefit of
both people" of Indian and Myanmar, such a view is criticized by
pro-democracy campaigner, Tun Myint. He says that those who
believe money making business has nothing to do with politics of
Myanmar are giving an excuse to themselves.
 
It has been suggested that too much time has been lost already and
India can engage itself "constructively" without offending the pro-
democracy movement, which will not oppose the benefits that the
people of Myanmar may get out of such ties. But the pro-democracy
leader, Ms. Aung San Suu Kyi's opposition has been (essentially
only) to "showpiece" projects like hotels and office complexes. She
recently reiterated that business and other organizations which
considered trading with the SLORC regime were clearly "taking
sides against democracy". She also stated that the policy of
"constructive engagement " with the military regime is "flawed"
because it concentrates on current economic prospects at the expense
of political change. The p-democracy movement is actively opposed
to "constructive engagement", to the point of calling for "sanctions"
and boycott" of those firms. Lobbying initiatives by the Myanmar
pro-democracy groups in the United States, Japan, Europe and
South East Asia seek to enforce tough sanctions legislation against
business outlets seeking to trade with the SLORC junta.
 
Desmond Fernandes, London
Camp: Bangalore

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

INDEPENDENT REPORT: US CONGRESS: MORE CO-SPONSORS
ON THE HOUSE BILL (HR 2892)
April 26, 1996
From: FreeBurma@aol.com

Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA) introduced the "Burma Freedom
and Democracy Act of 1995" (HR 2892) in the U.S. House of Representatives on
January 25, 1996. Along with his sponsorship to the bill, Rep. Ed Royce
(R-CA) and Rep. Christopher Smith (R-NJ) co-sponsored the bill.

On March 28, 1996, six Congressmen co-sponsored the Burma Freedom and
Democracy Act of 1995 in the House.  They are:
 
           Rep. Bob Clement (D-TN)
           Rep. Ken Calvert (R-CA)
           Rep. John Olver (D-MA)
           Rep. Neil Abercrombie (D-HI)
           Rep. Richard Baker (R-LA)
           Rep. William Lipinski (D-IL)

Recently, two more Congressmen, Rep. John Porter (R-IL) and Rep. Ronald
Dellums (D-CA) signed on as co-sponsors.

It is critical that you either write to your senator and Congressman or make
a personal visit to urge them to support the bill.

Thank you.
Zaw Zaw

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

XINHUA: CHINESE MONKS STUDY BUDDHIST SCRIPTURE IN MYANMAR
April 24, 1996
from mbeer@capaccess.org

Eight Chinese buddhist monks arrived here today to begin a five-year study of
buddhist scripture (tri-pitaka) at Myanmar Buddhism Institute.  The Chinese
monks, sent by the China Buddhist Association, were met at the airport by
Myanmar Deputy Minister for Religious Affairs U Aung Khin, Myanmar
monks and Chinese Cultural Counselor Lin Chaozhong.  This is the first time
or China to send buddhist monks to study in Myanmar.

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

BURMANET: BRIEF BUSINESS REPORTS
April 24-April 30, 1996
compiled by BurmaNet from information provided by Mbeer.

NISSAN TO SELL AUTOS IN BURMA

Nissan Motors will commence the sale of autos in Myanmar.  As early as
this summer it will establish a local sales firm and begin selling passenger
cars and commercial vehicles which have been exported from Japan.   This is
the
first time that a Japanese auto manufacturer has independently set up a sales
center in the said country.  Although the automobile market in Myanmar is
mostly
composed of used cars it is anticipated that there will be an expansion in the
sales of new cars concomitant with economic development.

BURMA REFORMING ITS BANKING SYSTEM

Burma has been reforming its banking system in three stages to support its
sustained economic development.  Private banks and foreign bank representative
offices were allowed as the first phase since the enactment of new banking and
financial institutions laws in 1990, followed by the establishment of joint
venture banks between private banks and foreign banks which had opened
representative offices in Burma as the second phase and the opening of foreign
branch banks for operation as the third phase.  According to the official
statistics, 15 domestic private banks have been permitted operation in
addition
to the six state banks and one state insurance institution.  at the same time,
32 foreign banks were allowed to open representative offices in myanmar. they
are from 15 countries and regions including Thailand, Singapore, France,
Malaysia, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Japan, The Netherlands, the United Kingdom
and Hong Kong.  At the end of 1995, Myanmar's banking reform entered into
the second stage allowing the establishment of joint venture banks between
local
private banks and foreign banks.  More and more foreign financial institutions

and organizations are coming here to study myanmar's financial status and seek
opportunities of investment in the financial sector.  Early this month,
Myanmar's State Economic Bank and Japan's Daiwa Institute Of Research ltd.
reached an agreement to set up a joint venture securities exchange center
company to assist in building the infrastructure and in implementing the
related
functions till the emergence of a stock exchange.

BURMA TO OPERATE 3 MINES WITH LOCAL ENTREPRENEURS

The Myanmar government will operate three mines with local private
entrepreneurs on production sharing basis, the New Light of Myanmar
reported.  The Ministry of Mines' no. 2 mining enterprise signed two joint
venture
agreements with two local entrepreneurs, Khit Thit Myanmar Mining
Cooperative Society ltd and U Aung/U Nyi Nyi Ogn Tin, to operate Harmyingyi,
Pakarri And Kanbauk mines.  It is the first time for the Myanmar Ministry of
Mines to sign agreements with local entrepreneurs operating mines.  The
ministry
has laid down a principle to permit local private individuals to participate
in
the process of mining, concentrating and smelting tin and tungsten.  since
june
1991, altogether 77 work blocks have been allotted In Pyinmana, Mawlamyine,
Dawei And Myeik regions for the implementation of the projects of joint
venture
mining of tin and tungsten ores with local entrepreneurs.  Myanmar has also
invited foreign firms to conduct other mineral prospecting and exploration
operations.  At present, six foreign companies From Canada, Australia,
Singapore and the United States are involved in gold and copper exploration in

the country.

BATES ADS LANDS BMW ACCOUNT

: British-Owned Bates Advertising has landed a fat contract in Burma.
  Bates Myanmar, which is part of its Indochina division, will handle
advertising accounts for Myanmar Astra Chinthe Motors -the sole distributor
of BMW and Land Rover vehicles there.
Mr Langton would not give the value of the contract but said it was among its
biggest and that it would help boost the company's annual billings to US$ 4.5
million (S$ 6.3 million) this year from US$ 2.5 million in 1995.
Bates Myanmar is the only full-service agency in the country. Its biggest
blue-chip clients include BAT, Heineken, Ovaltine, Bayer and Mitsubishi
Electric. It also does work for the UN Development Programme.

BURMESE GOVERNMENT REFORMS STATE FIRMS

The SLORC is reforming its state economic enterprises as part of the
government's endeavor to promote the nation's economy.  Since 1989, the
government has taken a series of measures including reducing the number
of state firms, improving their management, dissolving the price control
committee, increasing employees' wages and salaries, and cutting off subsidies

to the state firms, in order to make them compete with the private business
enterprises.  The government also privatized state firms by allowing them to
form joint ventures with either foreign firms or local private investors.  To
facilitate
privatization and marketization, the government promulgated the state
enterprise
law, defining the specific areas of business and economic activities that can
be
undertaken by private enterprises.  In the manufacturing sector, the myanmar
ministry of industry, which has six industrial enterprises with 94 factories
--textile, foodstuff, pharmaceutical, ceramic, general and maintenance, paper
and chemical plants, had established over 10 joint venture enterprises with
foreign investors as well as with local private entrepreneurs by the end of
1995.  Other ministries adopt similar ways to partially privatize their
respective enterprises.  The government also formed a privatization commission
in January 1995 and designated 51 state firms to be privatized in the first
phase starting with small enterprises and factories such as textile,
foodstuff,
matches, machine parts, milk, livestock breeding, cooking oil and cinemas.

BURMA TO ISSUE NEW FOREIGN EXCHANGE CERTIFICATES

The Central Bank of Myanmar will issue the high quality new foreign exchange
certificates (FEC) equivalent to 20 US dollars with effect from May .  The
issue of the new fec is aimed to further facilitate the present widespread use

of FEC by foreigners. The government had previously issued three
denominations of FEC: one dollar, five dollars and ten dollars since February
12,
1993.  The circulation of FEC amounted to over 8 million dollars by January
this year.

DIAMOND SOFT DRINK FIRM REESTABLISHED AS JOINT VENTURE

Burma's 70-year-old diamond soft drink factory has been re-established as a
joint venture between the state and a domestic private company.  The joint
venture, formed by the Myanmar Foodstuff Industry (MFI) of the Ministry
of Industry and Loihein co., was recently inaugurated.  The MFI invested 1
million US dollars while the Loihein co. put in 1.5 million in the factory,
which is set to produce 72 million bottles of soft drinks in the first year,
said
the report.  The Diamond soft drinks was one of the famous brands on the
Burmese market, which is now being penetrated by a large number of
foreign-brand soft drinks, including pepsi cola, coca-cola, sunkist, marinda
and pokka.

LIVESTOCK BREEDING AND FISHERIES ARE TOP PRIORITY

High priority is being given to livestock breeding and fisheries for the
development of Burma's agro-based economy.  Plans are under way for rural
development by setting up model livestock breeding villages and townships
throughout the country. The Ministry of Livestock Breeding and Fisheries
has launched a project to breed local strains on a manageable scale as
the initial step and to breed quality strains on a commercial scale as the
next
step. The government is also rendering assistance in building trawlers for
entrepreneurs and has a livestock breeding and fisheries development bank
which grants loans to entrepreneurs. The annual growth rate of the sector
was 3 percent in 1993-94 and 4.6 percent in 1994-95. In 1995, joint ventures
on fisheries set up with foreign countries included myanmar-beijing with
China, myanmar-onk and myanmar-narong with Thailand and myanmar-
sanwa with Japan.

MITSUI TO SET UP 2 JOINT FIRMS IN MYANMAR, VIETNAM

   Mitsui Engineering and Shipbuilding Co. and Mitsui and Co. will establish a
shipbuilding company in Myanmar and a steel structure construction company in
Vietnam, jointly with local companies, respectively, a Mitsui spokesman said
Monday.

   In Myanmar, the two Japanese companies will tie up with state-run
shipbuilding company Myanmar Shipyards in Yangon, and will establish the joint
venture sometime this summer, the spokesman said.

   Negotiations are in the final stages and the partners are talking about 12
million dollars for capital of the planned company. The two Mitsui companies
are likely to invest 60% of the capital, with the Myanmar side placing 40%, he
said.

   The new shipbuilding company is planned to have a construction capacity of
20,000-ton class ships within five years, the spokesman said.

