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


The BurmaNet News: July 23, 1996 
Issue #472

Noted in Passing:               

HEADLINES:
=========
TRANSCRIPT: US AMBASSADOR KRISTOFF IN THAILAND
REUTERS: EU WON'T OPPOSE BURMA'S ENTRY INTO ARF
REUTERS: US: SANCTIONS STILL POSSIBLE
VOA: OHN GYAW REFUSES TALKS WITH NLD
AP DOW JONES: BURMA NEW BOSNIA?
VOA: CHRISTOPHER WILL NOT STRONG ARM ASEAN
NATION: ASEAN ALARM OVER BID TO BLOCK BURMA 
AP DOW JONES: BURMA BANS JOURNALISTS
HKS: NO ROOM FOR SUU KYI IN POLITICS SAY NEWSPAPERS
GEMINI NEWS SERVICE: IN JAIL FOR A JOKE
THE NATION: ILLEGAL WORKERS' STATUS UNCHANGED 
BKK POST: MALARIA STRIKES KAREN REFUGEES
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

TRANSCRIPT: US AMBASSADOR KRISTOFF IN THAILAND
July 22, 1996
From: John Scherb <mcs@primenet.com>

Bangkok -- The Clinton administration envisions a world grounded in
stability where the great powers develop rules by which they compete
and cooperate, according to Sandra Kristoff, special assistant to the
president for national security affairs.
"Those rules," she said, "govern activities in areas like economics,
trade, nonproliferation, environment, human rights, as well as
activities to combat common threats to all of us. 

Ambassador Sandra Kristoff, special assistant to the President for 
national security affairs addresses the foreign correspondents club of 
Thailand.

KRISTOFF: The U.S. and Thailand have a lot of shared interest in
stability in Southeast Asia, in nonproliferation, in the integration
of Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia into the economy of Southeast Asia, in
promoting ARF and APEC.

In the discussion with the Prime Minister here, it was interesting
that he was forthcoming on things like the willingness of Thailand to
be more aggressive with the SLORC and encourage it to enter into a
dialogue with Aung San Suu Kyi, something that ASEAN has been
reluctant to do in our discussions with them in a very formal setting
like the ASEAN PMC. 

Q (Television Corporation of Singapore): In light of the recent call
by Aung San Suu Kyi -- I believe you already know she has written a
letter to the governments of ASEAN -- in light of her appeal --

KRISTOFF:  She wrote us as well.

Q (TCS News): -- for support for her democratic cause, calling on
countries in this region as well as those countries involved in the
PMC in Jakarta, what will your government do? Does it intend to step
up calls for ASEAN governments and other governments which are doing
trade and investment with Burma?

KRISTOFF: We've done a couple things. One, we did in fact send two
envoys, Bill Brown and Stan Roth, to the region to consult with our
allies about what kind of coordinated action could be taken to -- not
punish Burma, although economic sanctions are a tool and we should
talk about them -- the purpose is not to punish, it is to modify
behavior. To see if there was something that the region could do in a
coordinated fashion that would spur, prompt, prod the SLORC to begin
to engage in a meaningful dialogue with Aung San Suu Kyi. Let's face
it, this is a woman is a Noble laureate, this is elected leader of the
country who was under house arrest. This is a woman who embodies the
best of democratic values and ideals and who, frankly, deserves the
support of those in the Asia Pacific who believe in freedom of
political expression.
Now, how do you get the SLORC to do that? There are those in this
region, represented probably best by statements out of Indonesia, that
feel you're going to have to have the SLORC around for awhile, the
military is going to have to be there. Aung San Suu Kyi can't govern.
Well, I think from our perspective, that is not quite clear. She
hasn't had a chance. I suppose you could have said that about Cory
Aquino as well. How do you modify behavior? You try to get the
dialogue going. Maybe you begin to do it on the basis of some sort of
economic cooperation. One of the ideas that I thought would be
interesting would be to try to bring people from the NLD and the SLORC
together in a common economic project of rural development. That's got
to be a common interest. They can't argue too much about that. Maybe
as a result of that, you get some confidence building, and then you
move to the politics.
The other option is that you impose economic sanctions. From an
American point of view, economic sanctions are an appropriate tool in
this case. We already have in fact investment limitations and other
sanctions on Burma. What is not yet clear in the American domestic
political scene is whether the kind of absolute sanctions proposed in
for example the McConnell Bill will come to pass. Long answer.

Q (TCS News, follow on): Do you think that unilateral action by the
United States to impose sanctions on Burma would have any effect on
Burma itself without the support by ASEAN governments and other
governments, like Japan and some European governments which are doing
business in Burma? Do you think, by imposing sanctions on Burma, it
would be more detrimental to the U.S. economy rather than on the
Burmese economy? Thank you.

KRISTOFF: I think sanctions work best when they are coordinated
multilaterally. I think sometimes you have to do it unilaterally. The
U.S. on an issue of this kind of magnitude of democratic
institution-building, for lack of a better way to describe it, would
go forward and do unilateral sanctions. We already have. Multilateral
sanctions are better. Would it hurt the U.S. economy? Absolutely not.
Burma is hardly on the radar scope in terms of sustained health of the
U.S. domestic economy.
The question is whether our unilateral sanctions would have any effect
on Burma, and I think that there is an intense debate going on about
that, even within the Administration. There are those who line up and
say, absolutely not.

Q (Reuters): Back to Burma. How does the U.S. justify the difference
between the policy on Burma and the policy on China? What is the
official line on how -

KRISTOFF: You have got a qualitatively different situation in Burma.
You have an elected leader and a party that in effect are being
excluded from the political process. You have a harsh military regime
whose record of treatment of people and ideas is not very clean.
You've got a grim situation in Burma.
China, I think, is distinguishable. You've got kind of a collective
leadership there. You've got a record of market reform that is taking
place. You've got human rights dialogue, at least between the United
States and China, that is more or less understood to be central to the
relationship. Both sides understand that it is central to the
relationship. Frankly, we've been willing to take action against China
on specific issues: The intellectual property rights dispute, where we
came right up to the brink on that retaliation. That was a massive
retaliation. We had never put together a retaliation that was so
centered in a sensitive sector, one that meant so much to a country,
like textiles, at such a massive level. Clearly it was done to send a
signal. We were prepared to do it.
I think the sort of flip answer, and I don't mean it to be that way,
is that China is also a great power. It is the biggest thing that is
happening in this region over the next 10 to 15 years. We've got to
cope with that.

Q (Reuters): Can I just follow up on that a little bit. Some people
are saying, too, that this is an election year and Burma doesn't
really mean that much to the U.S. It is a good way to look like the
U.S. is looking good by standing up for human rights. Is that a fair
assessment?

KRISTOFF: I think that is a little cynical. I really do believe that
this Administration has set up in its Asia policy three tracks: a
security track, an economic track and democratic institution-building
track that includes within it human rights. Burma has always been
viewed in that third track of activity. I think there has always been
a sense that we the United States are required by who we are to speak
out in support of Aung San Suu Kyi. We can't do anything else, really.
That is what we are on those issues.

Q (The Nation): In your opinion, Ms. Kristoff, do you think that
issues like Burma and East Timor could actually escalate to become
issues of security concern in ASEAN? That's my first question.

KRISTOFF: I don't know. Security concern in the sense that it would
widely jeopardize stability throughout the region, I doubt that very
much. I think that these are problems in ASEAN's backyard, and that it
is ASEAN that has the first obligation to fix them. But I don't see
them as being the same level of stability threat as, say, the Chinese
exercises in the Taiwan Straits or even the seizure of Mischief Reef.

Q (The Economist): I have two questions. Firstly, do you have a view
on whether it's a good idea for the ASEAN Regional Forum to be
expanded to include, for example, Burma.

KRISTOFF:  It has been expanded to include Burma.

Q (The Economist, follow on):  Do you think it's a good idea?

KRISTOFF: It has been expanded to include Burma. It's a done deal.
There is no value in attaching a value to that decision.

Q (TCS News): Ms. Kristoff, you mentioned that sanctions are an
effective tool for Burma. What happens if the unilateral move by the
U.S. to impose economic sanctions on Burma does not work? What other
tools do you have to use to bring Burma to heel?
KRISTOFF: I wouldn't say that there is a large grab bag out there.
There may be something in the economic area. There may be something
that you could do through the U.N., through a special negotiator. You
might want to have the region get together, perhaps ASEAN or with a
special envoy who could act as a mediator between the SLORC and Aung
San Suu Kyi. There are things that people can think about, but there
is not a large array of tools out there.

Q (Freelance writer): I'm a little bit concerned that the Burma issue
tonight has been dealing with micro issues and really not with macro
issues. I don't see, for example, that the United States policy in
relation to China or Burma has any relevance to the real political
issues that are at stake. As I understand it, the ASEAN countries want
to introduce Burma into ASEAN as a containment for the Chinese policy
of expansionism. One of the things that you didn't say tonight was in
your discussion with the various countries, you talked of about Khun
Banharn's comments about Burma. You didn't say anything about your
discussions with China on Burma, which seems to me fairly relevant in
this macro political game we are talking about. Would you like to
comment on that?

KRISTOFF: I think you are right that what ASEAN wants to do is
reintegrate into ASEAN Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, and eventually Burma.
I think Burma is a difficult step for ASEAN to take. Burma lags behind
the rest of ASEAN economically. It sticks out like a sore thumb
politically. Even in terms of human rights, it sticks out like a sore
thumb even from an ASEAN perspective. I don't think that of the four,
Burma is going to be anything other than the fourth to be
reintegrated. Strategically, certainly they want them in as a counter
to China.
We have had discussions with China on Burma. We have made what I think
anybody would perceive to be the obvious points on this. We have
encouraged China not to be a disruptive influence.

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

REUTERS: EU WON'T OPPOSE BURMA'S ENTRY INTO ARF
July 22, 1996
From: John Scherb <mcs@primenet.com>

JAKARTA, - The European Union on Monday
expressed its concerns to the Rangoon government over the
situation in Burma but agreed to further dialogue, Irish Foreign
Minister Dick Spring said.
         Spring, as chairman of the EU Council of Ministers, met
Burmese Foreign Minister Ohn Gyaw for just under 30 minutes as
part of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) taking place this week in
Jakarta.
         The EU in a July 5 declaration said it was ``deeply
concerned at the continued deterioration of the political
situation in Burma.''
         ``I conveyed the views of the European Union based on the
declaration of the 5th of July and we had an exchange of views
based on that,'' Spring told reporters following the meeting.
         Spring said the meeting had been ``a useful opportunity to
have a dialogue between the EU and Burma'' and he spoke of the
possibility of further meetings.
         He said the EU would not oppose Burma's entry into the ARF,
which holds a formal session on Tuesday.
 
*********************************************************

REUTERS: US: SANCTIONS STILL POSSIBLE
July 22, 1996
From: John Scherb <mcs@primenet.com>

JAKARTA  - The United States continues to hold out the 
possibility of imposing tougher sanctions on Burma if repression 
worsens there despite public opposition from Asian countries, U.S. 
officials said on Monday. 

Secretary of State Warren Christopher, arriving in Jakarta, said he would 
raise U.S. concerns about Burma's crackdown on pro-democracy activists 
at his first opportunity -- a dinner later with foreign ministers of the 
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). 

``We're very concerned about the situation in Burma, concerned that the 
indication of additional strictures or repressive steps not prevent a 
dialogue between SLORC (the State Law and Order Restoration Council) 
and Aung San Suu Kyi,'' the Nobel-prize winning pro-democracy leader, 
he said. 

``We have a number of options that will be before...the United States, 
looking down the road here,'' he added, referring to sanctions legislation 
awaiting action in Congress. 

Christopher spoke with reporters travelling with him from Washington to 
Jakarta for a meeting of the ASEAN Regional Forum. 

He and other officials have acknowledged differences over how to handle 
Burma's ruling military junta. The United States and other western 
nations want to take a tougher line towards Rangoon, while the Asians have 
insisted on engagement. 

Christopher is expected to press ASEAN colleagues to use their influence 
more assertively to encourage SLORC to exercise restraint and loosen its 
grip on the pro-democracy forces. 

He said he and ``like-minded colleagues'' from Europe, Australia and 
Canada would ``emphasize the importance we attach to progress in Burma 
in respect to the political situation as well as on the narcotics front.'' 

ASEAN, Southeast Asia's biggest trade group, on Saturday granted Burma 
observer status as a prelude to full membership in the seven member 
group, ignoring calls to isolate Rangoon. 

A senior U.S. official who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity 
conceded ``we have no illusions that we're going to be able to get our public 
positions totally congruent.'' 

But he insisted: ``Often in private discussions there are more similarities, 
not only in objectives but sometimes also in tactics (on Burma)...What they 
(ASEAN) say publicly is not necessarily what they say privately.'' 

``What we have to try to do is see how we can reinforce one another, see 
whether at least privately the Asian countries can carry some strong 
messages that are at least parallel to ours,'' he added. 

While Christopher has ruled out new sanctions on Burma for now, U.S. 
officials, who fear repression will increase in Burma, want to retain that 
as an option for later. 

A bill proposed by Republican Senator Mitch McConnell that is awaiting 
Senate action would ban all private investment in Burma and deny U.S. 
visas to members of the Rangoon regime and their families. 

The administration has not taken a final position on the bill but officials 
say if it is passed, they would want maximum flexibility to use the 
sanctions tool to its best advantage. 

``We think we have a very forceful posture on the Burma issue...(but) we 
believe that at some point we may have to resort to some of these (tougher 
sanctions) measures,'' he said. 

The official denied the United States and its western allies are pressuring 
ASEAN. ``That's not our intention...The whole world has an interest in 
Burma, not just ASEAN,'' he said. 

The United States has urged China to end its hefty arms sales to Burma but 
``frankly this is one (issue) where we don't make any progress with the 
Chinese,'' he said.

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

VOA: OHN GYAW REFUSES TALKS WITH NLD
July 22, 196
From: John Scherb <mcs@primenet.com>

Burma's foreign minister told a news conference in Jakarta there will be 
no dialogue with democracy activist Aung San Suu Kyi or her party unless 
they rejoin the national constitutional convention.  The foreign minister 
nevertheless maintained his country is committed to multiparty democracy.  
Speaking to reporters covering the Asean post-ministerial consultations in 
Jakarta, Burmese foreign minister Ohn Gyaw said the government will not 
enter into any dialogue with Aung San Suu Kyi or her National League for 
Democracy except under the national constitutional convention.

The National League for Democracy walked out of the convention  
earlier this year, saying it did not represent the will of the 
Burmese people.  The NLD tried to hold an alternative convention in May.  
Authorities reacted by detaining at least 250 people and the ruling State Law 
and Order Restoration Council, or SLORC, promulgated a new law 
mandating prison terms for anyone drafting an alternative constitution.

Ohn Gyaw insisted that the NLD activists were not detained or arrested, 
but were, as he put it, "invited" to give their account of why they were 
attending.

            "I have said more than once that they were not 
            arrested.  They were invited and they were asked what
            was the purpose of their meeting.  It was necessary 
            for us to take the precautionary measure.  It was an 
            exercise; a preventive exercise."                    

The Burmese foreign minister said that under Burma's new, but 
as-yet unfinished, constitution, there will a presidential system
and multiple political parties.  He added that political parties 
will have to register, but did not spell out what the registration criteria 
will be.

Ohn Gyaw was asked why the NLD was not allowed to assume power 
after winning the 1990 elections.  He replied that it was because
there was no constitution at the time and therefore no set terms 
of office for legislators.

Ohn Gyaw insisted that Burma is committed to human rights, but 
added that the term does not mean the same thing for each country

         "We respect the norms and the ideals of the human rights.
         but like in any other country in Southeast Asia and 
         Asia, we have to take into consideration our culture, 
         our history, our surroundings, our ethos.  What is good 
         in other countries cannot be good in our country."       

Ohn Gyaw also reiterated the government's explanation of the death in 
prison in june of James Leander Nichols, an Anglo-Burmese businessman 
who had once been a honorary consul, or unaccredited representative, for 
several European countries.  Ohn Gyaw said he died of a stroke from eating 
what the Burmese foreign minister termed "rich food" in a Burmese prison.

The move prompted several European business firms, including two 
breweries, to drop plans to invest in Burma.  The European Union 
has called for an independent inquiry, but Ohn Gyaw said the matter is 
finished as far as burma is concerned.  

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

AP DOW JONES: BURMA NEW BOSNIA?
July 22, 1996
From: John Scherb <mcs@primenet.com>

KHAO YAI, Thailand -- Two senior advisers to the Thai government 
Saturday urged the U.S. to leave Burma alone, saying U.S. pressure on 
that country's military regime to step down could create a 'Bosnia on our 
borders.'

The warning was delivered to Sandra Kristoff, a senior director for Asian 
affairs at the U.S. National Security Council (NSC), during a meeting here 
of senior U.S. and Thai policy advisers. The Thai advisers said they weren't 
necessarily speaking for the government.

The U.S. Senate is scheduled this week to consider a bill that would prohibit 
U.S. investment in Burma and require U.S. financial institutions to vote 
against loans to Burma. It would also give U.S. President Bill Clinton the 
right to block imports from Burma and to forbid U.S. citizens from 
traveling to that country.

Narongchai Akrasanee, an adviser to Foreign Minister Amnuay Viravan, 
told Kristoff and U.S. ambassador William Itoh at the meeting that any 
hardening of the U.S. stance toward Burma would be a mistake. He asked the 
U.S. to bow to the policy of Southeast Asian nations, which insist that the 
best way to promote democracy in Burma is through stronger economic ties.

'We know very well if there's a breakdown in the Burmese political 
system, we could have another Bosnia on our borders,' Narongchai said. 
Kosit Panpiemras, chairman of the Prime Minister's Comittee of Economic 
Advisers, endorsed that view, chiding the U.S. for being 'emotional' in its 
Burma policy.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), however, has 
opposed  sanctions on the ground that it would promote political instability 
in  Burma. Thailand, in particular, has grown restless about the growing 
tide of illegal immigrants from Burma who have been fleeing harsh 
economic and political conditions.

At the meeting with U.S. officials Saturday, Supachai Panitchpakdi, a 
former Thai deputy prime minister who is now an opposition legislator, 
said the U.S. should consider the possibility that Suu Kyi may not be a 
popular choice to lead the country should SLORC step down.

Based on his meetings with Burmese minorities, he said in an interview 
afterward 'it doesn't mean that if you have a new regime it would be easy 
for minority groups to accept Aung San Suu Kyi.'

Under the circumstances, Narongchai, Kosit and Supachai said, the U.S. 
should follow ASEAN's 'constructive engagement' policy on Burma. 
'Consultation with people who do understand (Burma) is probably not 
asking too much,' Kosit said. 'If anything happens in Asia, we in Asia 
would suffer directly.'

Kristoff, responding to the criticism, said the U.S. has been getting 
increasingly worrisome reports about human-rights abuses in Burma. 
That, she said, may demand a quick international response because a 
failure to do so could aggravate the instability Thailand fears.

'The vast majority of the Burmese people have expressed their desire in 
terms of democratic rule,' Kristoff said. 'The longer that desire is 
suppressed, the greater the opportunity for instability.'

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), however, has 
opposed sanctions on the ground that it would promote political instability 
in Burma. Thailand, in particular, has grown restless about the growing 
tide of illegal immigrants from Burma who have been fleeing harsh 
economic and political conditions.

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

VOA: CHRISTOPHER WILL NOT STRONG ARM ASEAN
July 22, 1996 (abridged)
From: John Scherb <mcs@primenet.com>

Secretary of State Christopher has no illusions about changing the minds 
of the Asean countries that believe constructive engagement with Burma 
is the best way to end the harassment of the Burmese opposition by the 
military regime.

Mr. Christopher told reporters traveling with him to Jakarta, he will tell 
the ministers the mood in the u-s congress is growing stronger  in favor 
of economic sanctions against Burma. 

I think it will be an opportunity to raise this subject to let them  know our 
views to indicate the options that we have, ncluding the option of sanctions, 
which as you know is being considered as part of the legislation now pending 
in congress.

A senior American official believes the Southeast Asian countries are 
privately using their influence to moderate the behavior of Burma's military 
leaders even as they publicly welcome Burma as a prospective member of 
their organization.

The official says Mr. Christopher will not strong arm the Asean countries 
because of their differences in tactics but instead will brief them on the 
mood in Washington in favor of economic sanctions and try to coordinate 
strategy.

The Clinton Administration shares the concerns of congress about 
harassment of the opposition in Burma but the official says the 
President wants to retain flexibility in the place of the proposed 
legislation 
that would mandate sanctions. the United States already has an arms 
embargo against Burma and blocks aid and International funding for 
Burma's military regime.

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

NATION: ASEAN ALARM OVER BID TO BLOCK BURMA
July 22, 1996 (abridged)

JAKARTA- Asean is concerned some Western countries could make a
last minute effort to block Burma's participation in a regional
security forum tomorrow.

Despite the lack of any initial opposition from the 19 members of
the Asean Regional Forum (ARF), Asean foreign ministers are
concerned about increasing criticism from the West of Burma's
integration into the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and
its attendance at the forum.

Asean ministers will try to obtain an assurance from all ARF
foreign ministers, during a dinner hosted by Indonesian Foreign
Minister Ali Alatas tonight, that they have no objection to the
recommendation by ARF senior officials that Burma and India be
invited to attend the forum, A an officials said.

Because Burma and India have not been officially accepted by ARF
ministerial participants, their foreign ministers will not attend
the dinner.

Asked how Indonesia, the host country would react if European or
US ministers officially objected to Burma's presence, as replied:
"I don't think it will happen."

Australia, Canada, the European Union and the United States, who
are key dialogue partners of Asean, have opposed the early
welcoming of Burma into the regional grouping, citing widespread
human rights abuses and the suppression of political activity by
the Burmese military regime.

They have also called far tougher global and regional measures
against the ruling Burmese State Law and Order Restoration
Council (Slorc) for its recent arrest of more than 260 members
and supporters of the opposition National League for Democracy
     
Asean has argued that the arrests were a Burmese domestic affair
and rejected the Western bid to isolate Burma, saying the
grouping. had an independent right to make its own decision. 

A Burmese official confirmed that Burma was setting up an Asean
Affairs Department in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and
studying and re-structuring its economic system for eventual
integration into Asean.

Another Burmese official said the country was selecting officials
to study Asean affairs in Malaysia and the Philippines.

Philippines Foreign Minister Domingo Saizon, who attended the
consultative meeting, said afterwards that Ohn Gyaw had briefed
Asean on political, economic and social developments in Burma.

He quoted the Burmese minister as the drafting of a new
multi-party constitution was 75 per cent complete. The charter
would embrace a presidential system, like Indonesia, with "two
houses and an executive branch and an independent judiciary".

Ohn Gyaw also described the country's economic and social efforts, 
saying the country had embraced an open market economy, he said.

Saizon said Burma had to meet Asean requirements, including
reaching a certain level of economic liberalisation, and join
various Asean programmes such as the Asean free Trade Area 
before it could become a full member.

Ohn Gyaw was quoted by Asean officials as saying his country had
all the potential needed to become an Asean member, as it had
natural and human resources and no difficulty communicating in
English.

He said Burma was in a better position than either Laos or
Cambodia, the officials said.

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

AP DOW JONES: BURMA BANS JOURNALISTS
July 22, 1996
From: John Scherb <mcs@primenet.com>

JAKARTA -Burma's foreign minister confirmed Monday that his military 
government keeps records on foreign journalists and denies them visas if 
their reports reflect badly on the regime, reports the Associated Press.

Burma's military rulers are highly critical of news coverage of its human 
rights record and treatment of dissidents. Reporters are sometimes 
without explanation denied permission to visit, and some temper their 
stories to be allowed back in the country.

Asked at a news conference whether Burma had a list of banned reporters 
and how many names were on it, Foreign Minister Ohn Gyaw said, 'I can't 
say offhand, but the idea is, it's simple human relations.

'If there is no goodwill, why should the government let them come and 
write bad things?' he said.

Visa requests by reporters who are 'persistently attacking or writing bad 
things' are referred by embassies to the Burmese government in Rangoon.

'And if we have records that say this particular person is continuously 
writing and attacking, then of course, we will not allow (a visa),' Ohn 
Gyaw said.

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

HKS: NO ROOM FOR SUU KYI IN POLITICS SAY NEWSPAPERS
July 2, 1996
From: John Scherb <mcs@primenet.com>

THERE is no room for democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi in Burmese 
politics because she lacks the necessary qualifications, a commentary in 
Burmese-language newspapers said on Monday. 

The commentary signed by ``U Phyo'' and published in both state-owned, 
Burmese-language dailies, said although Ms Suu Kyi was eager to be 
involved in the nation's politics, the new constitution included 
qualifications that she could not meet. 

It also said Ms Suu Kyi, who U Phyo calls ``the actress'', should avoid 
Burma's political stage in order not to soil it. 

The commentary said the Nobel Peace laureate was getting assistance from 
abroad, and that went against the qualifications set out by Suu Kyi's father, 
General Aung San, in the constitution written as Burma prepared to claim 
independence from Britain. 

The article did not elaborate on what sort of assistance Ms Suu Kyi was 
receiving from abroad. 

It said the new constitution, which has been in the works since 1993 and is 
being drafted by a government-appointed convention, includes 10 points 
that are grounds for disqualification from serving as a member of 
parliament. 

They include receiving assistance from abroad and being under the 
influence of a foreign government. 

``Therefore she cannot become an MP because of the principles laid down 
by both her own father quite a long time ago and today's National 
Convention,'' the commentary said. 

It said since anyone seeking a high-ranking post like president or vice 
president must have the same qualifications as an MP, Ms Suu Kyi could 
not hold office. 

She angered the ruling military government in November when she pulled 
her National League for Democracy (NLD) out of the constitutional talks, 
saying they did not represent the will of the people. 

In May, Ms Suu Kyi said the NLD planned to draft its own version of the 
constitution. The government responded by passing a stiff new law calling 
for up to 20 years in prison for anyone found guilty of trying to thwart 
government efforts to write a constitution. 

Burma's last constitution was annulled in 1988 when the current ruling 
military body was formed and nationwide pro-democracy protests were 
crushed. 

A scheduled memorial service on Monday for the de facto honorary consul 
of four European countries in Burma, who died in a Rangoon prison last 
month, was called off. The Roman Catholic memorial service for Leo 
Nichols was called off indefinitely as church authorities were ``not eager to 
organise the ceremony,'' Swiss Ambassador Blaise Godet said. 

``The political climate did not allow for the service to be held,'' he said,
but 
added that friends of Mr Nichols would hold a private memorial at a later 
date. 

Mr Godet said the memorial would take place, ``once the political situation 
allowed for it''. 

Catholic officials in Rangoon have been uneasy about holding the memorial 
service following the presence of undercover military intelligence agents 
at Mr Nichols' funeral on 23 June, diplomats said. _ Reuter

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GEMINI NEWS SERVICE: IN JAIL FOR A JOKE
July 9, 1996
From: strider@igc.apc.org

Among Myanmar's estimated 1,000 political prisoners are two comedians, 
jailed for making fun of the military regime.

     The joke is wearing dangerously thin for two popular Burmese 
     comedians, jailed for making fun of the military junta.
     
     Moustache Par Par Lay and Lu Saw were arrested, tortured and 
     sentenced to seven years' imprisonment after daring to perform
     at Independence Day celebrations in the home of pro-democracy 
     leader Aung San Suu Kyi in January.
     
     They made jokes portraying government cooperatives as thieves and 
     sang a cheeky song about the generals in Myanmar's
     State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC).
     
     They knew they were risking arrest, not merely because SLORC 
     does not like jokes about itself, but because it had already
     clamped down on a range of entertainers, apparently out of fear that 
     people could be encouraged to speak out about problems.
     
     After a week in detention in Mandalay, the two men were moved to a 
     gruelling hard-labour camp in an isolated area of Kachin state.
     
     A group of newly-released prisoners, interviewed on a crowded train, 
     said in July that all inmates wore chains around their
     ankles - except the two performers, who were shackled by an iron bar, 
     making movement extremely difficult.
     
     The comedians' heads had been shaved, and 49-year-old Par Par Lay's 
     trademark moustache cut off. Both were thin and their
     health was deteriorating. 
     
     One of the released prisoners said the camp guards constantly picked 
     on the pair: "They hate them too much, those two
     comedians - they want them to die, I'm sure of that."
     
     Another freed inmate said the camp was established a year ago to 
     provide crushed rocks for a new airport at Myitkyina. He
     said: "The conditions are terrible. The authorities send prisoners 
     there when they want them to die from hard labour or poor
     health. The food is poor - only watery soup - and disease is rife."
     
     Two or three prisoners died every month from diseases such as cholera 
     and dysentery or accidents often involving explosives
     being used to loosen rock, said the ex-inmate. If they became ill, 
     they had to buy medicines on the black market via the guards.
     
     Prisoners worked 12 hours a day and were housed in eight barracks, 
     each containing about 130 men.
     
     The Independence Day concert which led to the comedians' detention is 
     now the hottest video on the underground circuit in
     Rangoon, adding to Par Par Lay's reputation for poking fun at the 
     authorities. 
     
     His troupe is one of several that performs the traditional a-nyeint at 
     all-night festivals called pwe, in which comedians
     punctuate classical dances with short skits on everyday life. The 
     troupes travel from village to village throughout the country
     during the dry season.
     
     SLORC has tried to curb the power of the pwe by prohibiting all-night 
     shows and warning performers not to make political
     comments. In the south, comedians must report their jokes to the 
     authorities every night in advance of their shows. 
     
     Many have quit rather than lose the spontaneity which is a hallmark of 
     the performances.
     
     Nevertheless, pwe is harder to censor than television, films and 
     music. "They (SLORC) cannot control it," says one exiled
     performer. "People will flock to see it if there is a chance they will 
     hear just one political joke.
     
     "They want to hear about their own situation. They hate the current 
     political and economic situation. If someone can say
     that, they love to hear it."
     
     There were few a-nyeint performances in Rangoon after SLORC seized 
     power in 1988 until a popular comedian, Zaganar,
     revived the art through television. For his subtle humour, Zaganar has 
     been detained and questioned by military intelligence
     many times and thrown in jail.
     
     He once refused a request to perform for General Ne Win, the ailing 
     former ruler who many suspect still controls SLORC. The
     comedian was forced to go on stage, but crouched on a chair, tightly 
     gripping it. The chair was broken, but he would not get off
     even after he asked some members of the troupe to fix it - a comment 
     on the military's refusal to relinquish power despite the
     overwhelming victory of the National League for Democracy in 1990 
     elections.
     
     Jokes are people's way of countering the extensive official propaganda 
     machine. SLORC directs all media productions and the
     Directorate of Psychological Warfare in the Ministry of Defence 
     controls television.
     
     The regime even has its own Military Cultural Group, a dance troupe 
     noted for its extravagant costumes. Its state version of
     pwe rarely hits the mark. 
     
     Popular progaganda themes depict murder, rape and mayhem at the hands 
     of ethnic minorities and democracy forces. A new
     weekly television programme features a caricature of Aung San Suu Kyi 
     who is presented as a filthy troublemaker. 
     
     Well-known singers and actors are often forced to record a film or 
     tape as a donation to the junta. They are rewarded with
     benefits and SLORC patronage; if they refuse, they are shunned.
     
     "It is important the international community should not forget about 
     Par Par Lay, as without them he is voiceless. His arrest
     is a clear indication of the extent of violation of freedom of 
     speech," says the exiled performer. 

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THE NATION: ILLEGAL WORKERS' STATUS UNCHANGED 
July 20, 1996

CAMBODIA, Laos and Burmese allowed to work in Thailand under a 
Cabinet resolution are still regarded as illegal immigrants 
pending deportation, senior NSC official said.

NSC deputy chief Kajadpai Burutpat said that the government did 
not "legalise" the illegal immigrants already working here but 
are regulating their presence to be able to keep of their 
whereabouts and their activities.

The government recently approved an NSC proposal that allows 
illegal workers to work temporary in 39 provinces, partly to cope 
with the increasing number of illegal workers from the three 
neighbouring countries. Most of them are employed in fishery, 
light industries, and construction - field in which many Thais 
refuse to work.. 

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BKK POST: MALARIA STRIKES KAREN REFUGEES
July 22, 1996

MAE HONG SON - At least 11 Karenni refugees who fled fighting in 
Burma have died from malaria in the past two weeks while 
thousands of the refugees are suffering from the disease, 
officials said.

A relief worker said 11 Karenni refugees who had living in two jungle 
camps in Baan Naisoy of Mae Hong Son province on the border with Burma 
had died from malaria while nearly 2,000 others were  suffering from the 
diesase. There are 8,527 Karenni living in the camps and on the border 
area, relief workers and refugees say. 

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