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

The BurmaNet News: July 1, 1996 
Issue #456

Noted in Passing:
                           There are times when economic restrictions done in 
                an appropriate fashion...can be very helpful.  - US
                Commerce Secretary Mickey Kantor
                (see: REUTER: US SECRETARY SAYS SANCTIONS 
                COULD HELP)

HEADLINES:
==========
REUTER: US SECRETARY SAYS SANCTIONS COULD HELP
U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT PRESS BRIEFING: SANCTIONS ON BURMA  
WSJ: BURMA SANCTIONS, BANK CUTS CLEARED BY SENATE
REUTERS: DANES TO TAKE BURMA SANCTIONS CALL TO U.S.
STRAITS TIMES: S'PORE-LED CONSORTIUM IN $282M DEAL 
INTERVIEW: REP BYRON RUSHING ON MASSACHUSETTS LAW
SOCIALIST INTL. ASIA - PACIFIC CONF: SPEECH BY NLD
SOCIALIST INTL ASIA-PACIFIC CONF: RESOLUTION ON BURMA
REUTERS: PRIME MINISTER INVITES ASSK TO DENMARK 
REUTERS: AUNG SAN SUU KYI ATTENDS CONSUL SERVICE
NATION: BURMESE PAPERS PRINT CONSUL'S OBITUARY
AP: JAIL CONDITIONS MAY HAVE CAUSED NICHOLS' DEATH 
REUTERS: UN RIGHTS MONITOR FOR BURMA RESIGNS
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

REUTER: US SECRETARY SAYS SANCTIONS COULD HELP
June 28, 1996 (slightly abridged)
from: julien moe <moe@gramercy.ios.com>

U.S. Commerce Secretary Mickey Kantor said on Friday that economic
sanctions against Burma could help pressure the country's military 
leaders into making changes.

``The administration is deeply concerned about the situation in Burma,''
Kantor told reporters during a visit to Thailand.

``We are deeply committed to...democratic governments,'' he said. 
``This regime in Burma has cracked down on democratic freedom
of association and pluralism and on democratic institutions, 
and we're concerned.''

Kantor said the U.S. government wants to make every possible effort to
bring about change in Burma.

``There are times when economic restrictions done in an appropriate
fashion...can be very helpful,'' he said, citing the economic sanctions
used against Serbia, South Africa, Libya and Iran.

On Thursday, the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee approved 
a foreign aid bill that requires economic restrictions be imposed on 
Burma, an issue pressed by foreign operations subcommittee 
chairman Mitch McConnell, a Kentucky Republican.

Kantor said he had not seen the language of the bill and did not want to
comment on the exact wording, but that he favoured taking necessary
steps to help out in Burma.

``I'm in favour of taking effective action with regard to the actions of
this regime,'' he said.

With regard to a bill passed by Massachusetts this week barring the U.S.
state from dealing with companies that do business in Burma, 
Kantor said that issue was best left to the federal government.

Burmese democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi has called on 
international companies not to invest in Burma until the military 
government in Rangoon agrees to work toward democracy.

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

U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT PRESS BRIEFING: SANCTIONS ON BURMA  
June 28, 1996
From: John Scherb <mcs@primenet.com>

     Q     Secretary Mickey Kantor mentioned the possible sanctions on 
Myanmar.  Do you have anything on that? 
 
     MR. DAVIES:  Can somebody help with that? 
 
     Q     Possible sanctions on Myanmar? 
 
     Q     Burma. 
 
     MR. DAVIES:  Burma.  Okay, I'm sorry.  I just didn't make the 
bridge from Myanmar to Burma. 
 
     What I don't have now is anything specific to say about Burma 
except to note our continued strong solidarity with Aung San Suu Kyi and 
the Democrats who are attempting to create in Burma a much more liberal, 
democratic structure there. 
 
     Right now, no detail on that.  We note that Senator McConnell has 
included in the legislation, as it's coming out of the subcommittee on 
the Senate side of the Hill, some strong language about sanctions. 
 
     We think that sanctions are certainly an option that the United 
States Government can use.  What we don't think is appropriate is that 
we have dictated to us sanctions that we must impose.  We would rather 
retain a degree of flexibility to use sanctions as we see fit in 
designing a policy -- a pro-democratic policy in Burma. 
 
     We're willing to work with the Hill on this and we hope to in the 
future work with them to design a legislative approach that makes sense.  
But we would prefer not to see sanctions dictated in legislation. 
 
********************************************************

WSJ: BURMA SANCTIONS, BANK CUTS CLEARED BY SENATE
June 28, 1996  (Wall Street Journal)  (slightly abridged)
From: John Scherb <mcs@primenet.com>

WASHINGTON -- The Senate Appropriations Committee approved 
sweeping sanctions against Burma and singled out the Export-Import 
Bank for deep cuts in operating funds.

In both cases, the initiatives reflect the power and personality of Sen. 
Mitch McConnell, who oversees the foreign aid budget within the 
committee. The Kentucky Republican is a strong critic of Burma's 
military government and has engaged in a running war with the 
White House over the Ex-Im Bank's management under its current 
president, Martin Kamark.

Mr. Kamark has yet to be confirmed by the Senate, but he has served as 
Ex-Im Bank president since April under a recess appointment that would 
customarily run through the remainder of this Congress. The bill would 
deny any funding for Mr. Kamark's salary and expenses until he is 
confirmed. In addition, the agency's total administrative budget would be 
cut to $40 million, or about 16% below the administration's request for 
the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1.

The committee itself described the provision as unprecedented, and the 
White House protested that the action could be unconstitutional. The fight 
stems from the Ex-Im Bank's use of personnel funds to award questionable 
bonuses to employees. In this election year, the controversy is colored, 
too, by the fact that Mr. Kamark's wife, Elaine, is a top adviser to Vice 
President Al Gore.

The Burma provisions are also unusual. In a single stroke, the bill would 
bar any U.S. aid or private investment in the South Asian country until the 
administration can certify that an elected government has taken power 
there. American oil companies with investments in the region are 
protesting the restrictions, and the proposal is sure to force a fight on the 
Senate floor.

By contrast, the larger foreign aid bill approved by the Senate committee 
is more conciliatory in tone. 

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

REUTERS: DANES TO TAKE BURMA SANCTIONS CALL TO U.S.
June 29, 1996
From: ider@mail.datanet.hu

Danish Foreign Minister Niels Helveg Petersen will seek U.S. support 
for sanctions against Burma's military government when he visits 
Washington next month, an aide said on Friday.
    Stung by the death in a Rangoon jail of honorary consul
James Leander (Leo) Nichols, who represented Denmark among four
European countries, Petersen has said that he will also ask for
EU sanctions at a July 13 European foreign ministers' meeting.
    "We've seen signs of an opening in Washington and we think
this is a good time to raise the issue," the aide told Reuters,
adding that Petersen was scheduled to meet Secretary of State
Warren Christopher on July 11.
    U.S. Commerce Secretary Mickey Kantor said on Friday that
economic sanctions against Burma could help pressure the
country's military leaders into easing their clampdown on the
country's pro-democracy movement.

    Reimers and European diplomats based in Bangkok and
Singapore are in Burma to investigate Nichols's death.
    They have requested a formal explanation from the ruling
State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) by Monday and if
the SLORC fails to respond, the European countries plan further
action, one of the diplomats said, without giving more details.
    Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer on Friday
joined human rights organisations in saying that prison
conditions were likely to have hastened Nichols's death.

    The powerful Danish blue collar unions' group LO said on
Friday that it had won support for sanctions from other European
labour organisations and Danish travel agents said they had
stopped promoting tours to Burma.

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

STRAITS TIMES: S'PORE-LED CONSORTIUM IN $282M DEAL 
June 29, 1996 
From: John Scherb <mcs@primenet.com>

  A SINGAPORE-LED international consortium yesterday signed a joint 
venture agreement with the Myanmar authorities to start a US$200 
million (S$282 million) industrial development project that could break 
new ground for the region's investors. 

  Sinmardev International, headed by Singapore entrepreneur Albert Hong, 
will develop a 12 sq km industrial park and port facilities on the outskirts 
of the capital in the first phase. 

  The Myanmar government, which has a 40 per cent stake in the project, 
will provide land in Thanlyin-Kyauktan, about 18 km south-east of 
Yangon. A separate agreement covers the development of Thilawa Port. 

  Capital and management will come from the Sinmardev consortium, which 
brings together some of the region's big names: Singapore's Pidemco Land; 
Indonesia's Salim Group; Hongkong's Wharf Holdings; Hongkong Land, a 
subsidiary of Jardine Matheson Holdings; The Myanmar Fund of Hongkong's 
Kerry Securities; and two Singapore companies -- RSP Architects and 
Planners, and specialist contractor PD International. 

  The attendance of key members of Myanmar's military government at the 
signing ceremony underlined its interest in the project. 

  Mr Hong said the investment would play an important role in spurring 
Myanmar's economic growth. Describing it as the largest foreign 
investment in Myanmar outside the energy field, he said "we intend to 
construct an industrial park that will meet or surpass global standards for 
similar developments". 

  Singapore, one of Myanmar's top investors, has thus far concentrated on 
the tourist industry and agribusiness. Sinmardev's project breaks new 
ground by going beyond the construction of hotels to move into 
infrastructural development in a big way. 

  This will lay a stronger foundation for Myanmar's manufacturing sector, 
which currently accounts for less than 10 per cent of the country's gross 
domestic product. 

  At this juncture, the possibilities to develop an industrial zone and 
township on the capital's outskirts are virtually limitless, provided the 
Sinmardev venture takes off successfully. 

  The Thilawa port development, which will proceed simultaneously with 
work on the adjacent industrial park, will ease the congestion that has 
made the ageing Yangon port a bottleneck in recent years. 

  The new port for bulk cargo is expected to be ready by 1998. Given the 
lack of modern infrastructure in Myanmar, its construction will be 
crucial to the industrial park's development. 

  Said Mr Hong: "Through these two joint ventures, we will be able to 
provide global manufacturers who will become the tenants of the industrial 
zone with the highest standard of integrated logistical and infrastructural 

support, and thus link Myanmar's industrial and agricultural potential to 
overseas markets."

  Sinmardev's project is expected to give a strong boost to an economy that 
is being opened up gradually by the military government. 

  The lease for the industrial park is for 50 years, after which the 
properties will revert to the Myanmar government. According to 
Sinmardev, "at some point renegotiation of the terms may be undertaken". 

  The consortium will get its revenue by leasing land to industrial tenants. 
Thilawa port will earn revenue through vessel berthing, cargo handling 
and warehousing. 

  Sinmardev's original blueprint was for an ambitious $4 billion 
development to transform 140 sq km of land in Thanlyin-Kyauktan over 
two decades. The current project, much smaller in scale, will now begin 
after months of wrangling over the details.

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

INTERVIEW: REP BYRON RUSHING ON MASSACHUSETTS LAW
June 27, 996
From: Soe Pyne <maung@igc.apc.org>

Q.      Congratulations, Mr. Byron Rushing. I am a Burmese student 
working at the NCGUB ((National Coalition Government of the 
Union of Burma)) office in Washington, DC. I am also a reporter 
of the Democratic Voice of Burma based in Oslo, Norway. I intend 
to broadcast this interview from DVB.
First, could you explain the basic aim of this legislation ?

A.      What this legislation attempts to do is to join the 
movement that is going on around the world, to get  foreign 
investment out of Burma, to keep the dollars that the military 
government is trying to attract to Burma, to stop that flow of 
dollars to the military government of Burma, so that the 
military government of Burma will become weak enough, that the 
democratic forces will be able to gain control of the country.

Q.      Do you know which companies will be affected and how they 
will be affected by this legislation?

A.      Well, we won't know exactly all the companies which will 
be affected by this legislation. The way the legislation works 
is  that a company will not be able to do business with the 
State of Massachusetts; so  it's like, if the State of 
Massachusetts is the customer.... and we are going to boycott 
buying any goods or services from a company that does business 
in Burma. So we will make up a list of all the companies that we 
know of that are doing business in Burma and those companies 
will be notified, any time they try to sell something to 
Massachusetts,  that we cannot buy their product because they 
are in Burma.

Q.      Do you know the amount of business and revenue they will 
lose ?

A.      We don't know that either yet because we don't have a list 
of all of the products that these companies have been offering 
to Massachusetts, since we are talking about goods and services 
that people want to sell to us  it will change from year to 
year, how much will be boycotted in terms of amount of money.  
But, right now, we are saying that we think about --if  it 
happens right this moment -- about four million dollars in goods 
and services will not be purchased from companies doing business 
in Burma, but that might change. I believe that they are 
probably states in the United States that do more business with 
companies that are in Burma than Massachusetts does.  So, what 
is important for us, like the governor said, the governor said 
he's going to send a copy of this legislation now to all the 
governors in the United States. We will be sending copies of 
this legislation to all our colleagues and all the state 
legislatures, so that they will also pass similar legislation. 
As more and more states pass more legislation, then you will 
have... you will reach a point where it becomes more expensive 
for a company to be in Burma than not to be in Burma. They will 
lose more business in the United States than they will gain in 
Burma, then they will leave.

Q.      So you believe other states will follow Massachusetts ?

A.      We absolutely believe that others states will follow 
Massachusetts. We believe that the point we are in right now is 
comparable to the point we were in 14 years ago in regard to 
South Africa, that the movement to divest and to have selected 
purchase programs concerning South Africa began in Massachusetts 
and Connecticut in 1982 and 1983, and it took a while for more 
and more states to pass similar legislation, but eventually that 
happened and we were able to put pressure to those companies. 
Let me also point out that when we do this kind grassroots 
foreign policy, we are also putting pressure on our own national 
government because the major kind of sanctions that keep 
companies out of a country, all the kinds of sanctions that only 
the United States Congress can pass.  And we believe that as 
more and more states pass legislation toward a free Burma then 
you will gather more support in the United States Congress for 
sanctions regarding Burma.

Q.      Mr. Rushing, you sponsored this legislation. How do you 
succeed in getting the endorsement of  the legislators who 
passed that legislation, including Governor Weld ?

A.      Well, as I said earlier during the signing ceremony, this 
was brought to my attention by a statement that was issued in 
support of Aung San Suu Kyi by people who had received the Nobel 
Prize. After she received the Nobel Prize for Peace, a group of 
Nobel laureates signed the statement.  Among the people who 
signed that statement was a person that I respect very much, and 
that was Archbishop Desmond Tutu from South Africa.  And that 
brought it to my consciousness and I began to read about the 
situation in Burma and  then began to notice that there were in 
Massachusetts advocates for democracy in Burma.  I met those 
advocates, we talked about what kinds of strategy we can have in 
legislature and we decided to create this bill and to work for 
this bill. I think the bill was able to reach .... for us ... 
this bill was first filed in 1994 and did not win in 1994 and we 
refiled it in 1995 and now it has been passed and signed into 
law.   This for us, in this legislature, that's a very short 
period of time for legislation to go;  two years is a very short 
period of time. This happened very quickly from the point of 
view of a legislature.  And I think that was possible .. this is 
happened because of two things; one, is that the story about  
Burma is so clear that people who don't know about Burma, when 
you explain it to them, they understand it immediately. They 
understand a democratic movement where that has been repressed, 
when you talked about the demonstrations of 1988, they can 
understand that. When you talked about the election that was won 
by the democratic forces in Burma in 1990, they understand that. 
They understand that the leader of democratic movement who 
explains herself and the situation in Burma so clearly. So we 
had a story that was clear and could be understood. Then we had 
just an amazing amount of advocates and lobbyists. I think that 
the lobbying around this bill has been some of the finest 
lobbying I have seen in my career here in the legislature.  And, 
so, we could easily... very quickly get communications to 
various legislators in the State, so that they heard from people 
who are living in their districts, who are interested in this 
and heard from advocacy groups on an on-going basis, and that's 
what it takes.  So, it's really an education process as much as 
a lobbying process, and both of those were done very well.

Q.      Now that the Burma Freedom and Democracy Act is still 
pending in the congress,  do you think the Massachusetts 
legislation will have a favorable impact to that bill ?

A.      I think that it is going to give a lot of support to this 
bill in Congress. I am not sure that means it is going to be 
able to pass this year.  But I think that it is going to 
certainly move it to the front of a lot of people's 
consciousnless in Congress.  And, the other thing that is going 
to happen is you are going to see other states and other cities 
taking a look at their policy in regard to companies those are 
doing business in Burma.

Q.      How do you feel  today when the governor signed your bill ?

A.      Well, I am happy about it. I am especially happy that we 
are able to get publicity  for the situation in Burma. I  think 
more people know about Burma in Massachusetts than knew about 
Burma a week ago. That is very important.

Q.      Do you believe that the legislation will discourage some 
companies from investing in Burma and some companies that are 
still investing in Burma to divest?

A.      I think the first thing it is going to do, I think, it is 
going to encourage companies who are thinking about investing 
Burma  not to do it.  The ones who are not in, it's, of course, 
easy for someone who is not in to make a decision not to go in. 
I think we are going to see a lot of that.  Of course, some of 
them, we won't even know about because unless they publicize it, 
we won't know that this bill has had that influence. Then, of 
course, it is going to mean that companies are going to start to 
leave. I think that first, you will see companies doing what 
PepsiCo did, which is to have a .... work out some kind of 
compromise, so they could say that they are not going to do any 
future investment but they are going to maintain the investment 
and connections that they have right now but they are not going 
to expand them. And, I think that you will see more of that 
American companies, and then eventually, you will see the 
American companies leaving.

Q.      Thank you very much, Mr. Rushing.  So, finally what 
message would you like to send to the Burmese democratic forces, 
including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the Burmese people ?

A.      Well, my first message is really one of .... to 
congratulate the democratic forces in Burma. And to especially, 
send a message of solidarity to the Burmese in Burma who are 
struggling for the restoration of democracy.  And to let them 
know that there are people all over the world who really are 
concerned about establishing democracy in Burma and as soon as 
they hear the story of  what is going on in Burma, they'll find 
that they can relate to that story, and that they can ... and 
they want to support the work that is going on there.  I think 
that you know that we're really... I think that we look forward 
to the time when we can all come and visit Burma.  ((laughs)) 
And come and visit Burma like when we were able to go back to 
South Africa; to come for the next elections. We are looking 
forward to the time when we can come to the next elections in Burma.

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

SOCIALIST INTL. ASIA - PACIFIC CONFERENCE: SPEECH BY
U WIN KHET, NLD
June 28, 1996
From: brelief@gol.com

Mr. President, Secretary - General Ayala and respected delegates,
thank you once again for this opportunity to address you on the issue
of Burma.  As you are aware, the current situation in Burma is very
tense.  In spite of assurances by some quarters that things are
improving in Burma, the situation is in fact deteriorating. 

Only last weekend, Mr. Leo Nichols, the 65- year - old Anglo-
Burmese honourary consul of Norway in Burma died in custody.  He
was also the contact person for Denmark and Sweden.  Mr. Nichols
was arrested in April for allegedly using fax machines without the
permission of the military junta.  Mr. Nichols was a businessman. 
How can a businessman do businessman do business without a fax
machine?  For his crime, he was sentenced to 3 years in prison.  Worse
still he was put into solitary confinement and interrogated daily from
the day of his arrest until 2 days before his death.  Mr. Nichols had a
heart condition but he was not allowed to take his medication and he
was not given any medical attention.  When the Burmese military
realized he was dying, they quickly transferred him to the Rangoon
General Hospital so that they could claim that he did not die in prison. 
Mr. Nichols died 1 hour after he arrived at the hospital.

Some of you may be wondering why I have talked at length about Mr.
Nichols.  His treatment by agents of the State Law and Order
Restoration Council (SLORC) is shocking enough.  But what makes it
worse is that SLORC picked on him because he was a very close
friend of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's family.  He was the man who
telephoned her in 1988 to tell her about her mother's illness and advise
her to return home.  He was not a politician and he had no ties to the
National League for Democracy.  But when Daw Aung San Suu Kyi
needed a car to travel to some place or the other, he would lend her his
car.  He was a good friend.  That in the eyes of SLORC was his real
crime and he died for it.

His death in custody underlines the seriousness of the strategy SLORC
is using to isolate and demoralize Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.  We have
all heard of the over two hundred elected members of parliament who
were arrested by SLORC in May to prevent them from attending the
NLD conference in Rangoon.  Most of them have now been released. 
What many are not aware of is that hundreds of others were also
arrested at the same time as the members of parliament.  Among those
arrested included U Win Htein, a senior aide to Daw Aung San Suu
Kyi and her press secretary, U Aye Win.  U Win Htein has been
transferred to Insein Prison where he will likely be sentenced to a long
jail term.  U Aye Win is Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's cousin and elder
brother of Dr. Sein Win, our Prime Minister - in - exile.  He is still
undergoing interrogation and perhaps torture in a military intelligence
detention centre.

SLORC is systematically eliminating all those close to Daw Aung San
Suu Kyi so that she is left with no one she can trust and depend on
around her.  Her close associates are now virtually under house arrest
with her.  They cannot step out of her compound and return to their
homes because they will be arrested.  There are now more than twenty
people living in her house.  SLORC is hitting very close to home and
we cannot rule out the possibility that they will not move against her
personally.  In early June, SLORC passed a new law that can see her
party disbanded and herself imprisoned for up to twenty years.  We
cannot allow that to happen.  As I mentioned earlier, the situation in
Burma is not getting better.  We must not be lulled into complacency. 
We must renew our efforts even more at this time because if we do not
do so, SLORC will continue to tighten its grip around Daw Aung San
Suu Kyi.

I have stressed the urgency and seriousness of the current situation and
the need for us to act immediately.  But I do not want to leave you with
the impression that all is hopeless.  That is far from the case.  The
situation is serious and we are fast approaching a crisis point but there
is much to hope for.

First, the people of Burma have been revitalized.  In spite of the fact
that it is technically illegal for the people to gather to hear Daw Aung
San Suu Kyi speak, in spite of the fact that SLORC was arresting
hundreds of people who were planning to attend the NLD Conference
at the end of May, ten thousand showed up on 26 May to hear her. 
That was the largest pro- democracy gathering since 1988.  People are
losing their fear.  They are now determined to quietly fight for their
rights without resorting to violence.  To me, that is the most
encouraging sign.  We can surely overcome the miliary if the people
are disciplined and united.

Second, the generals were caught off guard by the events of May. 
They did not expect the strong international reaction in response to
their crackdown against pro - democracy advocates.  Even Japan and
Thailand joined in the public criticism of their actions.  The quandary
the generals are in was clearly demonstrated in the government -
controlled press on 27 May.  One paper denounced Daw Aung San
Suu Kyi and her colleagues as traitors and compared them to maggots
in the flesh.  Another was more conciliatory, addressing Daw Aung
San Suu Kyi respectfully and talked about democratic principles.  The
generals now know that if they crackdown further, it will adversely
affect their image and the possibility of more aid, especially from
Japan.  But at the same time, if they do not crackdown, they will lose
more control.  They will have to decide soon and we must ensure that
they make the right decision.

Third, with the release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi in July 1995, many
businesses and even government leaders concluded that the generals in
Burma are firmly in control.  They wrote off the democracy movement
and decided that they had better repair their relationships with SLORC
for the long term.  But the events of May showed that the democracy
movement cannot be ignored or marginalized.  The generals no longer
hold the political initiative.  It is now Daw Aung San Suu Kyi who is
calling the shots and the generals are having to react to her political
initiatives.

Ladies and gentlemen, I believe we are seeing the beginning of the
possibility for change in Burma.  It will be very dangerous for Daw
Aung San Suu Kyi and her colleagues in the next few months.  It will
also be very difficult. But we can be more hopeful.  The concern and
solidarity the SI and it s member organizations have shown for the
people of Burma has already brought results.  I would like to,
therefore, urge all of you to renew your efforts in whatever way
possible, to help ease the situation in Burma.  WE need your help now
more than ever.  Daw Aung San Suu Kyi needs your help.  Thank you.

by U Win Khet, Chairman
National League for Democracy - Liberated Area, Burma

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

SOCIALIST INTL ASIA-PACIFIC CONF: RESOLUTION ON BURMA
June 28, 1996
From: brelief@gol.com

NOTES WITH CONCERN the deteriorating political situation in
Burma as witnessed by the death of Mr. James Leander  Leo' Nichols
and the continued detention of U Win Htein and U Aye Win;

RECALLING the resolutions adopted by the Council of the Socialist
International adopted in Tokyo on 11 May 1994, in Cape Town on 11
July 1995, and in Brussels on 8 December 1995, and the resolutions of
the of the SI Asia - Pacific Committee adopted in Manila in February
1995 and in Sydney in September 1995, the Asia - Pacific Committee
of the Socialist International;

STRONGLY CONDEMNS SLORC's use of arbitrary laws to
increasingly restrict the people of Burma and deny them the right to
exercise their fundamental freedoms including the freedom of
expression, association, and assembly;

STRONGLY CONDEMNS SLORC's continued military offensive
against the Karenni people and the systematic use of torture, summary
executions, forced labour in development projects, forced porterage of
villagers for the military, forced conscription into the armed forces,
forced dislocation of the population, and the rape of women especially
in ethnic areas and against religious minorities;

CALLS ON the United Nations Secretary - General to urgently
implement the December 1995 General Assembly resolution to find a
political solution in Burma;

CALLS IN the governments of Japan, ASEAN and other nations to
support Aung San Suu Kyi's efforts to promote national reconciliation
in Burma;

CALLS ON the international financial institutions and governments
including UN agencies, to refrain from renewing ODA assistance,
development and assistance programs, and loans, until SLORC begins
a political dialogue with Aung San Suu Kyi;

URGES SI members parties who are in government, to fully support
the efforts of the UN Secretary - General and to actively seek to
implement this resolution;

URGES SI member parties to fully support the efforts of Aung San
Suu Kyi and the Burmese democracy movement, by whatever means
possible;  

URGENTLY URGES SLORC to begin a political dialogue with
Aung San Suu Kyi;

URGENTLY URGES SLORC to release all political prisoners
including those recently arrested in May;

URGENTLY URGES SLORC to lift all laws restricting fundamental
freedoms, including the freedom of speech, assembly, association and
of the press;

INSISTS THAT the genuine national Constitution should be drafted
by the freely and democratically elected representatives of the people;
and

REITERATES its intention, first declared at the Manila meeting of the
Asia - Pacific Committee in February 1995, to continue efforts to carry
out the planned SI mission to that country, which has to date been
denied entry by the Burmese authorities.

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

REUTERS: PRIME MINISTER INVITES ASSK TO DENMARK 
June 29, 1996
From: John Scherb <mcs@primenet.com>

Prime Minister Poul Nyrup Rasmussen has invited Burma's democratic 
opposition leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, to visit Denmark in September, 
the Copenhagen daily newspaper Politiken said on Saturday.
        The letter of invitation to the embattled Nobel Peace Prize winner to
attend and speak at the ruling Social Democratic Party's congress is
seen as a gesture of support for the banned democratic opposition
movement in Burma, the newspaper said. It was also seen as a further
reaction to the unexplained death of Denmark's consul in Rangoon, Janes
``Leo'' Nichols, in a Burmese prison.
        ``We want to send a signal to the dictatorial regime (in Rangoon)
that we follow her (Aung San Suu Kyi's) situation closely, and that we
condemn their (the military regime's) violation of human rights,''
Rasmussen was quoted by Politiken as saying.
        ``The invitation is a natural extension of the Social Democratic
Party's solidarity efforts. Aung San Suu Kyi is a major figure who has
put her life on the line in the struggle for democracy and human rights,
'' Rasmussen added.
  But it remains uncertain whether Aung San Suu Kyi dare will to accept
the invitation for fear the military will not allow her to return home
again, the newspaper said.
          Copenhagen has demanded the Burmese authorities accept an 
independent coroner to carry out an autopsy on Nichols who was buried 
by prison personnel shortly following his death of an apparent heart 
attack last Saturday.

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

REUTERS: AUNG SAN SUU KYI ATTENDS CONSUL SERVICE
June 28, 1996
from: julien moe <moe@gramercy.ios.com>

Democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi and at least one European diplomat
on Friday attended a Buddhist ceremony for an honorary consul who died
in prison, diplomats and organisers of the event said.

Suu Kyi and the Danish ambassador to Thailand and Burma, Joergen
Reimers, were among about 30 people who attended the service to 
honour James Leander (Leo) Nichols, who died while he was in a 
Rangoon jail last Saturday.

The service was a traditional Buddhist ceremony offering food and alms
to monks in Nichols's name, organisers said.

A formal memorial service will be held at a Rangoon church next weekend
for Nichols, 65, a former honorary consul for Norway and representative for
Denmark, Finland and Switzerland.

Reimers and European diplomats based in Bangkok and Singapore 
were in Burma on Friday to investigate Nichols's death.

They have requested a formal explanation from the ruling State Law and
Order Restoration Council (SLORC) by Monday.

If the SLORC does not meet the Monday deadline, the European countries
plan further action, one of the diplomats said, without giving further
details.

The diplomats, whose protests to the SLORC following Nichols's 
arrest in April went unheeded, had originally planned to be in 
Rangoon this weekend to attend the formal memorial.

Even though it was postponed until next weekend, they decided to go
ahead with the visit in an effort to obtain more information on Nichols's
death, diplomatic sources said.

``They went anyway because they had some meetings planned and 
were still hoping to talk to people from the government before the 
Monday deadline,'' a diplomat from one of the four countries told Reuters.

All four countries have written to the SLORC demanding a full
explanation of Nichols's death. Differing accounts said Nichols 
died of a heart attack or a stroke.

Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said on Friday conditions
in jail may have contributed to the death of Nichols, who had relatives in
Australia.

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

NATION: BURMESE PAPERS PRINT CONSUL'S OBITUARY
June 28, 1996  (slightly abridged)

RANGOON - Five days after his death, official Burmese newspapers
yesterday carried for the first time a brief obituary of an
imprisoned honorary European consul who died in a local jail.

The state-run New Light of Myanmar and the Burmese-language
Mirror Daily carried obituaries of James Leander (Leo) Nichols, a
65-year-old honorary consul for Norway and representative for
Denmark, Finland and Switzerland.

The obituary, titled "Asleep in Jesus", said Nichols died last
Saturday without detailing the cause. It said he was buried
at a Christian cemetery on Sunday. It was the first mention of
Nichols' death in the official media.

Agence France-Presse adds from Copenhagen: Denmark plans to urge
its European partners to take economic sanctions against Burma
following the death of Nichols, Foreign Minister Niels Helveg
Petersen said yesterday.

Petersen told a parliamentary foreign affairs committee that he
was "not very optimistic about rallying other countries to such a
boycott", but said he felt it was "extremely important to show
Rangoon authorities that the death of this consul in prison is an
extremely serious affair".

The daily Berlingske Tidende reported yesterday that he would
push for sanctions against the Burmese regime. A statement made
by Petersen to deputies and quoted by the daily said, "the
government favours the idea of commercial sanctions against Burma
... but a boycott, in such circumstances, doesn't appear
plausible since it was difficult to obtain international support".

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

AP: JAIL CONDITIONS MAY HAVE CAUSED NICHOLS' DEATH 
June 28, 1996 

Australia's foreign minister said Friday that harsh conditions in Burma's
notorious Insein Jail may have contributed to the death of honorary 
European consul James ``Leo'' Nichols last week.
   Nichols' Australian-based family has called for an inquiry into
the businessman's death last Saturday, which followed his
imprisonment in April for operating a telephone and fax from his
home without permission.
   ``Conditions at Insein Jail are notoriously bad and Mr. Nichols
was an elderly man, not in the best of health,'' Foreign Minister
Alexander Downer said.
   ``The conditions of his incarceration may well have contributed
to his death.
   ``I sympathize with Mr. Nichols' family and fully support their
desire to receive a full account of the circumstances surrounding
his death.``
   Amnesty International says Nichols reportedly had been deprived
of sleep for several days before dying.
   Nichols, 65, was the honorary consul for Norway and
representative for Denmark, Finland and Switzerland.
   He was a close supporter of Burmese democracy leader Aung San
Suu Kyi, and Downer said his imprisonment was ``for clearly
political reasons.''
   Downer said the Australian Embassy in Rangoon would continue to
seek further information about his death, including seeking details
of the autopsy report.
   The death again focused attention on the brutal practices of the
ruling military State Law and Order Restoration Committee, Downer
said.
   ``The political nature of his arrest, the harshness of his
sentence and the conditions of his incarceration lead me to renew
calls for the Government of Burma to reform its human rights
practices,'' Downer said.
   ``I call on the government of Burma to immediately release all
those imprisoned and detained in Burma because of their political
beliefs.''
   Denmark has indicated it will urge its European partners to take
economic sanctions against Burma because of Nichols' death.
   
*********************************************************

REUTERS: UN RIGHTS MONITOR FOR BURMA RESIGNS
June 29, 1996
From: ider@mail.datanet.hu

Yozo Yokota, a Japanese professor has resigned from his post as the 
U.N. human rights monitor for Burma, U.N. spokeswoman Sylvana Foa 
said onFriday.
    Yokota will be replaced by Rajsoomer Lallah, an Oxford-
educated judge from Mauritius, who has frequently served on
U.N. human rights bodies and as a special rapporteur for the
Geneva-based U.N. Human Rights Commission.
    U.N. sources said Yokota resigned because of planned
career changes in Tokyo as well as frustration at the lack of
logistical support from human rights staff in Geneva.
    Yokota's reports over the past few years were responsible
for criticial General Assembly resolutions adopted against
Burma's military rulers, who took power in 1988 to suppress
pro-democracy movement and subsequently nullify elections.

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

