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

The BurmaNet News: September 29, 1996
Issue #526

Noted in Passing: 

                If ASEAN countries do not protest against these new arrests 
                and use their influence to secure the release of those detained, 
                they will effectively be letting Burma set the human rights 
                standard for the region. - Human Rights Watch Asia Director
                (REUTER:  HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS CONDEMN BURMA 
                OVER DETENTIONS)

HEADLINES:
==========
ABSDF NEWS AGENCY: ARRESTS OF NLD MEMBERS
REUTERS: BURMA TROOPS INTENSIFY PRESSURE ON ACTIVISTS
REUTER: BURMA POLICE SEIZE FILM, DETAIN JOURNALISTS
REUTER:  HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS CONDEMN BURMA OVER DETENTIONS
REUTER: NO WORD FROM BURMA'S SUU KYI AS BLOCKADE CONTINUES
REUTER: U.S. SAYS BURMA CHARGE "BOGUS"
REUTER: BRITAIN DEPLORES CRACKDOWN ON BURMESE ACTIVISTS
U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT: SLORC OBSTRUCTS NLD PARTY CONGRESS
BANGKOK POST: DEMOCRATS FACE TROUBLE WITH THE MILITARY
DVB: CONTACT INFO AND TRANSMISSION TIMES
NATION: LETTER - TRAVEL BOYCOTT
NATION: LETTER - BUSINESS PARTNER
ACTION REQUEST:- ETHNIC MINORITY REFUGEES IN THAILAND
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ABSDF NEWS AGENCY: ARRESTS OF NLD MEMBERS
September 27, 1996

On the night of SLORC's crackdown on the NLD, a total of 109
people were said to be arrested. According to the ABSDF sources
inside Burma, some of them included Soe Naing and Tun Naing from
Mingala Taung Nyunt township in Rangoon. They are the members of
the NLD youth. Also arrested were Myo Maung, Aung Myint, Tin Tin
Win (female) and Tin Tin Maw (Female). All of them are the
members of the Kyauktada township NLD youth. They were arrested
during the raid, while trying to escape through the house of the
late U Ba Win, who was the elder brother of General Aung San and
father of Dr. Sein Win, prime minister of the NCGUB.

28/9/96

An unknown number of people marched to Shwe Dagon Pagoda the
following day after the so-called 'pre-emptive crackdown' on
September 27th. They marched to the holy site from two different
routes. The security forces, involving the feared Lon Htein,
soldiers, police, and traffic police, blocked the roads leading
to the pagoda. Reportedly the Lon Htein were taking video
pictures of the marchers. Also present on the scene were the
officials of diplomatic missions in Rangoon. 

According to the sources the largest confrontation was at Shwe
Gonedaing near the Shew Dagon. At Kaba Aye Pagoda Road SLORC
troops used violent means to control those who were fleeing. 

All of those apprehended were said to be sent to Insein Prison.

The houses of Daw Suu and U Ba Win have been completely closed-
off to all visitors. These two houses are situated face to face
on University Avenue.

Source: Inside Burma 

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

REUTERS: BURMA TROOPS INTENSIFY PRESSURE ON ACTIVISTS
September 28, 1996
from DVB <dvb@sn.no>
By Deborah Charles

RANGOON, Sept 28 (Reuter) - Burma's military rulers prevented Nobel peace
laureate Aung San Suu Kyi making a speech on Saturday as troops arrested
several democracy supporters at checkpoints set up to stop people reaching
the opposition leader's home.
Heavily armed security police and military intelligence officers were
deployed on several blocks of University Avenue for the second day to stop a
congress of Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) party from taking
place.
A Reuter photographer saw about 20 people sitting in a military truck with
their heads down. They had refused police requests to leave the intersection
leading to Suu Kyi's house.
Police refused to comment on the arrests.
The three-day NLD meeting, due to start on Friday, was called to celebrate
the party's eighth anniversary. But the ruling State Law and Order
Restoration Council (SLORC) decided to block the meeting because it
threatened national stability, a government official told Reuters.
The SLORC ordered the detention of 109 activists due to attend the meeting.
The official said they were being held in local guest houses for questioning
and would be released when the situation calmed down.
Suu Kyi has been seen walking down University Avenue but no one has heard
from her since the congress was blockaded early on Friday.
Repeated attempts to reach Suu Kyi by telephone failed, leading to
speculation her phone line had been cut as it was during her six years of
house arrest that ended in July 1995.
Many Rangoon residents had clearly not heard of the blockade and hundreds
came to attend her regular weekly speech on Saturday afternoon.
Police told Reuters the barriers would stay in place at least through Sunday.
Weekend speeches are the only forum for Suu Kyi to get her message out. The
government has banned distribution of leaflets or anything deemed
threatening to national stability.
The NLD, born in 1988 amid a wave of unprecedented demonstrations by people
opposed to military rule, won a landlside victory in a 1990 election which
was never recognised by the SLORC.
Suu Kyi, daughter of Burma's revered independence leader, Aung San, was
under house arrest at the time. The party congress was to have been the
first time Suu Kyi would meet the elected representatives of the NLD as a group.
In May, the goverment thwarted an attempt to hold a similar congress and
detained more than 260 NLD delegates. Most were later released but some were
charged and jailed.
The SLORC has also accused foreign governments, especially the United
States, of helping the NLD organise the party meeting to undermine the
country's peace and stability.
In Washington U.S. State Department deputy spokesman Glyn Davies dismissed
the charge as "bogus".
"Aung San Suu Kyi is a strong figure in the democracy movement and she makes
the calls about what happens in the NLD. She doesn't need advice from us."  

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

REUTER: BURMA POLICE SEIZE FILM, DETAIN JOURNALISTS
September 28, 1996
From: DVB <dvb@sn.no>

RANGOON, Sept 28 (Reuter) - Burmese police detained several photo and
television journalists in their hotel on Saturday and demanded they hand
over film and tapes of checkpoints near the house of democracy leader Aung
San Suu Kyi, witnesses said.
"They told us we had to stop taking pictures and said we couldn't go
anywhere until they got their superior to come and check our cameras and
film," said a photographer, who had visited the hotel.
He told Reuters the security men let him go when he said he was not staying
at the hotel.
Up to six photographers and television cameramen from several international
news organisations were among those who had their equipment searched and
travel documents checked by security officers.
The journalists were in Rangoon to cover this weekend's planned eighth
anniversary congress of opposition leader Suu Kyi's National League for
Democracy (NLD) party at her house.
Burma's military government have blocked University Avenue, along which Suu
Kyi's house is located, since early on Friday to stop the planned meeting
and detained over 100 party activists to prevent them from attending it.
A picture of a camera crossed out with a red "X" was posted near one of the
police checkpoints a couple of blocks away from Suu Kyi's house, apparently
warning cameramen against taking pictures.
On Friday a foreign cameraman said authorities confiscated film he had shot
near Suu Kyi's residence.  

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

REUTER:  HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS CONDEMN BURMA OVER DETENTIONS
September 28, 1996

BANGKOK, Sept 28 (Reuter) - Human Rights Watch/Asia and Amnesty
International roundly condemned Burma's latest detention of more than 100
representatives of Aung San Suu Kyi's democracy party in Rangoon.
In separate statements received by Reuters on Saturday, the human rights
groups and the All Burma Students' Democratic Front (ABSDF) of exiles
demanded the immediate release of all those detained by the military government.
Members of Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) party were detained
on Friday by the State Law and Order Restoration Committee (SLORC) as they
planned to attend a congress to mark the party's founding eight years ago.
The SLORC replied that those detained were only being held for questioning
and to prevent the party from holding its congress for which official
permission had not been granted.
The United States and Britain also deplored Burma's latest crackdown on the
pro-democracy activists.
"Yet again the military authorities are showing that they will not tolerate
any dissenting voices in Myanmar (Burma)," said Amnesty.
New York-based Human Rights Watch said the seven-member Association of
Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which Burma is lobbying to join, should
press for the detainees' release.
"If ASEAN countries do not protest against these new arrests and use their
influence to secure the release of those detained, they will effectively be
letting Burma set the human rights standard for the region," said its
executive director Sidney Jones.
The ABSDF said it was concerned about Suu Kyi's own safety after the latest
crackdown and criticised the SLORC's intolerance and repression of
politicians opposed to it.
Nobel Peace laureate Suu Kyi had been seen but not heard on Saturday as
troops and police blockaded the road to her house.
Witnesses said they had seen Suu Kyi walk down University Avenue, the street
her house is on, but no one has heard from her since authorities blocked a
three-day congress of her National League for Democracy (NLD) party due to
have begun on Friday.
A senior government official said Suu Kyi was not being detained.  

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

REUTER: NO WORD FROM BURMA'S SUU KYI AS BLOCKADE CONTINUES
September 28, 1996
By Deborah Charles

RANGOON, Sept 28 (Reuter) - Burma's Nobel Peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi
had been seen but not heard on Saturday as troops and police blockaded the
road to her house to prevent a meeting of democracy activists.
Witnesses said they had seen Suu Kyi walk down University Avenue, the street
her house is on, but no one has heard from her since authorities blocked a
three-day congress of her National League for Democracy (NLD) party due to
have begun on Friday.
"She walked down the street and talked to police at the blockade for about
10 minutes," one witness said.
Heavily armed security police and military intelligence officers were
deployed on several blocks of University Avenue to stop vehicles and
pedestrians from entering the street.
Police told Reuters the blockade would stay up through Sunday, and that Suu
Kyi's regular weekend speeches on Saturday and Sunday -- her only real forum
to speak to her supporters -- would not take place.
Repeated attempts to contact Suu Kyi by telephone over the past two days
have failed, leading to speculation that her phone line had been cut as it
was during her six years of house arrest which ended in July 1995.
But a senior government official, who said Suu Kyi was not being detained,
told Reuters on Saturday he did not think her line had been cut by authorities.
"She can go out. I'm sure she's meeting with diplomats," the official said.
"If she wants to reach anybody she can. I don't see that there is any reason
why the line would be cut."
Diplomats in Rangoon said they had no word from Suu Kyi, and other senior
NLD officials were also incommunicado. Some members of the NLD executive
committee were expected to be in her compound while others were presumed to
have been detained.
The ruling State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) had ordered the
detention of at least 109 NLD members and supporters by Saturday, and they
were taken to local guest houses for questioning.
The official said they would be released when the situation returned to normal.
The government said in official media on Saturday it had prevented the NLD's
congress from taking place to maintain peace and stability in the country.
The state-run media said the NLD had secretly planned the meeting of 600
activists at Suu Kyi's house to coincide with the beginning of the United
Nations General Assembly and discussions of a sanctions bill against Burma
in the U.S. Congress.
The NLD said on Thursday it had invited 200 people to attend the congress to
celebrate the party's eighth anniversary.
The party, born amid unprecedented protests against military rule in 1988,
won a landslide victory in a 1990 election which was never recognised by SLORC.
Suu Kyi, daughter of Burma's revered independence leader, Aung San, was
under house arrest at the time. The party congress was to have been the
first time Suu Kyi would meet the elected representatives of the NLD as a group.
In May, the goverment thwarted an attempt to hold a similar congress and
detained more than 260 NLD delegates. Most were later released but some were
charged and given long prison terms.
The SLORC has also accused foreign governments, especially the United
States, of helping the NLD organise the party meeting to undermine the
country's peace and stability.
In Washington U.S. State Department deputy spokesman Glyn Davies dismissed
the charge as "bogus".
"Aung San Suu Kyi is a strong figure in the democracy movement and she makes
the calls about what happens in the NLD. She doesn't need advice from us."  

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

REUTER: U.S. SAYS BURMA CHARGE "BOGUS"
September 27, 1996

WASHINGTON, Sept 27 (Reuter) - The United States on Friday rejected as
"bogus" Burma's charge that it was helping democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi
plan a party meeting that was aimed at undermining the country's peace and
stability.
It also deplored new arrests of 109 pro-democracy activists and other steps
by Burma's military regime to keep Suu Kyi's National League of Democracy
(NLD) from holding the meeting.
Burmese officials said the United States had urged Suu Kyi to hold an NLD
congress to coincide with discussions of a sanctions bill against Burma in
the U.S. Congress.
"Clearly that's a bogus charge on the part of the Burmese regime," State
Department deputy spokesman Glyn Davies said.
He told reporters U.S. officials have contacts with Suu Kyi and her
supporters, as they do with other segments of Burmese society, including the
government, to keep informed about what is going on in the country.
He noted the NLD was the largest opposition party and won a landslide
victory in the 1990 general election. It was never allowed to take power
because the ruling State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) refused
to recognise the results of the poll.
"Aung San Suu Kyi is a strong figure in the democracy movement and she makes
the calls about what happens in the NLD. She doesn't need advice from us,"
he said.
As for the new crackdown by the regime, Davies said the United States
"deplores the actions taken by the State Law and Order Restoration Council
... to prevent the National League for Democracy from holding its ... Congress."
The measures clearly are designed to disrupt the party congress, "a
legitimate meeting of a legally registered party in Burma," he said.
The arrests, and other forms of intimidation by the regime are to prevent
Suu Kyi and her backers from "exercising their basic political rights,
including freedom of speech and peaceful assembly," he said.
The United States calls on the SLORC "to immediately, and unconditionally,
release all of the NLD members and activists who have been detained for
exercising their legitimate political rights," Davies added.
Suu Kyi, who was released from six years of house arrest in July 1995,
called a party congress for Friday through Sunday to celebrate the NLD's
eighth anniversary.
The group was formed in August 1988 after months of unprecedented protests
against military rule that left thousands dead or imprisoned.
The U.S. Congress, due to adjourn on Friday, has yet to vote on the 1997
Foreign Operations Appropriations bill, which includes an amendment urging
Burma to improve its human rights record. It would let the president
prohibit U.S. investment in Burma if Suu Kyi is rearrested or exiled, or if
there is large-scale repression of the opposition.
U.S. officials expect the bill to be approved by both the House and the
Senate and to be signed into law by Clinton.  

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

REUTER: BRITAIN DEPLORES CRACKDOWN ON BURMESE ACTIVISTS
September 27, 1996

LONDON, Sept 27 (Reuter) - Britain on Friday deplored the detention of more
than 100 pro-democracy activists in Burma and said it was consulting with
its European Union partners about possible measures against the Rangoon
government.
Burmese police detained 109 activists and blocked all roads leading to
democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi's house on Friday to stop a congress of
her party from taking place.
The Foreign Office said it was seriously concerned about the further
deterioration in the situation in Rangoon.
"We deplore the latest detention of members of the National League for
Democracy," the ministry said in a statement. "It is a clear obstruction of
a legal political party."
It said that Britain had been talking to its European partners about
possible measures against the ruling State Law and Order Restoration Council
(SLORC) since the EU called on SLORC in July to release all political prisoners.
"The latest events add urgency to these discussions," the Foreign Office said.  

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

U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT: SLORC OBSTRUCTS NLD PARTY CONGRESS
September 27, 1996
Office of the Spokesman

For immediate release     September 27, 1996

Statement by Glyn Davies/Acting Spokesman


The United States deplores the actions taken by the State Law and Order
Restoration Council (SLORC) from holding its All Burma Party Congress.  The
SLORC reportedly has arrested at least 33 NLD party members and activists
who had planned to attend the congress, including 16 elected Members of
Parliament.  Police erected barricades and clocked public access to
University Avenue, the street in front of the residence of party secretary
general Aung San Suu Kyi, where the congress was to be held Spetmber 27-29.

These measures are designed to disrupt the party congress, a legitimate
meeting of a legally registered party in Burma.  These arrests and other
forms of intimidation by the military regime are geared to prevent Aung San
Suu Kyi an dher supporters from exercising their basic political rights,
including freedom of speech and peaceful assembly.  The SLORC continues to
engage in widespread violations of the human rights of the Burmese people.

We call on the SLORC to immediately and unconditionally release all of the
NLD members and activists, who have been detained for exercising their
legitimate political rights.  In addition to the arrests made this weekend,
the SLORC has arrested and continues to detain more than 60 NLD activits
since May.  We also urge the SLORC to enter into a genuine dialogue about
the political future of the country with Aung San Suu Kyi an dleaders ofthe
ethnic minorities.  This is essential to political reconciliation in Burma.

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

BANGKOK POST: DEMOCRATS FACE TROUBLE WITH THE MILITARY
27.9.96/Bangkok Post
ROBERT HORN
RANGOON/AP

Burma's democracy movement is in more trouble today than at any
time since its leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, was freed from six years
of detention last year.

Tension between the country's military rulers and opposition
democrats has been brewing for months, resulting in more arrests
of dissidents.

Threats by the military, fear among the people and inaction by
the opposition leadership, some say, means the movement's days
may be numbered.

"Time only runs out for those in power," shot back Ms Suu Kyi
during a recent interview with The Associated Press. "I've never
heard of time running out for those who don't have power."

But that appears to be what is happening. More than 70 members of
Ms Suu Kyi's political party have been jailed during the past
three months: Thus far, 30 have been sentenced to long prison
terms.

Threatened with arrest or the loss _of jobs, homes and pensions,
scores of others have quit the party. That fact is reflected in
the dwindling crowds that turn out these days to hear Ms Suu Kyi,
a Nobel laureate, speak.

Although it has garnered little media attention, this quiet
crackdown constitutes the largest wave of repression  in Burma
since 1991, according to
Amnesty International, a London-based human rights group.

 The tension also has hurt the regime. The Burmese currency has
been pushed to new lows, while a gas shortage in mid-September
had nervous Rangoon residents hoarding food. 
     
It is a stark change from the days of optimism and relative
tolerance that followed Ms Suu Kyi's release, when there was hope
that a dialogue between the government and the democrats would
finally materialise.
     
But since then, for reasons never explained, the regime has
hardened its stance. And Ms Suu Kyi refuses to back down in her
battle for change.
               
The two sides are farther apart now than at any time since her
release.

Although both the military and the democrats bristle at the
suggestion, their words and actions indicate that a confrontation
is coming.

It's not likely to be a massive revolt with people spilling into
the streets. The army quashed the democracy uprising of 1988,
shooting dead more than 3,000 peaceful protesters - and no one
doubts the army would do it again.

So Ms Suu Kyi's party has been finding other ways to fight back.

They have attempted to organise support and make contact with
exiled dissidents, obtain banned literature and smuggle out
information about the country's problems.
     
The regime, which claims to be bringing about a multi-party
democracy, won't tolerate even the mildest dissent. Asked why,
Col Kyaw Thein, a high - ranking intelligence officer, said even
a small protest could easily grow into a nationwide revolt - just 
like 1988.

It is a stunning admission by the regime, that eight years after
it seized power and seemingly stronger than ever, it has failed
to win the people's support. It views its softest critics as
dangerous enemies and that fact, said Ms Suu Kyi, creates a
threatening atmosphere.

"We are not heading towards a confrontation, but perhaps the
authorities think that we  are, she said.

Still, Ms Suu Kyi said recently that "as we increase the momentum
of our activities, the authorities increase the momentum of their 
arrests."

Then she vowed to raise the level of her party's work once
again.    

The result could be a crackdown in which the authorities ban Ms
Suu Kyi's party altogether and arrest more followers.

A series of articles written by Pe Kan Kaung, believed to be the
pen name of a high-ranking military officer, accuse Ms Suu Kyi of
conspiring with former colonial powers to  subjugate Burma, also
known as Myanmar.

"In the not-too-distant future, she will be accused as a
political  criminal, the New Light of Myanmar said in the 57th
installment of the series of articles "What Is Aung San Suu Kyi?
Whither Goest  She?

Jailing or harming the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize winner almost
surely would trigger sanctions by the United States and
condemnations from the West. They more likely would cripple her
organisation, and further isolate her from Burma's people.

Therefore, Ms Suu Kyi must make some move soon to rally the
people.

Should she do nothing, the regime will continue to arrest her
supporters, slowly dissolving her party while not incurring
international censure.

If Ms Suu Kyi knows how to keep that from happening, she isn't
revealing her strategy. But few doubt her resolve as she leads
her party across a dangerous frontier where the options appear to
be either slow death or sudden disaster.

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

DVB: CONTACT INFO AND TRANSMISSION TIMES

Democratic Voice of Burma(DVB)
P.O Box 6720
ST.Olavs Plass
0130 Oslo, Norway
Tel: 47-22-200021, Tel/fax:47-22-362525.

Everyday;
First Transmission at>> 11:00 to 11:25 GMT - 15170 kHz(Short wave-19 meter)
Second Transmission at>>14:30 to 14:55 GMT - 11850 kHz(Short wave-25 meter)                              
************************************************************                     
                
NATION: LETTER - TRAVEL BOYCOTT
September 28, 1996

I have followed with interest the "Visit Myanmar Year" debate and
would like to offer some of my observations. As much as I hate
getting involved in debates that tend to get too personal, I feel
that I should put in a few words.

Judging from Joe Cummings' remarks about Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and
the National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma (NCGUB),
which he termed as an "ad hoc border organisation," I can safely
assume that he has very little interest or cares much about the
popular democracy movement in my country.

For Cummings' information, Suu Kyi is an elected leader. To
clarify my statement, she was not elected in the May 1990
elections because \ she was not allowed to run and~was under
house arrest at that time. But she is a leader elected by the MPs
of the National League for Democracy (NLD) who were elected in
the May 1990 elections.

As for the NCGUB, it was formed with the mandate given to it by
the majority of the NLD's MPs during meetings held in Burma. Some
of its MPs are still serving 25-year prison sentences for their
endorsement of the NCGUB. The NCGUB was formed at the Thai-Burma
border. Today, the NCGUB has offices in Washington DC,Bangkok and
New Delhi.
     
It also has an office dedicated to UN activities in New York. An
NCGUB office has been established in Sydney, while representative
offices are functioning in Canberra, Canada, Germany, the
Netherlands and the UK. More offices in Europe are being planned.
The NCGUB also runs its own Democratic Voice of Burma radio
station in Norway. It broadcasts twice a day to Burma and works
very closely with democratic governments, UN missions as well as
Burma support groups world-wide. The NCGUB's success can be seen
in the resolutions passed year after year at the UN General
Assembly and the UN Commission for Human Rights. It has also made
several inroads in the diplomatic arena. The list goes on. It is
hardly an "ad hoc border organisation" as Cummings suggested.

Regarding the NCGUB statement on "Visit Myanmar Year," Cummings
only quoted the portion that supports his argument. The overall
statement, among other things, said: "The military depends on
foreign aid and foreign income to survive. It especially needs
hard currency to buy arms which it can use to continue
controlling the people of Burma .... Tourism is Slorc's latest
programme to earn foreign currency. Slorc also hopes that
tourists who see only the beautified parts of the country will
help to dispel its brutal reputation and bestow it with some 
legitimacy." 
     
The statement, as was quoted, said in conclusion that
"responsible individuals and organisations who wish to verify the
above facts and to publicise the plight of the Burmese people are
encouraged to utilise Slorc's more relaxed tourist policies."
However, this was stated only after issues like forced labour
forced relocation, cultural destruction and the emergence of a
sex industry were discussed and after declaring that the NCGUB
strongly opposes "Visit Myanmar Year", which is being promoted by
Slorc. Tourists should not engage in activities that will only
benefit Slorc's coffers and not the people of Burma.

We have our rationale. As long as the military regime believes it
can gain recognition, legitimacy and funds it needs without
giving way to the winning party and the democracy movement, it
will continue with its dictatorship. Our work is to do otherwise.
Hence, the campaign to oppose Slorc's tourist programmes is part
of the overall strategy of the Burmese democracy movement; that
is, to create conditions conducive to a dialogue for national 
reconciliation. A travel boycott, even if it makes a negative
contribution in the short run, is vitally important because of
the positive impact it will have in the long run; We feel that we
should place a higher priority on the future good of the country.

Soe Pyne
maung@igc.apc.org

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

NATION: LETTER - BUSINESS PARTNER
September 28, 1996

More than 1,500 Burmese army officers and soldiers have been
killed or injured in battles with drug lord Khun Sa. And yet
Slorc negotiated a political settlement with the drug baron and
now treats him like a visiting head of  state. This is a clear
indication to the younger officials in the army that they have
been used by the Slorc generals.

When Khun Sa cut his sweetheart deal with Slorc, he said that he
would name four Thai politicians who were also his business partners.

Subsequent to that, the Thai government gave a US$150 million
(Bt3.75 billion) loan to Slorc to prevent Khun Sa from disclosing
the names of the said politicians.

This loan is like a gift since Slorc will not be able to pay such
huge amounts. Last week, Slorc defaulted on $30 million in oil
payments to Mitsui, which has decided to suspend oil deliveries
to Burma. This is a very clear  indication that Slorc is very
close to bankruptcy. Extending a loan of $150 million to Burma is
a clear case of economic mismanagement by the Thai government.

Slorc recently issued an ultimatum to Karen leader Gen Bo Mya.

If the Karens do not surrender the Burmese army will soon launch
a major offensive and commit genocide against defenceless Karen
civilians. This is designed to embarrass US President Bill
Clinton during his -state visit to Thailand in November this
year.          

The Thai government is the business partner  of Slorc, Total and
Unocal in the $1.2 billion natural gas pipeline project. We are
prepared to launch a major public relations offensive if the
Burmese army attacks the Karens to secure the area where the
project is located. The world will hold Total, Unocal and the
Thai government fully  responsible for  the actions of its
business partner.

A democratic Thai government will suspend participation in the
project until there is a political settlement in Burma.


Myint Thein
Dallas, Texas

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


ACTION REQUEST:- ETHNIC MINORITY REFUGEES IN THAILAND
September 26, 1996
For more information, contact :refugee_help@mail.serve.com

Dear Friend,

A few moments of your time CAN make a difference.

We would like to ask for your time and your compassion in contributing a
letter to help a group of Burmese refugees who are stranded in Thailand.

These people have already been accepted for resettlement by a third
country,  but have been denied the right to leave Thailand.

There are two groups of refuges from Burma: political refugees, and
people from ethnic minority groups that SLORC has named insurgents, who
have fled due to the on going civil war.

The Thai Government has set up a special camp for political refugees
only, known as the Burmese Safe Area. In order to get in to this camp
refugees are screened by the United Nations High Commission for
Refugees, UNHCR.

Only people from the Safe Area are allowed to leave Thailand.

The group of people that we are particularly concerned with are from the
ethnic minority group of refugees. All of this group have been accepted
by a third country  for resettlement. However as the policy of the Thai
Government does not allow ethnic minority groups to stay in the Safe
Area, no one from this group is allowed to leave the country.

Entrants to the Safe Area are screened by the UNHCR and sometimes the
Thai Government, which does not want noticeable numbers of ethnic
minority groups to enter the camp.  In a few situations, this rules out
people the UNHCR has already categorized as being 'Persons of Concern'
who would be in grave personal danger if they returned to Burma.

In order to apply to foreign embassies for resettlement, refugees are
obliged to go to Bangkok. The Thai Government is afraid that, by
allowing these people to leave Thailand, a magnet effect will develop
with a great many refugees travelling to Bangkok. However as these
refugees are given no support or protection when they travel to Bangkok,
and are liable to arrest at any time as illegal migrants, very few do
take the chance, even though there are no other options. Furthermore,
from those who apply for resettlement, only a few are accepted.

This group of people is a very small proportion of the refugee
population from Burma. We feel that they are a forgotten group.

We ask your help in bringing this impasse to the forefront of people
concerned. By writing a letter, you can help to send these people to the
countries that have already offered them a future.

If you would like to write a personal letter, the next message has some
ideas that you might like to start with.

for more information, contact :-
refugee_help@mail.serve.com

=====================================================
ACTION REQUEST:- ETHNIC MINORITY REFUGEES IN THAILAND
part 3 of 3.  For more information, contact :-
refugee_help@mail.serve.com
=====================================================

Addresses to send letters, in order of importance.

        The Prime Minister
        Khun Banharn Silpa-archa
        The Prime Minister's Office
        Thai Kufah Building
        Dusit, BANGKOK 10200 
        T H A I L A N D

        The Representative 
        United Nations High
        Commission for Refugees
        P.O Box 2-121, Bangkok 10200
        T H A I L A N D
        
        The Director General
        Khun Asda Janyanama
        Ministry of Foreign Affairs
        Phaholyotin Place, 30th Floor
        408 Phaholyotin Road
        Bangkok 10210
        T H A I L A N D
        
        The Thai Embassy in your country.


Dear Mr. Prime Minister,

I am a concerned  individual with a personal love for both Thailand and
Burma.

The compassionate Government of Thailand, and the Thai people, have
shown the world how they have accepted and assisted many thousands of
Indo-Chinese refugees over a period of many years. At present 100,000
refugees are receiving the hospitality of Thailand on the Thai/Burmese
border. Thailand enjoys a high international reputation for humanitarian
assistance given to refugees.

The reason  I am writing this letter is to ask for your compassion and
assistance on two points. I ask that ethnic minority refugees from Burma
who have been accepted by another country be allowed to leave Thailand
to go to that country. I also ask for newly arrived refugees to be
allowed access to screening, and permitted to leave the country if
successful.

As the number of cases in the group of people that have been accepted by
another country and not permitted to leave Thailand, is very small, and
there are only a few new cases applying, there would be no need for any
government policy changes, or any danger of a magnet affect.

Each case is assessed by a foreign embassy on an individual basis of
humanitarian need, using stringent criteria, to remove that person from
grave danger. Very few are accepted. Furthermore, not many refugee are
willing to take the risk of travelling to Bangkok with little or no
support or protection, in order to reach the foreign embassies.

Thailand has a good international reputation for its humanitarian
treatment of refugees arriving at its borders. Currently, there is
growing international interest in the just treatment of minority ethnic
groups from Burma. I am sure Thailand will uphold its present status as
a compassionate refuge for desperate people who seek asylum from
personal danger, particularly minority ethnic groups from Burma.

The good opinion of the world about Thailand is high, and has direct
bearing on international trade and tourism. International media
reporting on compassionate treatment of minority groups will add to
Thailand's already high reputation.

We hope that the Government of Thailand will investigate this matter,
and believe that the high humanitarian principals of Thailand will
ensure that these people are treated justly and fairly, and allowed to
leave the country.

Yours sincerely

YOUR NAME HERE

