BurmaNet News: April 15 2003

[editor at burmanet.org]

April 15 2003 Issue #2216

INSIDE BURMA

AFP: Myanmar junta says it has ‘complete trust’ in Aung San Suu Kyi
Xinhua: Myanmar govt denies NLD’s charge of disturbing ASSK’s trip
DVB: Daw Aung San Suu Kyi in Chauk

MONEY

AFP: British American Tobacco meeting hijacked by Myanmar protestors
WMA: TotalFinaElf to undergo ethics review

INTERNATIONAL

BBC: UK warns Burmese regime

REGIONAL

Asia Pulse: Firms from some nations may be excluded from Indian oil deals

OPINIONS

American Apparel & Footwear Association
IHT: Burma’s opposition needs fresh support

INSIDE BURMA

Agence France Presse April 15 2003

Myanmar junta says it has 'complete trust' in Aung San Suu Kyi

Myanmar's junta said Tuesday it "has complete trust" in pro-democracy
leader Aung San Suu Kyi's pursuit of development in the military-run
state, and is encouraging her to travel throughout the country.

The junta statement came as it sought to downplay reports that the Nobel
peace laureate had been harassed by aggressive pro-Yangon elements during
her recent political trip to the western Chin state.

"While she might have encountered noisy conditions and over-zealous
cameramen in some of the towns she visited, this was in no way a
deliberate effort by the government to interfere with her travels or
activities, as members of her party have so alleged," the junta told AFP
in a faxed statement.

"The government has complete trust in Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's commitment to
ensuring the smooth and stable development of Myanmar," it said.

The junta also said it has been encouraging Aung San Suu Kyi, who heads
the National League for Democracy (NLD), to travel widely within Myanmar
"so that she may talk with people and familiarize herself with the reality
of conditions throughout the country."

Complaints had been expressed by senior officials in the NLD that local
authorities have gone out of their way to warn people not to attempt to
see Aung San Suu Kyi on her trips up country.

Thousands of supporters and well-wishers nonetheless greeted the
charismatic leader on her 11-day trip to Chin state, her party has said.

Myanmar's ruling State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) released Aung
San Suu Kyi from house arrest last May, raising hopes that UN-brokered
national reconciliation talks that began in October 2000 could progress to
direct dialogue between the generals and "the lady," as she is widely
known.

But the talks have ground to a halt, according to several diplomats,
analysts and the NLD itself, with several sources pointing to continued
refusal by the country's senior leadership to sit down with Aung San Suu
Kyi.

The junta, meanwhile, said in its statement that "the government actively
welcomes meaningful and constructive suggestions from all citizens in the
country in all areas of national development, particularly in education,
health care and economic development."

Aung San Suu Kyi's NLD won a landslide victory in 1990 elections but has
never been permitted to rule.

On Monday European Union foreign ministers agreed to extend and beef up
sanctions against the country for another year, stressing they could "find
no credible reason to account for the failure of political will on behalf
of the Burma/Myanmar authorities to agree to a definitive timetable for
the return of democracy."
__________

Xinhua News Agency April 15 2003

Myanmar govt denies NLD's charge of disturbing ASSK's trip

The Myanmar government Tuesday denied the charge made by the opposition
National League for Democracy (NLD) that it had disturbed the recent trip
to northwestern Chin state of the party's leader Aung San Suu Kyi ( ASSK).

The government said in a statement that it "has been encouraging ASSK to
travel widely throughout Myanmar so that she may talk with people and
familiarize herself with the reality of conditions throughout the
country."  The government has complete trust in her commitment to ensuring
the smooth and stable development of Myanmar, the statement said.

ASSK, NLD General Secretary, returned to Yangon Sunday after she travelled
to the Chin state for 12 days, according to the NLD which claimed that
during her tour, the Union Solidarity and Development Association (USDA),
a civilian organization backed by the government, disturbed people to
greet ASSK by playing loud music and others on loud speakers when she made
speeches to the crowd.

ASSK's visit to the Chin state, where she inaugurated six party branch
offices, was the sixth political tour out of the capital since she was
released from a 19-month house arrest in May last year.

The Myanmar military government came to power in late 1988 when the
country's political crisis was at its height. The government sponsored a
general election in 1990, but up till now, it has not yet handed over the
power to the winning NLD.

The government began talks with the NLD in October 2000 but no substantive
progress has been made except the release of some hundred political
prisoners.

Meanwhile, the European Union (EU) decided on Monday to prolong its
sanctions against the military for one more year and 153 senior members of
the Myanmar government, topped by Senior-General Than Shwe, have been
denied of entry into EU nations.

The EU has imposed an arms embargo and economic sanctions on Myanmar since
October 1996.
_________

Democratic Voice of Burma April 15 2003

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi in Chauk

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the touring members of the NLD team opened a NLD
township office in Chauk, Magwe Division this morning after returning from
Chin Hills.

The team left Kanpetlet, Chin State at 5pm yesterday and arrived at Chauk
at 3am today. The local population warmly welcomed her with well-wishing
shouts and traditional Burmese music and she delivered a speech to them
for half an hour. She said that the ethnic nationalities are honest, pure
and brave. They are more oppressed because they are poorer. The future
democratic governments have to concentrate and work hard for their
affairs, she said.

After the office opening ceremony, about 1000 supporters waited for her in
front of the house she rested and she had to give a talk to them. A local
Chauk resident told the DVB about the event as
follows:

‘What Daw Suu said were people who are drunk with power are people who do
not know the responsibilities that come with power. She pointed out the
example of Prince Taymi who didn’t talk because he didn’t want to become
king. People who know the consequences of responsibilities are very
afraid. Irresponsible people tend to get drunk with power, she said as a
topic in her speech. Daw Suu seems to like the classical ‘Maha Zanaka’
play. She picks from it the fact that diligence is better than any other
force. The more you try, the better it is useful for you, that is what she
means. All people needed to be treasured or valued according to their
worth. You will succeed only when you do it. You get nothing for free.
During her trip, along the way to Chin State, she saw the roads which were
built by the British during the colonial period. Later on, the roads are
in a ruinous state because of the lack of maintenance. She saw the
destruction of forests. The colonial government which regarded Burmese
people as slaves fulfilled its duties by maintaining what it had to
maintain. In this day and age, there are only ideas but no maintenance.
Everything is in a ruinous state. She said these very seriously.’

The same man said that anti-Daw Aung San Suu Kyi tracks were found at
Salin, Magwe Division, Tunzan and Mindat in Chin State:

“On one page, they include four pictures of Daw Suu, including her wedding
photograph, the picture of her old home. They are accompanied with a
caption: ‘the bad woman who had a white Indian husband’ and ‘she makes
England her home and she will flee to it in a glass case’ and the like.
And under the picture with her children are the words, ‘the woman, Aung
San Suu Kyi (without respectful Daw) who was born of pure Burmese parents
but unable to be a Burmese mother. With the picture of a building in
England, ‘Her Oxford home purchased with the $1 million dollars that she
receives for the Nobel peace prize. If they situation is not good in Burma
for her, she will flee from Burma.’ On the other side, there are some
poems. They are quite long. I won’t read them to you.”

The authorities also distributed the false news which claims that Daw Aung
San Suu Kyi said that the prizes of two Nobel laureates who were arrested
for their anti-war protests should be withdrawn. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and
team will leave Chauk and depart for Mingyan and this afternoon and she is
expected to form a local youth organisation there. She will then return to
Rangoon from Myingyan.

MONEY

Agence France Presse April 15 2003

British American Tobacco meeting hijacked by Myanmar protestors

Protesters picketed the annual general meeting of British American Tobacco
on Tuesday and handed out leaflets to shareholders criticising the
cigarette giant for investing in Myanmar.

Members of the Burma Campaign UK -- Myanmar was formerly known as Burma --
handed a letter to shareholders entering the meeting outlining the
pressure group's opposition to BAT's cigarette factory in Myanmar, a joint
venture with the country's military dictatorship.

Among around 50 demonstrators, including Myanmar exiles dressed in
military uniforms, picketed the AGM, Burma Campaign UK said.

"The campaign owns some shares, so we were able to ask a lot of questions
about the investment in Burma, which they seemed very uncomfortable
about," said Burma Campaign UK spokesman Mark Farmaner.

The campaign charges that BAT is acting immorally by going into business
with Myanmar's junta, which has ruled the country for more than four
decades and is condemned by rights groups as one of the world's most
repressive regimes.

Burma Campaign UK has directed particular criticism at BAT's deputy
chairman Kenneth Clarke, who is a former British government minister and
remains a Conservative member of parliament.

Clarke himself appears to have some misgivings about the venture,
according to a letter he wrote to a member of the public which was passed
on to Burma Campaign UK.

In it, Clarke said he had concerns about "collaborating with an extremely
unpleasant regime which is totally contrary to our notions of civil
liberties and democracy", according to a copy released by the pressure
group.

A spokesman for BAT, which produces brands including Rothmans, Dunhill,
Pall Mall and Lucky Strike, said the firm understood and respected
concerns about human rights.

"However, we do not believe that the best way forward is for businesses to
withdraw from countries whose governments' human rights records have been
criticised," he said.

Hopes were raised about an improvement to political and human rights in
Myanmar after opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi was released from lengthy
house arrest almost a year ago.

But subsequent talks between the junta and Suu Kyi's National League for
Democracy (NLD) have produced few tangible results.

NLD won a landslide victory in Myanmar's 1990 general election, but the
generals ignored the result and arrested the charismatic opposition
leader.
___________

World Markets Analysis April 15 2003

TotalFinaElf to Undergo Ethics Review
By Eral Yilmaz

TotalFinaElf is to publish its first corporate social responsibility
report in May 2003 in a bid to appease critics of its safety record and
its involvement with regimes in Iran, Iraq, Libya and Burma, as well as
the corruption scandal surrounding Elf Aquitaine, with whom Total merged
in 2000. TotalFinaElf has commissioned GoodCorporation, a UK-based
corporate social responsibility monitor, to collect data from the
company's employees, suppliers and customers globally. The company, which
is the fourth-largest listed oil group, has seen its practices come under
closer scrutiny as it became one of the most widely traded overseas stocks
in the US. Its involvement with regimes that Washington banned US
companies from, was another factor contributing to its tarnished image.
However, TotalFinaElf has been dogged by scandal over recent years. The
ongoing Elf Aquitaine trial is probably the biggest corruption case in
French business, involving government ministers, embezzlement, payouts to
African leaders and priceless jewels (see France: 17 March 2003:  Elf
Aquitaine Court Case Opens in France Today). The company's safety record
has also been less than perfect. In 2001, an explosion at the fertiliser
factory owned by its subsidiary in Toulouse, south-west France, killed 30
people and injured 2000. In the same year, an explosion at the same
subsidiary's Michigan plant killed three workers. In 1999, a tanker
chartered by the firm sank off the coast of Brittany (France) and spilled
10,000 tonnes of oil on to its beaches. However, TotalFinaElf is likely to
think that the undertaking of the ethics review will in itself serve to
gloss over the company's shortcomings. Expect little substantial action:
when questioned on its business in Burma, the head of the company's ethics
committee said there were no plans to abandon operations there as pulling
out would not improve the situation.

INTERNATIONAL

BBC April 15 2003

UK warns Burmese regime
By Larry Jagan

A senior British minister has urged the Burmese regime to immediately
start substantive political talks with the opposition leader Aung San Suu
Kyi.
The appeal came in a statement issued by the Foreign Office minister, Mike
O'Brien, a day after the European Union foreign ministers had agreed to
increase EU sanctions against Rangoon because of the failure of the
military government to demonstrate their commitment to the dialogue
process in the past six months.
The EU, though, has told the generals that they are going to delay their
implementation for six months to allow Rangoon time to take some
significant steps towards national reconciliation.
Mr O'Brien has warned the Burmese regime that the EU continues to regard
rapid political, economic and humanitarian change in the country as a high
priority.
In his press statement issued on Tuesday, he stressed the EU's decision to
strengthen sanctions against Rangoon reflects the European Community's
concern to support the dialogue process.
General Than Shwe now has a clear choice: Either to be remembered for his
role in ensuring Burma has a prosperous and peaceful future or collapse
into ruin, he told the BBC.
Sanctions threat
The EU is now committed to automatically increasing economic sanctions
against Rangoon if there is no substantial progress in the dialogue
process within the next six months.
These would involve extending the visa ban against Burmese military
officers and government ministers, and broadening the scope of those
members of the regime whose assets could be frozen.
Privately, senior EU officials say this could include key members of the
pro-government organisation the USDA (Union Solidarity Development
Association), which has been in the forefront of the harassment campaigns
against the opposition leader when she has travelled outside Rangoon.
The EU resolution also said it will favourably consider substantial
increases in financial aid to Burma - multi-laterally and bilaterally -
for key areas like Aids, health and education if there is political
progress, though there is no mention of how much that might be.
The EU has decided to continue to use a forthcoming high-level visit to
Rangoon as the means of assessing whether there has been any progress.
The EU's message to Burma is very clear: The community remains very
concerned about developments in Burma, and it is now in the hands of the
country's top generals if they want to avoid tougher sanctions being
implemented within the next few months if the dialogue process remains
stalled.

REGIONAL

Asia Pulse April 15 2003

FIRMS FROM SOME NATIONS MAY BE EXCLUDED FROM INDIAN OIL DEALS

The Federal Ministry of Defence is believed to have suggested that
companies from China, Pakistan, Myanmar, Indonesia, Malaysia, Bangladesh
and the entire Arab world be kept out of bidding for certain oil and gas
blocks due to security concerns.

The suggestion to prohibit companies from certain countries to operate in
the Andaman offshore area came during the inter-ministerial consultations
to finalise oil and gas blocks to be offered under the fourth round of New
Exploration Licensing Policy (NELP) later this month, sources said.

Besides, it wanted Indian firms to lead the consortiums, bidding for
blocks in Andaman offshore, as majority shareholder.

Petroleum Ministry, sources said, was, however, opposed to the blanket ban
and cited public sector ONGC Videsh Ltd taking 25 per cent stake in a
producing oil field in Sudan where the partners were Chinese and Malaysian
national oil companies.

Petronas of Malaysia and CNPC of China had waived off their first right of
refusal to make way for OVL in the Greater Nile Oil Project.

On Indian firms leading consortiums bidding for blocks in Andaman offshore
area, the Petroleum Ministry stated that a foreign firm may not be willing
to give majority share to Indians since deepwater involved large amount of
risk capital and specialised technologies, sources said.

Indian government is likely to offer some 25 oil and gas blocks, including
a couple of them, in the Andaman offshore area, under NELP-IV.

OPINIONS

American Apparel & Footwear Association April 15 2003

AAFA Announces support for a total ban on U.S. textiles, apparel and
footwear imports from Burma

American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) President & CEO Kevin M.
Burke announced today that, due to the on-going cruel and repressive
nature of the ruling regime in Burma, AAFA has called for an immediate and
total ban on U.S. textiles, apparel and footwear imports form that nation.

“The government of continues to abuse its citizens through force and
intimidation, and refuses to respect the basic human rights of its people.
 AAFA believes this unacceptable behavior should be met with condemnation
from not only the international public community, but from private
industry as well,” said Burke.

According to the U.S. government’s 2002 Country Report on Human Rights
Practices on Burma, the Burmese government has “
continued to restrict
worker rights, ban unions, and use forced labor for public works and for
the support of military garrisons.  Other forced labor including child
labor, remain a serious problem despite recent ordinances outlawing the
practice.”

Additionally, in 2000, the International Labor Organization (ILO)—for the
first time in its history—called on all ILO members to impose sanctions on
Burma.

Burke continued, “AAFA, through its mission statement and trade policy,
promotes best practices to ensure that goods are produced in a socially
responsible manner by encouraging its members to operate under programs
and in countries that are compliant with applicable labor and
environmental laws.  AAFA also encourages the U.S. and other governments,
as well as foreign trade associations, to recognize and support programs
that have been designed to achieve these goals, such as the Worldwide
Responsible Apparel Production (WRAP) program.

AAFA also recognizes and applauds the efforts of its own members that have
already imposed bans on U.S. imports of Burmese textiles, apparel and
footwear for their own firms, and applauds the efforts of numerous U.S.
and international governmental and non-governmental organizations to force
Burma to respect the basic human rights of its citizens.
___________

International Herald Tribune April 15 2003

Burma's opposition needs fresh support ;
Up against the military
By Mike Jendrzejczyk

The United Nations special rapporteur on human rights, Paulo Pinheiro, was
forced to cut short a mission to Burma last month when a bugging device
was discovered in a room where he was interviewing political prisoners.
The aborted UN mission is a symptom of deeper problems. Frustration is
growing as Rangoon's ruling generals appear increasingly distrustful and
unwilling to continue a dialogue with Aung San Suu Kyi, leader of the
democratic opposition.

On Wednesday, the United Nations Commission on Human Rights in Geneva is
expected to adopt a resolution condemning Burma for repression. The
commission will call for steps to improve human rights and cooperation
with the UN secretary general's special envoy, Razali Ismail, in his
efforts to facilitate dialogue between Burma's military and the
opposition. The commission's action will send a useful signal, but it
won't be enough.

As Pinheiro said in Geneva, "It is more than urgent that the current
deadlock be overcome and that the human rights situation" in Burma
improves. Japan and the United States, working in concert, could help
break the impasse by increasing both diplomatic and economic pressure.

Since Aung San Suu Kyi's release from house arrest in May, there has been
only limited progress. According to the ruling State Peace and Development
Council in Burma, more than 500 political prisoners were released in the
past three years, but only 63 since January. Others have been arrested and
the United Nations estimates that from 1,200 to 1,300 political prisoners
remain locked up.

The International Committee of the Red Cross has been allowed to establish
a presence in conflict areas of Burma and this is a welcome step. Reports
of systematic rapes by the Burmese army in Shan state have triggered calls
for an independent investigation by the UN, and at least in principle, the
government in Rangoon has agreed. But tight restrictions on basic freedoms
remain throughout Burma, abuses against ethnic minorities continue,
poverty is acute and the economy is in bad shape and getting worse.

The United States and Japan have emphasized different approaches toward
Burma. Washington has pushed for sanctions, while Tokyo has focused on
engagement. Japan has also signaled its interest in trying to jump-start
the process leading to a democratic transition. This year, Tokyo hosted a
UN conference on Burma, attended by representatives of member states of
ASEAN, the Association of Southeast Nations, as well as the United States,
European governments and other countries.

The Bush administration is considering imposing tougher economic measures.
At a recent congressional hearing, a State Department official warned that
in the absence of progress, "we will be forced to consider, in conjunction
with the international community, additional sanctions." A bill cutting
off all exports to the United States from Burma will be introduced soon in
Congress, and could easily pass.

In this climate of increasing disappointment, Japan should play a more
proactive role. The foreign ministry should consider appointing a senior
diplomat to follow up the Tokyo conference by visiting the ASEAN capitals
to urge them to intervene with Burma, which is a member of ASEAN.

In seeking to influence Burma, ASEAN countries should focus on specific
steps that Pinheiro has recommended: agreement for a return visit to
Rangoon by Razali, release of political prisoners, and the lifting of
restrictions on free expression, assembly and association that would allow
space for legitimate, peaceful political activities.

Japan is a major donor and investor in Southeast Asia, so its voice
carries weight. It is in ASEAN's interest to promote change in Rangoon, if
for no other reason than to offset China's influence.

The United Nations agencies working in Burma are preparing an assessment
of humanitarian conditions and a framework for urgently needed assistance.
Once it is made public, Japan should offer to provide additional aid to
meet the needs of Burma's people, provided through the UN and
nongovernment organizations. But Tokyo shouldn't give any new aid to Burma
until there is substantial progress by the government to improve human
rights and engage in political dialogue with Aung San Suu Kyi and other
members of the democratic opposition. A clear statement on aid policy for
Burma should be delivered by Japan.

It would also be useful for Japan to begin discouraging private companies
from considering investing there. Many Japanese companies are already
reluctant to get involved in Burma's corrupt economy or to invest unless
Japanese government aid is forthcoming. A decision by Japan to discourage
investment would buttress the impact of U.S. sanctions and send a strong,
united signal.

Burma's economic and social problems can only be effectively addressed if
the government is willing to allow real change. Tokyo and Washington
should work together to make a better future possible for Burma's people.

***

The writer is the Washington director for Asia at Human Rights Watch.