BurmaNet News October 13, 2004

[Editor]

October 13, 2004, Issue # 2578

INSIDE BURMA
BBC: Burmese Karen National Union postpones journey to Rangoon for talks
BBC: Burma's Arakan league calls for release of all political prisoners
DVB: No ‘For the lady’ in Burma says Burma junta

DRUGS
SHAN: Shan leaders slams UN drug report

BUSINESS / MONEY
Bangkok Post: Thai Airways eyes management deals in Laos and Burma
Financial Express: Bimstec railway network to link member nations.

REGIONAL
Thai News Service: Prime Minister may confer with Myanmar leader during
ASEAN summit
Just-Food: Nations cooperate on food safety issues.

INTERNATIONAL
Europe Information Service: Sanctions to be imposed on Military Junta
Japan Economic Newswire: Human circle formed to highlight plight of
foreign detainees
India Today: It's Over to the Northeast Now

OPINION / OTHER

STATEMENT
BBC: Burma says democratic evolution to continue in response to EU ruling

LETTER
The Guardian: Red nose, red face

______________________________________
INSIDE BURMA

October 13, BBC
Burmese Karen National Union postpones journey to Rangoon for talks

BBC Monitoring Asia Pacific

Text of recorded telephone interview with Phado David Taw, in charge of
KNU foreign affairs, by DVB Correspondent Khine Thazin on 12 October,
place not given, broadcast by Burmese opposition radio Democratic Voice of
Burma web site on 12 October

It has been learned that the KNU [Karen National Union] has cancelled the
visit of its delegation to Rangoon to hold the third round of cease-fire
talks with the SPDC [State Peace and Development Council]. The delegation
was supposed to leave for Rangoon today. The visit was cancelled because
local SPDC military units did not allow delegation members from KNU
Brigade No six to join the delegation on the way to Rangoon, instead of
joining it from the starting point in Myawadi. The KNU said it would go to
Rangoon after three or four days.

DVB [Democratic Voice of Burma] Correspondent Khine Thazin filed a report
after interviewing Phado David Taw, in charge of KNU foreign affairs.

[Khine Thazin] Col Htoo Htoo Lay, secretary-general-1, will lead the
16-member KNU delegation that will hold cease-fire talks with the SPDC.
Phado David Taw will act as a vice leader of the delegation. The SPDC
delegation includes Maj-Gen Kyaw Win, Brig-Gen Kyaw Thein, and Brig-Gen
Thein Shwe. Phado David Taw gave the following explanation about the
cancellation of the delegation's visit today.

[Phado David Taw] We postponed the visit as there have been some
misunderstandings in an arrangement to let our delegation members from
Brigade No six to join the team on the way. We have estimated that the
visit will take place approximately after three days, since our brigade
commander and battalion commander have to come to the border to join the
delegation.

[Khine Thazin] I see. What subjects will be discussed at the talks?

[Phado David Taw] We will have to strengthen the cease-fire that was
agreed upon verbally in January, since there clashes have taken place
afterwards.

[Khine Thazin] What extent of effectiveness do you except from this third
round of talks?

[Phado David Taw] We expect to hold discussions until we reach a
cease-fire during the third round of talks. It means the cease-fire could
not be effective if clashes have been taking place.

[Khine Thazin] Last month, East Timor offered to host the KNU-SPDC talks.
Could you explain why the talks will be held in Burma this time?

[Phado David Taw] Although East Timor invited us, both of us, the KNU and
the SPDC, have to reach an agreement to hold talks in a third country. The
KNU is ready to hold talks anywhere if we can hold discussions
independently and equally and if the venue is located in a convenient
area.

[Khine Thazin] Phado David Taw also said the issue on the release KNU
prisoners of war in SPDC jails will not be discussed at the talks. This
issue will be discussed later at other political talks. The talks will be
the third round of cease-fire talks between the KNU and the SPDC. The
first and second rounds of talks were held early this year.

Source: Democratic Voice of Burma web site, Oslo, in Burmese 1430 gmt 12
Oct 04
____________________________________

Oct 13, BBC
Burma's Arakan league calls for release of all political prisoners

Excerpt from report by Burmese opposition radio Democratic Voice of Burma
web site on 12 October

The Arakan League for Democracy called on the military government to
unconditionally release all political prisoners, including Arakanese
political prisoners. The demand was made at the 16th anniversary of the
formation of the Arakan League for Democracy, today. A ceremony to mark
the16th anniversary was held today at the house of Chairman U Saw Mra
Aung. It has been learned that leaders from the NLD [National League for
Democracy] and ethnic parties attended the ceremony. [passage omitted on
interviews]

Source: Democratic Voice of Burma web site, Oslo, in Burmese 1430 gmt 12
Oct 04

____________________________________

Oct 12, Democratic Voice of Burma
No ‘For the lady’ in Burma says Burma junta

The border guards of Burma military junta, State Peace and Development
Council (SPDC) have been ordered by its military intelligence to carry out
thorough searches on people coming into Burma through many border
checkpoints because it is afraid that they might be smuggling musical
tapes of the world's leading pop stars that dedicate to Daw Aung San Suu
Kyi into the country.

According to a Burmese border control official who doesn’t want to be
identified, the junta specifically ordered the border guards to confiscate
all the tapes named ‘For the Lady’ in honour of Burma’s democracy leader
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. The album will feature 27 tracks and will be
released on 26 October.

U2’s lead singer Bono and many other world famous singers including Eric
Clapton produced a series of songs to honour the Nobel laureate Daw Aung
San Suu Kyi who was recently voted the on line Asia's Heroes 2004 by TIME
magazine.

She is still under house arrest despite the fact that her party, National
League for Democracy (NLD) won a landslide in the 1990 election as the
military junta has been refusing to hand over power to her party.

____________________________________
DRUGS

Oct 13, SHAN
Shan leaders slams UN drug report

Sao Sengsuk, acting President of the Shan Democratic Union, speaking on
the Myanmar Opium Survey 2004 released by the United Nations office of
Drugs and Crime Tuesday, curtly brushed the report as a "misrepresented
portrayal" of the real drug situation in Shan State.

"It is just an account put together by people who went to the ground only
once in a blue moon," said the 69-year old former commander-in-chief of
the Shan State Army that had in 1973 proposed "a return to the legal
(1947) constitution of Burma, because the drug trade can only flourish in
a state of anarchy."

Sengsuk was challenging both the UN's 2004 output figure, 370 tons, and
what the UNODC Executive Director Antonio Maria Costa said in the report:
(T)his trend, if sustained, signals a potential end to more than a century
of opium production in the Golden Triangle.

The report contrasts with the article that appeared in Bangkok Post, 26
September, that poppy cultivation has been on the increase. Independence,
September issue, also reported increased acreage of poppy fields during
the 2003-2004 season, whose output was upset by the unexpected dry whether
and not due to government suppression. A bumper crop for the 2004-2005
season has already been predicted by some observers in anticipation of the
26 June 2005 total ban declaration by Wa leader Bao Youxiang.

The late Chao Tzang Yawnghwe, Shan scholar and activist (1939-2004), had
also suggested during the Conference on Drugs and Conflict held in
Amsterdam, 13-16 December 2003: I would however not dare to venture what
the actual opium production figure is because this would require in
addition to satellite photographs and related techniques, a sustained
on-the-ground survey by a credible outfit, for a duration of fiver years
at least. Even this would not be 100 percent reliable as opium is an
illegal crop, and farmers would naturally deny growing it, or will avoid
telling the truth. In addition to a good survey project, the political
environment must be such that it fosters trust between rulers and the
ruled, which would encourage farmers to cooperate with the survey teams
and with the government.

For further information, please contact S.H.A.N. at: Shan Herald Agency
for News.
Phone: 66-1-5312837 e-mail: <shan at cm.ksc.co.th>

____________________________________
BUSINESS / MONEY

October 13, Bangkok Post
Thai Airways eyes management deals in Laos and Burma

Thai Airways International Plc is looking to expand its role as an airport
operator in neighbouring countries by pursuing deals in Luang Prabang and
Rangoon.

The national carrier earlier this year sealed an agreement with the
government of Bangladesh to manage Chittagong Shah Amanat International
Airport for a 10-year period.

THAI president Kanok Abhiradee said the move would not only help generate
more revenue for the company but also enhance career advancement
opportunities for the airline's middle management.

The airline is especially interested in Rangoon's airport because the
Burmese minister responsible for the airport operation used to work in
Thailand and has strong ties with the Thai government.

At the same time, the authorities in Luang Prabang also expressed interest
in hiring THAI to manage its airport.

However, the deals would have to be conducted through a bilateral
agreement between the Thai and Lao government.

For managing the airport in Chittagong, Mr Kanok said the airline was
expected to invest about US$6-10 million on facility and equipment
upgrades.

The airline will be responsible for airport catering, passenger check-in,
ground and cargo handling as well as various technical services.

THAI will also be providing the service to all carriers operating to and
from Chittagong.

The details of the contract are expected to be finalised by the beginning
of next year.

Yesterday, THAI signed a memorandum of understanding with Thai Airport
Ground Services (Tags) to work together in providing cargo and ground
services at Suvarnabhumi International Airport.

The contract would help THAI gain expertise from Tags and save costs in
terms of human resources and equipment maintenance, said Anuphong
Rojnuckarin, Tags president and CEO.

Currently, THAI handles ground services for 59 scheduled airlines
operating in and out of Don Muang International Airport, while Tags
provides ground services for 43 airlines including charters, said Apirak
Liddelow, director of marketing and business development for ground
services and equipment.

Tags lost the bid to become the second ground handler and cargo service
operator at Suvarnabhumi airport to a joint venture between Bangkok
Airways and US-based Worldwide Flight Services.

___________________________________

October 13, Financial Express
Bimstec railway network to link member nations.

Bimstec has recommended steps to increase rail connectivity amongst the
member countries. The proposed Bimstec railway network will connect
Bangladesh, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bhutan, besides India.
The first meeting held in New Delhi included representatives of UN-Escap
and Asian Institue of Transport Development, who stated that Trans Asian
Railways (Tar) network formed a rational basis for the Bimstec railway
network. "Nodes and links" could be added to the basic Tar network to form
a "missing link" between Thailand and Myan-mar, and Myanmar and India,
they added. Delegates from Myanmar had pointed out on Myanmar-India rail
routes linking upto Kalay would be ready by 2005 end, thereby leaving a
missing link of 135 km upto the Indian border (Tamu) for which a
techno-economic survey would be undertaken soon.

_____________________________________
REGIONAL

Oct 12, Thai News Service
Prime Minister may confer with Myanmar leader during ASEAN summit

Thailand's Prime Minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, has said he wants to hold
talks with Myanmar's top leader Gen. Than Shwe on the international
community's concerns about the problems in Myanmar's national
reconciliation process.

Mr. Thaksin said he would try to find an appropriate time to confer with
the Myanmar's top leader and explore ways to resolve the problems.

He said he was prepared to hold informal talks with Gen. Than Shwe during
the forthcoming summit of leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian
Nations (ASEAN) to be held in Laos next month.

He said the talks would not delve into details, as Rangoon might interpret
that as interfering in the internal affairs of Myanmar.

Several countries are concerned about Myanmar's slow progress towards
democracy and its failure to release the opposition leader Aung San Suu
Kyi from house arrest.

The European Union (EU) is considering strengthening sanctions against
Myanmar.

_____________________________________

Oct 13, Just-Food
Nations cooperate on food safety issues.

The Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) has taken more steps
towards becoming one of the world's most proactive regional organisations
in the food sector.

At a recent meeting in Rangoon, Burma (Myanmar), ASEAN ministers set up a
taskforce to coordinate member countries' fight against bird flu and a
trust find to keep the region free of foot-and-mouth disease.

They also approved an additional 86 maximum residue limits for eight
pesticides used on vegetables, fruits, and cash crops. And they agreed
that ASEAN agencies should develop a blueprint for helping rice producers
deal with water scarcity, global warming and labour shortages.

_____________________________________
INTERNATIONAL

October 13, Europe Information Service
Sanctions to be imposed on Military Junta

Punitive steps will be taken against the Burmese military leadership for
the country's lack of progress towards democracy, EU Foreign Ministers
confirmed October 11. (see Europe Information 2902) Meeting in Luxembourg,
they agreed to expand a list of individuals subject to an EU visa ban, and
to restrict financing of or participation in specific Burmese state-owned
enterprises. Another EU measure threatened last month - to vote against
loans to Burma from international financial bodies - was not invoked,
although EU sources indicate that work on this option will continue. The
EU also intends to step up its current aid of Euro 10 million to the
people of Burma for health, education and other purposes.
_____________________________________

Oct 13, Japan Economic Newswire
Human circle formed to highlight plight of foreign detainees

Several hundred people gathered to form a human circle around the Justice
Ministry on Wednesday to draw attention to the plight of more than 1,000
foreigners held in detention centers across the country.

Wednesday's rally comes amid protest by human rights lawyers and
campaigners in Japan calling on the ministry to free foreigners from what
they claim is an undue, lengthy detention and create a more open
multicultural society, especially in the interest of asylum-seekers.

Organizers said they called on 600 people to show up for the human circle
formation, which is the number of people needed to cover the length of the
ministry's building, according to the organizers. More than 600 people
turned out, said Kanae Doi, a Tokyo lawyer who led the campaign.

Standing in front of the crowd, Doi called on the authorities to make
Japan 'a country that respects human rights' and expressed hope that their
first attempt of a human circle of this scale would be a 'step forward' to
making positive changes in the ministry's immigration policies.

According to ministry statistics, 523,617 people were detained in 2003 at
immigration detention centers in areas such as Tokyo's Shinagawa Ward and
Ushiku, Ibaraki Prefecture, near Tokyo. Organizers said that works out to
an average 1,435 people detained on a daily basis.

Doi said that while the rally was going on, foreign detainees in
Shinagawa, Ushiku and Ibaraki, Osaka Prefecture, are on a hunger strike.

As part of their human circle protest, the activists have also submitted a
four-point written request to the justice minister to stop unnecessary or
indefinite detention, especially of asylum-seekers, people with families,
children, elderly, pregnant women and sick people.

They also demanded special consideration be given to children, families
and asylum-seekers in Japan -- which is known for its strict
anti-immigration policies -- and draw up policies to achieve a
multicultural and multiethnic society, as well as local legislation to ban
discrimination.

After delivering their written requests and meeting with ministry
officials, Shogo Watanabe, who is part of the lawyers' group for Myanmar
refugees, told the crowd that they raised the issue of foreigners who end
up being detained for too long, leading some to commit suicide.

Soe Win Shein, a Myanmar refugee, questioned Japan's way of dealing with
refugees, saying, 'It is only Japan that takes custody of asylum-seekers.'

Maria Hope Latt, a Filipino married to a Myanmar refugee who was given
special resident status, said, 'Although our case is over, I sympathize
for other people (in the same plight) and want to help them.'

Latt was in the rally with her husband and two daughters. The story of
their family being on the verge of being torn apart due to the ministry's
order to deport them to their respective countries became a high-profile
case last year in Japan due to extensive media coverage and wide public
support.

At the rally were a number of Myanmar, Afghan and Kurdish asylum-seekers,
including members of two families who staged a sit-in in front of the
United Nations University in Tokyo, and other human rights organizations
such as Asian People's Friendship Society and Amnesty International Japan.

Lawmakers sympathetic to their cause were also present such as House of
Councillors member Shokichi Kina, who sang his signature song 'Hana'
(Flower), and Mizuho Fukushima, leader of minor opposition Social
Democratic Party.

Standing on the roof of a car which served as the stage, Fukushima said,
'We must make Japan a more comfortable place to live in for
foreigners...urge the Justice Ministry to change its policies' to raise
the number of refugees and shed light on issues such as the Kurdish
refugee problem.

Kina meanwhile said although Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi has stressed
international cooperation, 'there is no international cooperation until
(the government) would accept the people's hearts' and heed the pleas and
calls of refugees and foreign detainees.

_____________________________________

Issue Cover dt. Oct 18, India Today
It's Over to the Northeast Now – Lakshmi Iyer

DELHI The blasts in Assam and Nagaland that claimed over 70 lives last
weekend clearly indicate the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) and
the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) are on a suicide mission.

They have now lost support of not just local people but also the backing
of the two Naga militant groups-the Isak-Muivah and Khaplang factions of
the National Socialist Council of Nagaland. The NSCN(I-M) has not taken
kindly to the violence since the blasts took place in Dimapur, which is
supposed to be under its control. It has also announced a reward for
tracking the mischief-makers.

Delhi denies the violence is linked to lack of progress on talks on the
Bodoland issue. "The Centre had held talks with the Bodo Liberation Tiger
Force. The NDFB, led by Ranjan Daimary, doesn't represent Bodo
aspirations," points out a Home Ministry official.

Then what pushed the ULFA and the NDFB to trigger these blasts? According
to the Union Home Ministry, the two groups are acting under ISI pressure
to destabilise the Northeast. ULFA Commander-in-Chief Paresh Barua is in
Bangladesh and so is Daimary. Both groups shifted to Bangladesh after
Bhutan cracked down on the ULFA last December. With Myanmar ready to help
on the terrorist issue, only Bangladesh remains a sore point. "Every time
we take up the issue with Bangladesh, we are confronted with a stout
denial," says a Home Ministry official. Delhi is toying with the idea of
imposing a ban on movement of cows for slaughter to Dhaka as part of an
economic retaliation.

_____________________________________
OPINION / OTHER

STATEMENT

Oct 13, BBC
Burma says democratic evolution to continue in response to EU ruling

BBC Monitoring Asia Pacific

Burma has criticized the EU decision to tighten sanctions in a statement
issued by the Myanmar Information Committee on 13 October. The statement
accused the West of making "trumped charges" against the Rangoon
authorities for the purpose of "demonization and then domination", and
heavily criticized a reliance on "extravagant and expensive dossiers"
compiled by politically motivated groups and individuals. It said EU
officials were "probably at their wit's end" having failed to achieve
their goals through negative diplomatic and economic measures and ended up
asking for "more of the same". It said military campaigns against Burma
and efforts to instigate civil unrest had failed, and that "the latest
desperate attempt seems to have moved to the United Nations".

The statement asserted that: "Myanmar's evolution towards a peaceful and
stable democratic state is a continuum that will keep moving with or
without pressures and sanctions." Burma and the wider region cannot, the
statement said, be rushed into a Western democratic system "like in some
other occupied countries where elections are being held amidst bombings
and large scale loss of lives". The following is the text of a report
entitled: "Text of Information Sheet No D-3197 (I/L) issued by the
"Myanmar Information Committee" in Rangoon on 13 October, carried in
English by Myanmar Information Committee web site on 13 October;
subheading as published

This office is presenting "Myanmar [Burma] News Release", Issue No 8/2004,
October 2004 by Myanmar [Burmese] embassy in London for your information.

Myanmar's political evolution - the realities

As the political evolution in Myanmar continues in a slow, steady and
stable manner, western pressures to rush through, as well as to modify,
the process to its liking also continues unabated. As direct pressure
tactics have so far failed to work the current strategy to lean on
Myanmar's neighbours, who then will hopefully apply indirect pressure on
Myanmar, has also turned out to be a futile exercise.

At the recent meeting of the European Parliaments Development Committee to
which some Myanmar diplomats were invited, one EU parliamentarian after
another expressed their frustrations at their own inability to achieve the
expected results from negative diplomatic and economic measures imposed on
Myanmar. Still, however, most parliamentarians, probably at their wit's
end, could only come up with asking for more of the same and which has now
been legally enacted namely, "sharpening" of sanctions.

The Myanmar diplomats did remind the parliamentarians that frustrations,
being the result of non-success which usually follows wrong action which
is almost invariably due to reliance on wrong information. It was also
stressed that there were other credible points of view which they should
look at instead of solely relying on information and allegations emanating
from splinter groups of former insurgents and expatriate dissidents who
can do nothing better than to wage a propaganda war against the union
since their mainstream movements have in the last decade achieved peaceful
reunions with the rest of the Myanmar nationalities.

It was also reminded that the view points of experts and scholars of
international repute on Myanmar who have held either prestigious academic
positions or high diplomatic office in the United Kingdom and the United
States of America have been suggesting that the present line of action
adopted by the US and to a lesser degree by the EU will be counter
productive at best. Instead, western governments seem to have relied on
the extravagant and expensive dossiers prepared by certain politically
motivated human rights and environmental NGO's on behalf of the dwindling
insurgents and expatriate dissidents that contains preposterous
allegations ranging from genocide to rape as policies of the Myanmar
government. Unfortunately, this has indeed led the west completely off the
track in formulating their policies.

By contrast, Myanmar's immediate neighbours, being fully aware of the
veracities on the ground as well as the views of the impartial eminent
scholars, simply cannot be persuaded to go along with the West's
ill-advised policies. Consequently, the dossiers prepared by the likes of
Shan Women Action Network (SWAN) in order to derogate and derail the
collaborative work of Myanmar Women's Affairs Federation and the
international NGOs is one such example and there are others prepared by
splinter groups of the KNU (whose mainstream movement is in peace-talk
with the union government) are simply not believable and have been
dismissed as desperate political manoeuvre in the region.

It should be noted that Myanmar's neighbours include not only some ASEAN
[Association of Southeast Asian Nations] countries (that have all signed
the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation) but also the world's most populous
nation, China in the east which is a rapidly growing economic world power
despite having adopted a mode of political evolution that it deems
suitable to it's 1.3 billion people and India in the west as the world's
second most populous nation that could look at the west in the eye and
claim to be the world's largest democracy.

They all fully appreciate the problems of Myanmar that had been in the
past century a victim of colonial wars, the second world war and post
independence internal conflicts and now has chosen it's own mode of
political evolution towards a stable and peaceful democratic system in
keeping with it's own cultures and traditions. Furthermore, being a nation
with more than 130 national races the Asian powers also appreciate that
Myanmar cannot afford to be rushed into a western style democratic system
like in some other occupied countries where elections are being held
amidst bombings and large scale loss of lives which could even destabilize
the region.

Besides, the people of Myanmar have clearly demonstrated their will to
live in peace when they firmly resisted calls for 8-8-88 style uprising on
9-9-99 when individuals or groups of activists from western countries
attempted to precipitate a second anarchic event before the last
millennium ends. Now that the curtain has almost completely fallen on
military campaigns against the union and attempts to instigate civil
unrest within the country, the latest desperate attempt seems to have
moved to the United Nations, whose charter incidentally does not allow
interference in the internal political affairs of a sovereign member
state. Most member states, in fact, strongly resent the exploitation of
this great organization's Security Council in situations that has no
bearing to international peace and security.

The trumped charges against Myanmar for the purpose of first demonization
and then domination are neither convincing nor are accompanied by credible
evidence and have only caused apprehension among smaller countries that
this manoeuvre could set a highly dangerous precedent that could one day
be used against them. This has indeed caused the recent western attempt on
the sidelines of the 59th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to
organize ministerial level consultations on Myanmar to be downgraded to
informal consultations where China and India were conspicuous by their
absence. Among those who attended, Thailand, which was represented at the
ministerial level, argued against western negative actions and some ASEAN
countries sent only lower levels of representation.

Furthermore, the ASEAN countries also courageously stood up against the
bullying hypocrisy of the West and succeeded in admitting Myanmar, Laos
and Cambodia into the Asia-Europe meeting (ASEM) in Hanoi for the first
time. As pointed out earlier, it is important to recognize that there are
also credible alternative points of view other than those disseminated by
splinter insurgent groups and expatriate dissidents as written up somewhat
impressively by their authors-for hire who would write for any side for a
price.

It is almost alarming that new points of view put forward by Prof David
Steinberg and Prof Jeffrey Sachs in the US as well as those by Prof Robert
Taylor and former Ambassador Derek Tonkin in the UK, to name a few,
despite their international stature and balanced outlook are not being
reflected in the policies of their respective governments where Myanmar is
concerned.

Even Prof Paulo Sergio Pinheiro, from whose most recent report the media
has hyped up the negative points on human rights, has admitted that the
National Convention 2004 (part of the Prime Minister Gen Khin Nyunt's
seven-step road map to democracy ) in terms of potential for conflict
resolution may be a unique opportunity for ethnic minorities, in addition
to either taking note or welcoming several developments in the area of
human rights. To those who could view things in positive light it can be
seen that Myanmar's evolution towards a peaceful and stable democratic
state is a continuum that will keep moving with or without pressures and
sanctions. They also realize that the process will only be hindered by
undue interferences from the outside. The world has too many examples to
make one realize that although peace may not be everything, without peace
everything may be an absolute priority.

Source: Myanmar Information Committee web site, Rangoon, in English 13 Oct 04

_____________________________________

LETTER

Oct 13, The Guardian (Guardian Society Pages, Pg. 5)
Red nose, red face

Well done Burma Campaign UK for daring to speak out against Comic Relief's
relationship with DHL, a company working with Burma's dictatorship (Eco
Sounding, October 6). As someone who has worked in the charity sector for
many years, I have witnessed first hand how charities are very willing to
preach to governments, companies and individuals about how they should
behave, but rarely shine the spotlight on themselves. Charity staff are
fearful of drawing public attention to issues such as this for fear of
damaging the reputation of their charity, which could reduce income and so
hurt beneficiaries. This is not healthy for charities in the long run.
Comic Relief's hypocrisy deserves to be exposed. Charities can't continue
with these double standards.

Helen Butler, London