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re WB, IMF action now!, Geneva HR



Subject: Re: re WB, IMF action now!, Geneva HR

>From Paris, Dawn Star, 
Two items, Does anyone have any information how and where Free Burma 
supporters can contact WB and IMF people in Washington at this time, 
there are many meetings, press meetings, closed and open, so it should be 
posted by people who should know to help direct action. And if anyone 
does know what the strategy is now on targeting WB and IMF people and 
meetings, on the wave of the international publicity and press, now is a 
the right time to do it, question and pinpoint WB and IMF officials on 
Burma. For an open policy and strategy, in solidarity.  Well done, Ann 
Arbor! Thank you. ds

1. FINANCE MINISTERS FROM AROUND THE WORLD ARE IN WASHINGTON FOR THE
COMBINED WORLD BANK AND INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND SPRING 
MEETING -- ONE OF TWO ANNUAL GET-TOGETHERS OF THE GLOBAL 
FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS.

2 . This from VOA
Headline: UN HUMAN RIGHTS REPORT SHARPLY CRITICIZES BURMA MILITARY AS 
ARRESTS CONTINUE TO DIM HOPES FOR DEMOCRATIC REFORM
Keywords: UN SPECIAL INVESTIGATOR, HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION  BURMA, YOZO 
YOKOTA , AUNG SAN SUU KYI, forced labor, torture, political prisoners, 
Date: apr 15 1996
Source: VOA, (DOUGLAS ROBERTS)

<pre>
GENEVA  (DOUGLAS ROBERTS)  - A UN SPECIAL INVESTIGATOR SAYS THE HUMAN 
RIGHTS 
SITUATION IN BURMA APPEARS TO BE DETERIORATING AGAIN -- DASHING 
HOPES RAISED LAST SUMMER FOLLOWING THE RELEASE FROM HOUSE ARREST 
OF DISSIDENT LEADER AUNG SAN SUU KYI.THE U-N ENVOY, JAPANESE UNIVERSITY 
PROFESSOR YOZO YOKOTA,HAS PRESENTED HIS ANNUAL REPORT ON BURMA TO THE 
HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION IN GENEVA.

MR. YOKOTA TOLD A NEWS CONFERENCE MONDAY IN GENEVA HE HAS 
BEEN RECEIVING DISTURBING REPORTS SINCE MID-DECEMBER OF NEW HUMAN
RIGHTS ABUSE IN BURMA, INCLUDING HARSH RESTRICTIONS ON THE 
ACTIVITIES OF POLITICAL DISSIDENTS, TORTURE OF POLITICAL 
PRISONERS, AND FRESH ACCOUNTS OF THE USE OF FORCED LABOR BY 
BURMA'S MILITARY JUNTA.

MR. YOKOTA SAID HOPES FOR AN IMPROVEMENT IN BURMA'S HUMAN RIGHTS 
RECORD HAVE NOT BEEN CONFIRMED.

THE UN ENVOY LAST VISITED THE COUNTRY IN OCTOBER.  AND HE SAID 
HE BEGAN THAT MISSION WITH A DEGREE OF OPTIMISM.  AUNG SANG SUU 
KYI HAD BEEN RELEASED FROM HOUSE ARREST AND HAD BEGUN TO HOLD 
WEEKLY MEETINGS WITH HER SUPPORTERS OUTSIDE HER RANGOON HOME.

SEVERAL OTHER LEADING DISSIDENTS HAD ALSO BEEN RELEASED FROM 
PRISON. 

MR. YOKOTA SAID THE MILITARY GOVERNMENT SEEMED TO HAVE ADOPTED A 
MORE OPEN POLICY, AND THERE WERE HOPES FOR A SERIOUS DIALOGUE 
BETWEEN THE JUNTA AND BURMA'S NATIONAL LEAGUE FOR DEMOCRACY.

THE U-N ENVOY SAID THE GOVERNMENT ALSO APPEARED WILLING TO ASSIST
HIM IN HIS EFFORTS TO ASSESS THE SITUATION.  BUT HE ENCOUNTERED 
NUMEROUS OBSTACLES.

HE WAS ALLOWED TO MEET WITH DISSIDENT LEADERS, BUT ONLY AT A  
GOVERNMENT GUEST HOUSE WHERE THE PARTY REPRESENTATIVES WERE 
CLEARLY NOT FREE TO AIR THEIR VIEWS.
HE WAS ALLOWED TO VISIT TWO PRISONS, BUT WAS DENIED ACCESS TO THE
DETAINEES.  HE WAS ALLOWED TO VISIT DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS, BUT NO 
THOSE WHERE THE GOVERNMENT IS REPORTEDLY USING FORCED LABOR.

IN HIS LATEST REPORT, MR. YOKOTA SAYS THE BASIC CIVIL AND 
POLITICAL RIGHTS OF THE BURMESE PEOPLE REMAIN SEVERELY 
RESTRICTED, AND SERIOUS HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS CONTINUE, 
INCLUDING EXTRA-JUDICIAL KILLINGS, RAPE, FORCED LABOR, AND THE 
CONFISCATION OF PROPERTY -- ESPECIALLY IN AREAS WHERE THE 
GOVERNMENT IS BATTLING INSURGENT GROUPS.

WHILE THE JUNTA HAS REPORTEDLY FREED AS MANY AS TWO-THOUSAND 
POLITICAL PRISONERS OVER THE PAST YEAR, MR. YOKOTA SAYS HUNDREDS 
REMAIN IN JAIL, AND THE ARRESTS CONTINUE.

HE PAINTS A BLEAK PICTURE OF LIFE INSIDE BURMA'S PRISONS, WHERE 
DETAINEES ARE HOUSED IN UN-SANITARY AND DEGRADING CONDITIONS, 
DENIED ADEQUATE FOOD AND HEALTH CARE, AND SUBJECTED TO TORTURE 
AND OTHER FORMS OF ABUSE BY AGENTS OF BURMA'S MILITARY 
INTELLIGENCE AND STATE SECURITY SERVICES.

MR. YOKOTA ACKNOWLEDGES MUCH OF THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN HIS 
REPORT CAME FROM EXILED DISSIDENTS AND FROM THE FEW FOREIGN 
RELIEF AND CHARITABLE ORGANIZATIONS ALLOWED TO OPERATE IN BURMA. 
HE RECOMMENDS THE DISPATCH OF U-N HUMAN RIGHTS MONITORS.  BUT AT 
MONDAY'S NEWS CONFERENCE, HE ACKNOWLEDGED THE CASH-STRAPPED U-N 
HUMAN RIGHTS CENTER IS NOT LIKELY TO ACT ON THE RECOMMENDATION.

</pre>