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re WB, IMF action now!, Geneva HR
- Subject: re WB, IMF action now!, Geneva HR
- From: cd@xxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Fri, 19 Apr 1996 03:14:00
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>