Arco rejects plea over Burma

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Arco rejects plea over Burma deal
 
The Asain Age, 8 May 1996, New Delhi.
 
By Karen Lowe
 
Los Agneles, May 7 : As activists  demonstrated outside an ARCO 
shareholders meeting here over human rights abuses in Burma, the 
conpanys chief said Monday the oil company would continue doing 
business in Burma.About 30 demonstrators from Los Angeles 
Campaign for a Free Burma demonstrated outside the Shreaton Grande 
Hotel here where Atlantic Richfield Company was holding annual 
shareholders meeting.
 
Asked whether ARCO planned to changed its business strategies with 
Burma, chief executive offficer Mike Bowlin said a boycott by 
American companies would hurt US shareholders without affecting the 
regime in power. "If  US comapnies do not go into Burma, you can bet 
the French (and others) will," he said, adding only an MNC boycott 
would be effective. "We believed engagement is constructive."
 
Mr Carol Richards, of Los Angeles Campaign for Free Burma, 
expressed disappointment at Bowlins remarks that dashed hopes that 
ARCO would set example for other US oil companies doing business in 
Burma. "That is the line that every single oil company takes. That 
means that no one is willing to take the leadership and set the 
example," she said, adding her organization had turned to ARCO 
because "it has reputation of being responsive to ethical issues."
 
In July, 1995, ARCO entered a contract with Burma for oil and gas 
exploration. ARCO gave the Burmese military-ruled government $6 
million for the ecploration rights. ARCO, along with Unocal, Texaco 
and PepsiCo are being boycotted by the Free Burma Coalition, a 
network of 100 college and high school campus groups and 50 
independent organizations from 15 countries opposing investment in 
Burma.
 
The students have been successful at cancelling a one million dolllar 
Pepsi contract at Harvard University amid growing opposition to 
economic involvement by US companies in Burma. Six US cities, 
including Californias Santa Monica, Oakland, Berkley and San 
Franciso have passed laws tha ban contracts with Burma-involved 
companies. (Reuter)