18/3/98: LETTER TO MR KEIZO OBUCHI,

[uneoo@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

/* Written Thu 19 Mar 11:00am 1998 by drunoo@xxxxxxxxxxxx in igc:reg.burma */
/* ----------------''  Letter to Mr Keizo Obuchi,Japanese FM''---------- */

LETTER TO JAPAN'S FOREIGN MINISTER, MR KEIZO OBUCHI
***************************************************
Dr U Ne Oo
18 Shannon Place
Adelaide SA 5000
Australia.

March 18, 1998.

Mr Keizo Obuchi
Minister for Foreign Affairs
1-6 Nagata-cho, chiyoda-ku
Tokyo 100, Japan.

Dear Minister:

I am a Burmese national currently residing in Australia. I am writing to
you regarding with the recent decision by the Government of Japan to
disburse 2.5 billion yen loan to Myanmar/Burma. Although this disbursement
of loan to Burma is said to be a one-off case, and it does not constitute
the full resumption of Official Development Assistance to Burma, I am
concerned that it will send wrong signal to the military government in
Burma. I therefore appeal the Government of Japan to immediately revoke
the disbursement of the loan to Burma. 

I am also concerned by some of Japanese officials incorrectly interpreting
the current loan to renovate the airport runway, which normally regarded
as a development aid, as a form of humanitarian assistance. As the
minister may be aware, we will not object Japan to provide any
humanitarian assistance to Burma. However, we do not support Japan to give
any development aid to Burma under this military junta. 

Furthermore, I call the minister's attention to the United Nations General
Assembly Resolution on Myanmar of 52/137 of 12 December 1997. In
accordance with this resolution, the current military council, State Peace
and Development Council, does not have the right to conduct any
contractual agreements as a legitimate government of Burma. The receiving
of loans from Government of Japan can only be authorized by the Executive
Committee of National League for Democracy, who are the democratically
elected representatives of Burma. 

The Rangoon airport is reported to have been in an advanced state of
disrepair. In such case of an emergency need for repair, I recommend the
relevant Japanese authorities approach the Executive Committee of National
League for Democracy for an approval to renovate the runway as a
small-scale development project. I believe this is the most acceptable way
to carry out some development projects in Burma. 

In closing, I thank minister for your kind attention to this matter. We,
the Burmese people, continue to appreciate the Government and People of
Japan giving more attention to the situation in our country. 

Yours respectfully and sincerely
Sd. U Ne Oo.
___________________________________________________________________
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/* Written 16 Mar 11:00am 1998 by drunoo@xxxxxxxxxxxx in igc:reg.burma */
/* -------------" Comment on Japan's Airport Loan "------------- */

COMMENT ON JAPAN'S AIRPORT LOAN
*******************************

1. It has been reported that Japanese administration will disburse
2.5 billion Yen (USD 19.5 million) loan, as part of 27bn Yen
allocated for building of Rangoon international airport. The
agreement to provide such loan was reportedly made before September
1998 and, therefore, present disbursement of such loan does not
constitute Japan resuming of the ODA to Burma, according to
Ambassador Kazuo Asakai. Also stated is that Japan is simply trying
to ensure safety of the Rangoon airport with planned loan from a
"humanitarian viewpoint" ( see report below).

2. In referring to loans/assistance to Burma, a clear distinction
must be drawn between the (i) humanitarian assistance and (ii) the
development aid, both of which will certainly fall within the
humanitarian bound. For example, the assistance such as food,
medicine and aid to temporary shelter for a distressed population --
i.e. refugees, flood victims etc.-- may be considered as humanitarian
assistance. The kind of assistance that involve the improvement of
infrastruture, such as renovating airport runway, must be considered
as a development aid. Sure, such development aid may said to have
made with the humanitarian spirit, but such assistance cannot be
classified strictly as the "(i) humanitarian assistance/aid".

Another example: suppose a foreign government may provide aid,
within the humanitarian spirit, in order to raise the standard of
health of the population in Burma. If that aid package include the
building of a hospital, it should be considered as a development
aid. On the other hand, if the assistance only consists of
providing medicine, medical equipment, etc, it must be considered
as "humanitarian assistance/aid".

We will have no objection to Japan or any other country for that
matter, to provide Burma with the "(i) humanitarian assistance/aid."
I do not, however, believe that any loan or assistance can become
acceptable simply by having made it with the "humanitarian" purpose.
In the case of renovating the airport runway, the safety of airport
is a concern to Japan. Along the same line, we can equally argue
that there are millions of commuters in Rangoon who use overcrowded
buses and unsafe rail system  everyday. This is why one should make
a clear distinction between humanitarian assistance and development
aid. Generally speaking, any non-military and development aid, in
fact, can be considered to have made with the "humanitarian"
purpose.

3. The international community must exercise caution, even in the
case of providing "(i) humanitarian assistance/aid", to a country
under the military dictatorship -- such as Burma. In these
countries, it is desirable that the humanitarian assistance to be
delivered by independent non-governmental organizations. Otherwise,
the despotic authorities may use such assistance/aid in order to
enhance its legitimacy. For example, Japanese Government's
assistance of fertilizer for the Burmese rice-farmers may be used by
the Burmese authorities to recruit the rural-membership of Union
Solidarity Development Association -- the military backed political
party.

4. The Japanese administration's disbursement of loan, despite the
repeated requests and protestations by Burma pro-democracy groups,
to the Burmese military junta is unwise, ill-timed and insensitive.
Burmese junta, on the other hand, do not respond Japan's goodwill
with a good behaviour. Instead, Burmese army attacked refugee camps
and is seeking to crush minority rebels. Therefore, the Japanese
administration should immediately revoke the disbursement of loan to
the Burmese junta.

5. This emergency loan is intended, according to press release by
Japan's ministry of foreign affairs, to repair the bumps and cracks
on the runway and to improve the lighting system and control
facilities. In the case of a dire need to renovate the airport,
there are acceptable ways to get the airport upgraded in the long
term. The Japanese ambassador together with Rangoon Airport
construction contractors should seek the approval of Executive
Committee of National League for Democracy to upgrade the airport
runway as a small-scale development project. In this case, we - the
Burma pro-democracy groups outside - will have less reason to object
those loans and aid.

6. There is no need for Japan to seek the opinion of ASEAN countries
on the disbursement of its $20 million loan to Burma. It is alright
for Japan to make its own decisions on Burma, whether our human rights
and pro-democracy groups can agree or to disagree.

7. I shall soon write to the Japanese foreign minister about this
matter. The valuable initiatives and continuing supports by all our
friends regarding this are greatly appreciated.

With best regards, U Ne Oo.

/* Endreport */