NO DEVELOPMENT DOLLARS FOR DICTATOR

[altsean@xxxxxxxxxx]

Date: March 25, 1998		
						
ALTSEAN-BURMA ALERT

NO DEVELOPMENT DOLLARS FOR DICTATORSHIPS!
Halt Japanese Official Development Assistance (ODA) to Burma

On February 26, 1998, Japanese officials announced the resumption of 2.5
billion yen in loans to Burma for improvements to Mingaladon International
Airport in Rangoon. Japanese resumption of ODA is both ill-timed and
insensitive to repeated Burmese calls for fundamental political change in
their country since 1988.

Such funding clearly sanctions the ruling military junta, the State Peace
and Development Council (SPDC) and undermines international pressure
against the junta to restore, peace, human rights and democracy to Burma.

Japan joined with the United States and the European Union in freezing
development assistance to Burma following the military junta?s 1988
massacre of pro-democracy demonstrators. The ban was maintained following
the failure of the military junta to recognize the results of the 1990
General Elections, during which Nobel Laureate, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi?s
party, the National League for Democracy (NLD) was elected.

Aung San Suu Kyi?s party has frequently appealed to the international
community to halt investment and aid to Burma until the military transfers
of political power to a civilian and democratic government.

Japan?s actions goes against current ODA guidelines that require attention
is paid to, for example, trends in recipient countries military
expenditure. Military spending in the state budget in Burma peaked at 42
percent in 1993 and has remained high ever since. SPDC?s pattern of
military spending alone should disqualify the regime from any aid under
Japan's ODA charter. 

Clearly, Burma is in no position to receive ODA assistance from Japan, and
still has a long way to go before it can put aid to productive use.
Unchecked government spending has led to a chain reaction of fiscal crises,
a soaring inflation rate and an extreme current account imbalance.  Since
1988, the government's expenditures have mushroomed and the fiscal deficit
reached nearly 8 percent of GDP last year. 
	
Japans? move is also in direct opposition with an international resolution
against Rangoon?s military junta. The UN General Assembly Resolution on
Myanmar (52/137) of December 12, 1997 states that the SPDC 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. 

Protest Japan?s resumption of official aid to Burma by writing letters to
and organizing actions against Japan. Target your local Japanese diplomatic
mission to lodge your protests. Urge the Japanese government to revoke its
resumption of aid and to join with the international community in ensuring
that all appropriate pressure is brought to bear to the Burmese military,
in achieving, peace, stability and respect for human rights in Burma. 


Write letters, faxes, emails to:
Mr. Keizo Obuchi,
Minister for Foreign Affairs,
Nagata-cho, chiyoda-ku,
Tokyo 100, Japan.
Fax: 03 3592 1754

Mr. Ryutaro Hashimoto,
Prime Minister of Japan,
Fax: (03) 3502 5827
Email: jpm@xxxxxxxxxxxx

Mr. Mikanagi Tomohiro,
Loan Aid Division,
Ministry for Foreign Affairs,
Nagata-cho, chiyoda-ku,
Tokyo 100, Japan.
Fax: 813 3593 8024
Email: tomohiro.mikanagi@xxxxxxxxxx

Mr. Chiba Akira,
Loan Policy Affairs,
Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
Fax: 813 5511 8638
Email: akira.chiba@xxxxxxxxxx

Local print and radio media voicing your outrage at the resumption of
Japaense ODA to Burma.

Please send copies of your protest letter and information about your
actions to the Altsean-Burma Secretariat in Bangkok, fax number: (662) 693
4515, or email: altsean@xxxxxxxxxxx and to Burma listservers at
zni@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx and burmanet-l@xxxxxxxxxxxx

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A L T S E A N - B U R M A
Alternative Asean Network on Burma
Tel/Fax: 66 2 693 4515 * <altsean@xxxxxxxxxx>