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US Aid Chief Skeptical (r)



To the SPDC Spokesperson "OKKAR":

Thank you for bringing this bit of news to our attention (again).  However,
I fail to understand why you quote Atwood to support the SPDC cause.
Atwood clearly implies that your military dictatorship is the direct cause
of the widespread poverty gripping "Myanmar".  

>Economic growth, he said, can reduce poverty only with investments in health 
>care, education, job creation, community development and food security. 

Well, now, would you care to tell us what percent of the SPDC budget is
going to the above items?  I realize that half your budget goes to military
expenditures simply because of the strategy of holding an entire country
hostage is very expensive.  Especially when the rulers are too terrified of
public reaction to open a university, allow a opposition party to exist, or
even permit the free use of computers and fax machines.

>"Much of the change we are seeing is occurring within the previous ruling 
>classes of these societies..." 

Now, this quote is accurate, but I believe that Atwood is referring to 35
years of Tatmawdaw rule, meaning that the military generals and their
friends have become wealthier, while the mass of Burmese have become poorer.  
This is the same situation that we saw in Philippines under Marcos and in
Indonesia under Suharto.  Did you think he was referring to the British?

>"What will it take to wake up our political leaders?" he asked. 
>"More failed states? More wars? More south-to-north migration? 
>More transmission of infectious diseases? More terrorism?"

All of these events have taken place with increasing frequency under the
leadership of the SLORC/SPDC junta, as every regional and global newspaper
report for the past ten years (New Light of Myanmar" excepted) will attest.
 Why would Atwood suggest giving aid to such a failed experiment as your
military dictatorship?

If you really agree with Atwood, why do you not turn the government over to
the legally elected Parliament representatives, instead of jailing them?  


Yours in truth, 
Indiana

At 05:18 AM 7/14/99 -0400, you wrote:
>US Aid Chief Skeptical
>
>The following is a reproduction of a news report from 1-7-99 issue of the 
>International Herald Tribune: 
>
>
>WASHINGTON-J Brian Atwood had a disquieting message as he prepared to step 
>down as head of the US foreign aid agency: Don't believe those stories about 
>democracy and free enterprise enabling developing countries to lift 
>themselves out of poverty.
>
>And part of the problem, according to Mr Atwood, is what he sees as 
>Washington pinchpenny attitude toward Third World problems.
>
>"What will it take to wake up our political leaders?" he asked. "More failed 
>states? More wars? More south-to-north migration? More transmission of 
>infectious diseases? More terrorism?"
>
>After six years as head of the Agency for International Development, Mr 
>Atwood will return to the private sector next week. He could have gone 
>quietly, as his predecessors have done, but decided not to.
>
>He gave his valedictory Tuesday at a luncheon at the Overseas Development 
>Council, which attempts to sensitize opinion-makers on Third World issues.
>
>"The sad and even dangerous reality is that globalization and the democratic 
>market economy movement have not closed the gap between rich and poor, "he 
>said.
>
>"Much of the change we are seeing is occurring within the previous ruling 
>classes of these societies. Some in the donor community seem content to 
>nurture reform without equity."
>
>Economic growth, he said, can reduce poverty only with investments in health 
>care, education, job creation, community development and food security. 
>
>(AP)
>
>************************************ 
>