De Volkskrant. IHC sticks to its de

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Subject: Re: De Volkskrant. IHC sticks to its delivery to Burma

You see, Anja, unfortunately, this proves my point of previous message,
how Amnesty International either is being mocked, or simply treated as a
redundant and ineffective organisation to persuade companies from doing
business in Burma. I repeat, Theirry Desmarest, of Total Fina, stated to
the French parliamentary authors of the oil and gas report published in
october, how he prefers having dialogue with AI. I wonder why? Have you
asked him? Maybe he will respond to you. It is interesting, on another
hand, how Reebok has pulled out of the OLYMPICS. I know you are working
very hard on AI, but the fact is still there that AI has not been very
effective on corporate pull out from Burma. 

Perhaps you might be able to tell me and our readers if AI is in fact
helping to guide IHC to adopt a Code of Conduct? And if so, do you
really think that it would have guidelines and principles incompatible
with (IHC) investment in Burma?

Burma Centre Netherlands wrote:
> 
> Published todaty, December 8th, in Dutch Daily "De Volkskrant",
> circulation 350.850
> 
> IHC sticks to its delivery to Burma
> 
> >From our reporter
> 
> AMSTERDAM
> 
> IHC Caland, constructor of oil-platforms and dredgers, will not make
> about face on its new, disputed delivery to the military junta of
> Burma. "It is better that the colonels buy a dredger from us, than
> guns from someone else," is the opinion of chairperson C. de
> Ruyter.
> Member of Parliament Koenders (Pvda) (Labour, BCN) raised question
> about the sale of a cutter suction dredger to Myanmar, the former
> Burma. Labour wants to know from minister Van Aartsen (Foreign
> Affairs) and underminister Ybema (Economic Affairs) in how far the
> sale to Burma is in disagreement with (inter)national
> rules. Moreover, Labour wants to know whether there are possibilities
> to criticize IHC Holland for its selling to the military junta. For
> year humanrights organisations have been saying the regime tortures
> and executes people.
> President-director C. de Ruyter reacts light-heartedly. "As a private
> person you can have an opinion about a country as Burma. As a company
> there is no sense in that." He wants to adhere to clear rules by the
> European Union and the United Nations. "That is not an easy
> escape. But that is where the real specialists are on this field."
> According to De Ruyter, the EU and the UN disapprove of investments in
> Burma, but not sales to Burma.
> The Burma Centre is disappointed. "This sale goes one step further
> than the delivery of a gas-storage tank (for the Yetagun, BCN) last
> year," says G. Hillenius. "That one was sold to a consortium. This
> sale is direct to the colonels-government." IHC Caland maintains that
> a cutter suction dredger cannot be used to violate human rights. "One
> has a moral dilemma when one delivers poison gas or guns, not with a
> dredger," according to ceo De Duyter. But according to the Burma
> Centre the military profit from the dredger. "This way they improve
> their infrastructure. The position of farmers in Burma does not become
> better. They do not flee without reason from repression and forced
> labour." The dredger-ship will be delivered by IHC Holland, a daughter
> if the company in Schiedam. Burma paus in advance, cash 2 million
> guilders.
> IHC has for months not budged to those who critisize its
> Burma-deals. It even went against mega-investor ABP (Hollands biggest
> pensionfund, owns 3 % IHC shares, BCN) who demanded a human rights
> code from the company. This code is still not ready.