Gaering up the camaign of sending o

[ronny@xxxxxxxxxxxx]

Dated 2001 April 13

Dear Brother and Sisters,

Now many people start to join the e-mail campaign of "Sending objection
letter to Japanese Foreign Ministry for considering granting large scale ODA
for Burmese military regime", regarding Japan's preparation to grant SPDC
amounting Yen 3 to 3.5 billions (US$ 24 to 28 millions) within this year.
Japanese Foreign Minister Yohei Kono made an official commitment to SPDC
Deputy Foreign Minister in Tokyo.

Following news is spreading since a few days ago.

Japan considers financing power station renovation in Myanmar
April 9 TOKYO (AP)

Japan is considering a plan to help Myanmar renovate an aging
hydroelectric power station, a project expected to cost more than 3 billion
yen (dlrs 24 million), a government official said Monday.

Japanese Foreign Minister Yohei Kono told Myanmar's Deputy Foreign Minister
Khin Maung Win earlier in the day that Japan will send a team of experts to
evaluate the extent of repairs needed at the Baluchaung power station, said
Motosa Matano, a Foreign Ministry official. In 1960, Japan help fund the
construction of the power station, which is badly in need of repairs.

The Cabinet is expected to reach a final decision by the end of the year,
he said. Last month, Japan promised 850 million yen (dlrs 6.8 million) in
aid for Myanmar, the first such promise in six years.

e.o.f.

We would like to request you to send an objection letter to Japanese Foreign
Ministry, the organization that chiefly manage to grant ODA to Burmese
military regime. MOFA Japan e-mail are
webmaster@xxxxxxxxxx,kokunaikoho@xxxxxxxxxx,hideyuki.yazama@xxxxxxxxxx,

Please also send copy to related organizations, granting ODA to Burma, such
as House of Representatives (Japan), House of Councillors (Japan), Ministry
of Finance (Japan), Ministry of Economy, Trade & Industry (Japan), Japan
International Cooperation Agency (Headquarters), Japan Bank for
International Cooperation, All Japanese Political Parties, News Agencies in
Tokyo and also copy to Federation of Trade Unions - Burma.

E-mail accounts of them are as follows:

webmaster@xxxxxxxxxxxxx,webmaster@xxxxxxxxxxxxx,info@xxxxxxxxx,webmail@meti.
go.jp,www@xxxxxxxxxx,pdps@xxxxxxxxxx,ldp@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx,info@xxxxxxxxx,mail@
sdp.or.jp,info@xxxxxxxxxxx,info@xxxxxxxxx,feedback@xxxxxxxxxxx,webmaster@jij
i.co.jp,dy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx,aen@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx,ecntct@xxxxxxxxxxxx,mdn@maini
chi.co.jp,JCF11162@xxxxxxxxxxx,ftub.gs@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx,nemin@xxxxxxxxx
om,ronny@n
exxus.co.jp

(Japanese Embassy - Rangoon:  Fax no. 951-549-643, JICA - Rangoon:
95-1-510263)

SPDC thugs are also making counter campaign by posting "Nobody want to stay
in the dark" as lobbying, on the news group forums (please read on
soc.culture.burma, burmanet2 and MAYKHA-L) and sending e-mail to Japanese
authorities.

Yours Fraternally,

Nyunt Swe (Representative)
Federation of Trade Unions - Burma (Japan)
Yanagiya Bldg. B1
2-18-6 Takadanobaba
Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
Japan

Tel/Fax: 81-3-3205-0560
E-mail nemin@xxxxxxxxxxx


FTUB (Japan) has sent an objection letter to Japanese foreign minister.
(Please see the following letter)


To

Mr. Yohei Kono
Foreign Minister
Ministry Of Foreign Affairs (Japan)
Tokyo

Dated '2001 April 10

Subject:    Objection for considering to grant large scale ODA to Burmese
government

Dear His Excellency Foreign Minister,

His Excellency made a commitment to visiting Burmese Deputy Foreign Minister
Mr. Khin Maung Win on April 9, yesterday, that Japan is considering offering
Burma's so-called SPDC (State Peace & Development Council), military regime,
a grant to repair aging Baluchaun hydroelectric power station. It will be
executed, as grant-in aid ODA, within the year and total 3.0 billion yen to
3.5 billion yen (US $24 millions to 28 millions.) It will be the largest aid
since the beginning of Japanese sanction against Burma in 1988. That news
was mentioned by several news agencies around the world.

Under the circumstances of Burma and international current situation while
keeping close watch on Burma's political climate, we'd like to urge His
Excellency that Japanese government would carefully consider the timing of
granting ODA for Burma.

We would like to suggest your esteemed Japanese government to verify
Japanese assistance to Burmese military junta. It would be held Japan's
responsibility if Japan's premature and untimely attempts resulted in
hurting any political developments of Burma.

We realized that Japan will be very cautious toward implementing the package
of  renovation on an aging power plant based on the genuine humanitarian
concerns. Even though, let us allow unveiling our grievous concerns of
probably sending a wrong signal to the Burmese military junta by this
Japanese assistance while dealing with democratic opposition. It can make
miscalculation for SPDC that it can achieve Japan's support without any
serious concession for the reconciliation processes.

It sounds nice for making the benefit of the people of Burma regarding
having electricity, by repairing an aging power station. But the true
situation in Burma is far from the actual humanitarian ground.

We'd like to explain His Excellency some other factors as follows:

(1) The rehabilitation of Baluchaun Power Plant would be implemented by very
high forced labor. It is quite sure especially considering the current ILO
resolution that there is no transparency or accountability in the way,
carrying out projects in Burma. It can't be guaranteed that -- forced labor
won't be involved in renovation of superannuated Baluchaung Hydroelectric
Power Plant that extended as part of wartime compensation in 1958.

(2) The figure, 3 - 3.5 billion yen, is quite a large sum especially for
grant-in-aid. Repairing Baluchaun Power Plant was conducted once in 1986
with Japanese (Overseas Economic Cooperative Fund) OECF loan amounting to
3.53 billion yen. It should be reconsidered why such a big amount is
necessary to repair again. It's jeopardy in the region out of day-by-day
increasing of Burma's military might. It's also can't be guaranteed that 3 -
3.5 billion yen (US $24 millions to 28 millions) won't be used for Burma
military regime's other purposes. It will be contradictive for chief
Japanese ODA policy, not to assist military establishment by ODA.


(3) Large Scale Landmines Planting by Burma military around the Baluchaun
Power Plant shouldn't also be ignored, as Japan has already signed the
International Anti-Landmine Treaty, a few years ago. Burma military did it
at the power plant since 1981 for security cause and several regional people
deceased due to accidental landmines bursting. Not only casualties, regional
people were also punished for accidental bursting landmines --  in terms of
money payment for each landmine bursting. Such incidents are always
mentioned in annual reports of United Nations' Human Rights Watch, every
year.


(4) As an economical point of view, Japan has just granted 1.7 billion yen
in debt relief upon SPDC, Burmese military regime. After the relieving of
the debt, the SPDC is supposed to make same amount of purchasing goods from
Japan for repairing the aging power plant. It is wondering why does Japan
need to assist 3 - 3.5 billion yen (US $24 millions to 28 millions) as a
grant for SPDC, on top of 1.7 billion yen in debt relief. If Baluchaun power
plant is so high a priority for SPDC, it should be able to cover a
significant amount thru the debt relief system.


(5) One more contradiction of humanitarian ground, regarding Japanese ODA
for the renovation of such power plant, is  --  regional Karenni ethnic
people, one of the poorest people in Burma, in Kaya State where the
Baluchaun Power Plant is located, do not have access the electricity from
Baluchaun Power Plant, at all, since the establishing of the power plant,
1960. Unfortunately, it becomes the irony of Japan's reason for helping the
poor in Burma by granting ODA for repairing the Baluchaun Power Plant.


(6) Regional farmers who usually irrigated their fields from Baluchaun River
upstream of the power plant, were strictly prohibited for irrigating by
military order since 1998. As there is no rain in some years, regional
farmers are facing the drought in order to lack of irrigating from
Baluchaunh River. SPDC makes ensure that water is not diverted for
agriculture so that enough water can flow to
the Baluchaun Power Plant to provide electricity to big cities only. It's
one of the examples of SPDC's thwarting policy of humanitarian efforts.

(7) There are also many military factories and military plants under Defense
Industries Department, Ministry of Defense and Heavy Industries Corp.,
Ministry of Industry (2), all over Burma. Quantity of such factories and
plants is more than civilian owned and other state-owned ones. It's also
wondering how much is this a factor in the SPDC's wanting to fix Baluchaun
Power Plant, as an another humanitarian argument.

(8) Japan is politically saying that giving aid to SPDC can encourage
dialogue between SPDC and opposition of Burma. "Secret Talking" between Aung
San Suu Kyi who represents National League for Democracy (NLD), opposition
party, and SPDC's Secretary (1), Lt. General Khin Nyunt, can't be defined as
DIALOGUE. Both sides haven't released any official announcement yet. It's
just still in Secret Talking only. On the other hand, Japan had recently
granted US $1.85 millions for Rangoon General Hospital and US $5.13 millions
for a rural drinking water supply project in Shan State. But there are not
enough concrete signs of commitment on SPDC to justify increasing aid. If
Japan intends to signal a hint to SPDC for the dialogue, then granting aid
SPDC should be enough from now on. Large-scale development assistance to
Burma would flow after democratization in Burma.


(9) Even after repairing the Baluchaun Power Plant, no one can guarantee
that electricity would be distributed in fair and square by SPDC in Burma.

We would like to urge His Excellency that please restrains any kind of
Japanese assistance to Burmese military regime until the consensus is
emerged by the whole international community regarding with substantial
political developments.

With best regards,

Federation of Trade Unions - Burma (Japan)

c.c. to

House of Representatives (Japan)
House of Councillors (Japan)
Japanese Prime Minister Office
Japanese Cabinet Office
Federation of Trade Unions - Burma
International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU)
International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF)
International Confederation of Free Trade Unions / Asia Pacific Region
(ICFTU/APRO)
International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF)  (Tokyo Office)
International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering,
Tobacoo and Allied Workers' Associations (Japan Office) (IUF - JCC)
International Metal Workers' Federation  (Japan) (IMF - Japan)
Union Network International (UNI/APRO - Tokyo Office)
International Textile Garment & Leather Workers' Federation(ITGLWF/APRO)
Japanese Trade Union Confederation (RENGO)
Japanese Trade Unions in Japan
Ministry of Finance (Japan)
Ministry of Economy, Trade & Industry (Japan)
Japan International Cooperation Agency (Headquarters)
Japan International Cooperation Agency (Rangoon Office)

Japan Bank for International Cooperation
All Japanese Political Parties
News Agencies in Tokyo
Radio Free Asia (Tokyo)
Voice of America  (Tokyo)
Democratic Voice of Burma (Tokyo)
The Foreign Correspondents' Club Japan (FCCJ)
Japanese Embassy, Rangoon
People's Forum On Burma
PD Burma (Japan)
Mekong Watch Office (Japan)
National League for Democracy (Liberated Area - Japan Branch)
League for Democracy in Burma (Japan)
Restaurant & Hotel Workers' Union of Burmese Citizens (Japan)
Factory Workers' Union of Burmese Citizen(Japan)
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