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Boycott Burma!
Green Left Weekly - May 6, 1998
Jon Land – The ruling military junta of Burma, the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC), continues to suppress pro-democracy groups and activists. Detention, torture and murder are used systematically against these campaigners, and there are now more than 3000 political prisoners languishing in Burma's jails.
On April 21, the All Burma Student Democratic Front (ABSDF) released a statement confirming that the regime has sentenced a National League for Democracy leader, San San, to 25 years' imprisonment. San was charged under the Official Secrets Act after participating in a BBC interview critical of the regime.
Seven other members of the NLD arrested with her were sentenced last December to between six and eight years' imprisonment.
Nyan Lynn Shwe, a representative of the ABSDF and a participant at the Asia Pacific Solidarity Conference in Sydney on April 10-13, told Green Left Weekly, "An analysis of the political, social and economic situation shows that it is worse in Burma than it was a year ago.
"There has been an organised response in opposition to this situation, however. Students are demanding the reopening of universities, colleges and high schools, which have been closed for almost three years. Monks have been demonstrating in the northern city of Mandalay against the postponement of the Buddhist examinations for monks. The military fears that this examination would provide the monks with an opportunity to be together and protest against the military."
The regime is intensifying its efforts to control dissent, but growing support for the NLD and its leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, has forced the SPDC to use means other than sheer terror.
"The department of defence and the military intelligence service have been expanding their structures and operations. There is a great deal of clandestine work - spying on the university campuses, on students and teachers. The intelligence agents even disguise themselves as monks", Shwe explained.
"Recently, they have installed a computer monitoring system, bought from Singapore, known as 'cyber-warfare'. The military claims this will allow it to survey and watch every single phone, fax and internet communication. There is a law banning the misuse of the internet and fax machines to disseminate any information that will 'endanger the national security'. The sentence for breaking this law is 15 years' imprisonment."
People have already been arrested for disseminating information via fax machine. Four activists were sentenced to lengthy prison terms last August (one died in prison) after an investigation by the cyber-warfare centre.
This tight control on information and the activities of pro-democracy groups is a major obstacle for the movement. But it has also meant that groups opposing the SPDC have had to improve their level of organisation.
"The networking of student groups is getting better", said Shwe. "Between the underground student network inside Burma, those in the border regions and the Burmese student organisations in the international community, we have a division of labour.
"The exchange of information and the political mobilisation and education of the underground network of students have improved. While the student organisations along the border and in Australia, the United States, Canada and elsewhere may differ in name, we share the same aspirations and objectives for the future of Burma."
The ABSDF conference last year decided to work towards a general uprising. It is hoped that this will force the military into a dialogue with the NLD, which won a landslide victory in the 1990 elections. "The proper development of democracy through the transfer of power is what we are demanding", Shwe said.
"To work towards the general uprising, we are cooperating with the All Burma Student Federation Union, the underground student network in Burma, which has been in existence since the 1988 uprising, as well as the youth section of the NLD, and the NLD itself."
Shwe stressed the importance of Burmese students outside the country disseminating information about what is really happening in Burma and, with the help of the international solidarity network, thereby increasing international pressure on the regime.
Because the SPDC owns and controls all media inside Burma, a crucial role for Burmese activists overseas is to provide accurate information to people within Burma through radio programs and newsletters.
"This helps people become aware of human rights and democracy issues, and to become politically motivated. We inform our people that they are not alone, that we are supporting them along the border and in the international frontiers", Shwe said.
The worldwide campaign by Burmese activists, human rights groups and solidarity organisations has begun to isolate the regime. Prominent multinational companies, such as Pepsico, Levi Strauss & Co, Eastman Kodak, Texaco, Amoco and Heineken, have withdrawn their investments in Burma.
The US passed legislation last year barring any further investment in Burma (although it allows existing investments and contracts to continue). Several US states and municipal bodies have enacted more restrictive bans. The European Union has frozen aid to the regime.
A significant number of foreign companies are still operating in Burma, however. Their support for the regime is vital for its continued existence.
Several Australian mining companies, including Pacrim Energy, Terrace Gold, Pacific Arc Exploration and Mandalay Mining Company, have signed contracts to conduct mineral exploration in Burma. BHP and CRA have also expressed interest in exploration. Other Australian-based companies doing business with Burma include Transfield, Multiplex and Ericsson Australia.
According to the US-based Burma Project, foreign oil companies have provided at least 65% of all foreign investment since 1988, the main source of foreign revenue.
"Transnational and foreign companies have become pillars for the dictatorship. The military is badly in need of foreign currency and these companies recognise this illegitimate military regime as the government", Shwe said. "Investment from the petroleum companies exceeds $500 million dollars, money which allows the regime to buy hardware from China and Singapore.
"We are quite surprised and saddened that those transnationals dealing with regime are from countries whose governments talk a lot about human rights violations in Burma - France, Britain and the United States."
Unocal (US), Total (France) and Premier (Britain) are involved in the multi-million dollar Yadana gas pipeline project, which spans from gas fields in the Bay of Bengal, across southern Burma, into Thailand. An environmental disaster, the Yadana pipeline is being built with forced labour, "recruited" from the 25,000 people forced to move as a result of its construction.
Many governments, including Australia's, have stated their concern about human rights abuses in Burma, but maintain loopholes in their foreign policy which allow trade and investment with the dictatorship.
Australia's minister of foreign affairs, Alexander Downer, announced a review of the government's policy on Burma in July 1997, freezing direct aid and military cooperation. But the policy review also stated that it neither encouraged nor discouraged new investment. This position severely undermines the international solidarity campaign.
"The previous government policy - a carrot and stick approach - was inadequate and not properly applied. But the Howard government's new foreign policy approach, which allows for funding for some projects in Burma means that Australian NGOs will have to engage directly with the SPDC.
"World Vision has been there for three years and now CAA and AUScare are going in. I am afraid that these projects, worth millions of dollars, won't benefit the people at the grass roots. Rather, they will fill the pockets of the generals. This has been the case with World Vision projects, such as those in the poor re-settlement areas around Rangoon", Shwe said.
Burma solidarity organisations and Burmese student groups in Australia are calling for a stronger response from the Australian government, and for trade sanctions against the military regime.
For more information, contact the Free Burma Network/All Burma Student Democratic Front on 041 104 2638, or the Burma Support Group in Sydney (02) 9559 3392.