Protest Japanese ODA

[brelief@xxxxxxx]

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Asahi Evening News
October 28, 1995

JAPAN TO RESTORE AID TO BURMA

Japan will resume non - humanitarian foreign aid grants to
Burma next week despite reports of continuing human rights
abuses there, the Foreign Ministry said Friday.

Initially, Tokyo will commit to 1.62 billion yen in aid.  The
papers for the aid will be signed Monday in Rangoon.

Japan, Burma's largest donor, suspended non - humanitarian
grants in September 1988 after a brutal military crackdown on
a pro - democracy uprising.  It did not cut off humanitarian aid,
but those projects have been small -scale.

After Burma's leaders freed opposition leader Aung San Suu
Kyi from house arrest in July, Japan said it would begin giving
Burma non - humanitarian grants again.

The grants will be used to build university buildings, to train
nurses and to purchase medical equipment, Japan's Foreign
Ministry said.  It said the need is critical because there are only
two nurses for every 10,000 people in Burma.

 - end of article-

Letters protesting this unwarrented and untimely resumption of
ODA to the SLORC may be faxed to the following Japanese
officials in Tokyo.  (N.B. Foreign Minister Kono will be
meeting Gen. Maung Aye, No. 2 in SLORC,  in a few days).

Prime Minister Tomiichi MURAYAMA 
Fax: +81 3 3508-3502

Foreign Minister Yohei KONO 
Fax:  +81 3 3508-7503

Cabinet Secretary Kozo IGARASHI 
Fax:  +81 3  3502-5817



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