Action Alert! Write Governor Weld!

[simon_billenness@xxxxxxxxxxxx]

MASSACHUSETTS BURMA ROUNDTABLE

ACTION ALERT! WRITE GOVERNOR WELD

2/7/97


	"Japan should not attempt to intimidate Massachusetts into 
	changing the standards it has established for doing business 
	with the state government."
				Letter from Mass. Congressional delegation.


WHY YOU NEED TO WRITE GOVERNOR WELD!

The Japanese government and European Commission think thay can pressure
Massachusetts to drop its Burma selective purchasing law. They are
threatening to hold back investment or sue Massachusetts at the World Trade
Organization.

But the backlash against their bullying has started. Already, the entire
Massachusetts delegation to the US House of Representatives has written to
the Japanese Prime Minister asking him to stay out of Massachusetts
politics. (The full text of the letter is at the end of this message.)

But Governor William Weld has not indicated yet how he will respond to the
pressure from the Japanese Government and the European Commission. 

We need you to fax or mail a simple one-page letter of support to Governor
Weld. The more letters he receives, the more he will defend the
Massachusetts Burma law. It's that simple.

And we need you to do this OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS as Governor Weld
determines his position.

SUGGESTIONS FOR YOUR LETTER

Please write Governor Weld and request that he not give in to political
pressure from Japan and the European Commission.  In your letter, you may
wish to mention that:

*  Open your letter by thanking the Governor for signing the law last June.
Specifically request that Governor Weld defend the Massachusetts Burma law
in the face of pressure from the Japanese government and the European Commission

*  Describe your interest in Burma. Mention either:
 a) your deep roots in Massachusetts
 b) your appreciation for the Massachusetts law and your plan to enact a
similar 
law in your home state or home country
 c) IF YOU LIVE IN JAPAN OR THE EUROPEAN UNION, EXPLAIN THAT THE JAPANESE
GOVERNMENT OR THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION DOES NOT REPRESENT YOUR VIEWS!

*  The political situation in Burma remains very grave. The military junta
has imprisoned over 100 members of the National League for Democracy and
prevented Aung San Suu Kyi from meeting with democracy movement supporters

* Mention that Massachusetts is not alone. Over ten other US cities and
counties have enacted similar laws. Activists in the US, Canada, Europe and
Asia are already working to introduce similar laws.

* Mention that if Massachusetts had not stood up to similar pressure after
enacting its South Africa law, Nelson Mandela might still be in prison today

* Remind him that Aung San Suu Kyi, the leader of the Burmese democracy
movement has specifically called for economic sanctions and expressed her
support for the Massachusetts Burma law

Send your letter to:

Governor William Weld
State House
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Boston, MA 02133-1053

(617) 727-3600
(617) 727-9731 - fax
(617) 727-9725 - fax

Please send a copy of your letter to:

Rep. Byron Rushing
State House
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Boston, MA 02133-1053

(617) 722-2220
(617) 722-2897 - fax

It is vital for the Burmese democracy movement that Governor Weld receive a
strong flood of letters in support of the Massachusetts Burma law!

Thank you once again for your help. Without your assistance, this law would
never have been enacted. With your assistance again, we can successfully
defend the Massachusetts law and make any challenge to it at the World Trade
Organization politically impossible.

Simon Billenness
Franklin Research & Development
711 Atlantic Avenue, Boston, MA 02111
(617) 423 6655 x225
(617) 482 6179 fax
simon_billenness@xxxxxxxxxxxx

________________________________________________

LETTER TO THE JAPANESE PRIME MINISTER FROM THE MASSACHUSETTS DELEGATION TO
THE US HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

February 6, 1997

His Excellency 
Ryutaro Hashimoto
Prime Minister of Japan
Tokyo, Japan

Dear Prime Minister Hashimoto:

As members of the U.S. Congress from the State of Massachusetts, we are
extremely disappointed by the Japanese government's recent comments
regarding the State's new law which denies state contracts to companies
doing business in Myanmar--a country that flagrantly continues to violate
the most 
basic human rights of its citizens.

We are wholly supporting of fostering good relations between Japan and the
United States, and we believe a strong relationship is critical to the
futures of both nations.  However, we do not believe it is appropriate for
the government of Japan to involve itself in the internal affairs of 
Massachusetts.  If the Japanese government chooses to place dollars ahead of
human rights, it has that sovereign right, but Japan should not attempt to
inimidate Massachusetts into changing the standards it has established for
doing business with the state government.  Therefore, we strongly urge 
the government of Japan to end its oppostion to this law and drop any
challenge of it in the World Trade Organization.

We appreciate your immediate attention to this matter.

/signed/

Congressman	Barney Frank
		John Joseph Moakley
		Edward Markey
		Joseph P. Kennedy, II
		Richard Neal
		Martin Meehan
		William Delahunt
		John Olver
		James P. McGovern
		John Tierney

cc: Ambassador Kunihiko Saito
/END LETTER
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