Japan Times: Myanmar activist end

[carol@xxxxxxx]

Subject: Japan Times:  Myanmar activist end hunger strike

Japan Times, Sunday, August 10, 1997

MYANMAR ACTIVISTS END HUNGER STRIKE

        Over 30 Myanmarese activists ended a one-day hunger strike in
Tokyo's Hibiya Park at noon Saturday after mourning those who were silenced
in the country's democracy uprising nine years ago.
        "The military regime has been tormenting the people of the country
since 1962.  Let's do what we can here to represent the 45 million people
who continue to suffer at home," the activists shouted in chorus as they
ended the hunger strike.
        They began their protest at noon Friday, the ninth anniversary of
the 1988 democracy uprising.
        Thousands of antigovernment activists are believed to have been
killed by the military junta on Aug. 8, 1988, during a general strike and
demonstrations by protesters calling for democracy.
        "The political and economic situations in our country have worsened
since then," then Aung Thu, vice chairman of the Burma Youth Volunteer
Association, which organized the strike [sic:  it was organized by the Joint
Action Committee, which includes Students' Organization for the Liberation
of Burma and NLD-LA (Japan Branch), as well as BYVA].
        "We wanted to remind the world that 45 million people there are
still suffering," he said.
        He also said that last month's decision by the Association of
Southeast Asian Nations to admit Myanmar's State Law and Order Restoration
Council, the military regime, has harmed the people of Myanmar by letting
the junta put more pressure on them.
        The so-called constructive engagement by other countries in Asia has
not worked, he argued, and a harder line against the military regime -- as
has been adopted by the United States and some European countries -- is
necessary.
        This year's strike, the second in Japan, was conducted
simultaneously in Australia, Canada, India, Thailand and the United States.
        "Although there are some Japanese people who support the democracy
movement, not enough attention has been given to the issue in Japan," said
Shogo Watanabe, a lawyer who assisted the strike.  "Gaining more Japanese
support is important in the sense that it builds a bigger momentum for the
democracy movement."

* * *

Other Japanese press coverage of 8-8-88 events:  The August 9 issues of the
Japan Times and the Daily Yomiuri carried the AP story about the
demonstration in front of the Burmese Embassy in Bangkok.  The Yomiuri story
included a dramatic photo of students holding signs, raising fists and
shouting slogans.  Way to go, Bangkok!

* * *

Back to Tokyo:  the hunger strikers received visits by staff from the
embassies of Sweden and Norway, as well as support letters from the British
and Royal Danish embassies (excerpted below).  This was an encouraging
increase from last year, when the Norwegian Embassy was the only foreign
mission to respond to our request for letters or visits.

>From British Embassy Tokyo:

I can assure you that the British Government shares your concerns about the
situation in Burma.  We shall continue to express our strong views about
human rights violations to the ruling State Law and Order Restoration
Council (SLORC) in Burma.

As you may know, on 19 July the British Government announced that it would
not provide any financial support to companies for trade missions to Burma
or trade promotion activities within Burma.  In addition, we continue to
encourage all those with an interest in the Burmese situation, particularly
the ASEAN countries, to use their influence with the SLORC to bring about
reform in Burma.

Yours sincerely,
David Fitton
Political Counsellor

>From Royal Danish Embassy Tokyo:

I would like to take the opportunity to express our support for your
continued efforts, and those of the Burmese people, to peacefully promote
democracy and respect for human rights in Burma.

Yours sincerely,
Hans Schou
Counsellor