Does the Pacrim presence in Burma b

[amyo@xxxxxxxxxx]

Dear friends,

The following is a letter from Pacrim Energy NL, an Australian Oil Company
which has signed a production sharing contracts with the Myanmar Oil and
Gas Enterprise (MOGE) responding our letter on 8th December, 1997.

22nd December 1997

Aung Naing
Secretary
All Burma Students' Democratic Front (Australia Branch)
25 Gibbons Street
Auburn NSW 2144

Dear Sir,

I refer to your letter of 8th December, expressing concern about our
signing of production sharing contracts with the Myanmar Oil and Gas
Enterprise (MOGE) earlier three years and drawing attention to human rights
abuses.

For your information, I attach a copy of a letter written some three year
ago by our Deputy Chairman Mr. Edwin Style in his capacity as Chairman of
our associated company Pacarc NL (formerly Pacific Arc Exploration NL),
shortly before that company secured mineral exploration leases there. This
was the general format of a letter written to various interested groups who
expressed similar concerns at that time and, although some of the comments
have been superseded by time, the basic thrust of the letter remains the
same and is also applicable to Pacrim's involvement now.

Generally, we concur with the policy of "constructive engagement", which we
believe is still the official policy of the Australian Government, whereby
trade and commerce with a country are encouraged and the greater
interaction of people/ideas gradually sees the opinion leaders in business,
politics and the community pursuing and setting ever higher standards of
behaviour on a domestic an international level.

We should like to emphasise two points:

1.  Pacrim's exploration programmes have provided both employment and also
exposure to external expertise and therefore we specifically disagree with
your comment that " the ordinary people will certainly not benefit from the
so-called 'economic development' and from your investment".

2.  Where does one draw the line with human rights abuses? I believe even
Australia rates a mention with Amnesty International for its treatment of
the indigenous people.

To conclude, we see our presence in Myanmar as being beneficial to its people.

Yours faithfully,



Colin Barker
Company Secretary

Australia: 451 Gregory Terrace, Spring Hill Qld 4006  
Tel: (07) 3216-1000   Fax: (07) 3216-1888
Papua New Guinea: c/-Sinton Spence Chartered Accountants, Level 2, Brian
Bell Plaza, Turumu Street, Boroko
(PO Box 6861, Boroko), National Capital District 111. (re:1= one)
Tel: (675) 325-7611 Fax: (675) 325-9389


Attachment

18th October 1994

Sheila Lange
Secretary to the Elders 
Wesley Church
William Street
Perth W.A 6000

Dear Sheila,

We refer to your letter of 13th October, sent to our previous address at 30
Burows Street, Mayne. We confirm that we are seeking mineral rights in
Myanmar and have held discussions with government officials in pursuit of
this aim over the last four years, however no direct investment has yet
taken place.

We are pleased you are not advocating a complete cessation of investment in
Myanmar, even though some companies are mentioned as withdrawing. Amnesty
International routinely mentions numerous countries with less-that perfect
records, e.g. China and Indonesia, but no one seriously considers
discontinuing investment. Trade and development, with the associated social
and political contacts, have a large potential to improve educational and
living standards in low income countries and bring about lasting beneficial
change.

In addition, a government with no effective internal opposition is unlikely
to change much if it has little or no contact with outside influences.
North Korea is an ongoing example of how internal repression coupled with
minimal modernisation can withstand substantial outside pressure for almost
half a century and remains unscathed.

We have been assured that the present government of Myanmar is committed,
albeit at its own pace, to the evolution to an elected government and we
find some merit in the argument that greater exposure of the Myanmar people
and their country's economy to external influences is more likely to hasten
this pace rather than delay it. Indeed, it has been the writer's perception
during his nine visits to Myanmar during the past four years that this
transition is well under way in Yangon already.

We trust this explains our viewpoint to your satisfaction.

Yours faithfully,



E.F. Stoyle
Chairman