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MEDIA RELEASE OF ABSDF ON ODA ASSIS



Media Release
Date: February 27, 1998

JAPAN'S ODA REINFORCES JUNTA'S  HARD-LINE POLICY AGAINST 
DEMOCRATIC OPPOSITION

To the dismay and disappointment of Burmese democrats, the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on February 26, 1998, to resume Official Development Assistance (ODA) to the military junta in  Burma of ficially known as the State Peace and Develo
pment Council (SPDC).

The decision to provide a 2.5 billion Yen loan to the SPDC comes amid growing international concern about the situation in Burma. The loan is to be given to the regime under the pretext of upgrading safety at Rangoon airport.

Burmese democrats view this decision as a boost to the cash-strapped military regime. Recently the junta announced that it had terminated some major infrastructure projects around the country, mainly due to the fact that there is not enough foreign curren
cy to finish the projects.

In the light of growing social, political and economic difficulties in the country, the All Burma Students' Democratic Front (ABSDF) urges the Japanese government to reconsider its decision to reopen ODA  assistance to the SPDC, and deny any such assistan
ce until the military regime enters into a substantive dialogue with the democratic opposition and ethnic nationalities.

General Secretary of the ABSDF, Aung Thu Nyein, says the decision by the Japanese government will not help the Burmese people.

"The assistance will certainly strengthen the junta's hard-line and non-compromising stance towards the democratic opposition. No such assistance should be given by the Japanese government because there has been no improvement in human rights or any democ
ratic reform in the country."

The Japanese government stopped its ODA assistance to the Burmese military regime after the mass killing of unarmed civilians during the 1988 pro-democracy uprising.

"This decision comes at a time when all major international lending agencies such as the World Bank, IMF and ADB have stayed away from the SPDC," said Aung Thu Nyein. "This is just the beginning. Other forms of assistance are likely to follow."


All Burma Students' Democratic Front

For more information please call 375-0479.