No Subject Given

[carol@xxxxxxx]

ACTIVISTS VISIT FOREIGN AFFAIRS TO DECRY JAPAN'S RESUMPTION OF BURMA AID

A group of pro-democracy activists visited the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
in Tokyo March 3 to protest Japan's plans to resume ODA to the Burmese
military junta.  The activists submitted a petition, signed by 13 groups and
34 individuals, opposing the decision and urging the Japanese government to
reconsider its plan to disburse ¥2.5 billion (about $20 million) to repair a
runway at Mingaladon Airport in Rangoon. 

The group met with two officials from the Southeast Asia Development Section
and one from the ODA Policy Section, who defended the Minstry's decision on
the grounds that the loan is not new but previously approved aid and
therefore not technically a "resumption."  The officials added that they
were also responding to complaints from All Nippon Airways and Japan
Airlines about the safety of the airport.  If an accident occurred because
of the runway's poor condition, they said, the Japanese government would be
responsible.  

The pro-democracy activists countered that the Foreign Ministry should abide
by Japan's ODA policy charter, which states that aid should not support
military regimes or governments which spend large amounts of their budgets
to buy arms and that it should promote democracy.  The current regime
clearly fails to meet these criteria, the activists said.  The ministry
officials claimed that there was some progress toward democracy, although
they failed to provide any evidence, and said they intend to disburse the
loan before the end of May.  The activists argued that this ODA will benefit
neither the Japanese nor Burmese people, nor will it encourage the military
regime to engage in dialogue with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the democratic
opposition.

Pro-democracy activists plan to keep up the pressure on the Japanese
government by holding a demonstration in front of the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs on March 13, Phone Maw Day.