The Netherlands: Women's Internatio

[nin@xxxxxx]

 Women's International League for Peace and Freedom
 Internationale Vrouwenorganisatie voor vrede en vrijheid
 					      August 1998            
 		 RESOLUTION
 
 Whereas, the nation of Burma (also known as Myanmar) has
 institutionalized torture and rape as political instruments, 
 has embarked upon campaign of forcible relocation, forced labor 
 and slavery, the persecution of ethnic minorities and other 
 human rights violations, all designed to denied to the people 
 of Burma the right to participate in the political process, 
 the right to benefit from the fair and equitable system of 
 justice and the right to exercise farily their economic rights;
 and 
 
 Whereas, the military regime that controls Burma is attempting 
 to enhance its standing in the international community and to 
 increase the flow of foreignmoney and investment in Burma through 
 the use of economic incentive that are based in part upon the 
 forcible relocation, forced labor and slavery of its people; and

 Whereas, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is the first state in 
 the union to pass a selective purchasing law prohibiting the 
 state to conduct business with companies that contribute to this 
 atrocity; and
 
 Whereas, opposition (in the form of law suits) has mounted on two 
 fronts to repeal all selective purchasing laws: one from companies 
 doing business (which has the support of corporate America with 
 the creation of two coalitions-USA Engage and the National Foreign 
 Trade Council) in Burma and the other from the European Commission.
 
 Resolved
 --------
 	That all WILPF sections promote and preserve selective 
 purchasing laws that prevent municipalities at any governmental 
 level from purchasing goods, services or commodities from any 
 corporation that does business in the nation of Burma;
 
 Resolved
 --------
 	To encourage especially the European WILPF sections to 
 lobby the European Commission not to proceed with bringing the 
 suit before the World Trade Organization and to promote the idea 
 of selective purchassing laws within countries outside the US.
 
 
 WILPF-secretariat
 F.C. Dondersstraat 23
 3572 JB Utrecht
 The Netherlands
 
 Consultative Status by the United Nations: ECOSOC, UNCTAD and UNESCO
 Special Consultative Relations with FAO, ILO and UNICEF
 ===================================================================== 
 
 The WILPF has a 83 year long history working for Peace and Freedom.
 
 Sender
 Dr. Khin Ni Ni Thein 
 E-mail: nin@xxxxxx