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Chirac-Suu Kyi



French President Chirac's praise for Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, on the
occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Human Rights,
defies the continued support of French foreign government policy for
the so-called Myanmar regime of military dictatorship that has 
virtually imprisoned the democratic leader of the NLD opposition party
and killed and imprisoned countless thousands of people. As the
drug junta tightens its deathly power grip over the suffering
nation, the high profile French gas and oil energy giant, TOTAL,
blatantly ingores and denies human rights violations on its
pipeline project, Yadana, while the French President continues to throw 
close support to TOTAL President Thierry Desmarest, who has repeatedly
accompanied the Chirac on his trips to Asia. Nonetheless, earlier this
week at the French Presidential Palace, the Elysée, Chirac hosted His
Holiness the Dalai Lama and other Nobel Peace Prize laureates
further bringing upon him the wrath of Chinese authorities in Peking.
Free Burma activists may take heart in Chirac's open praise of the
Burmese democratic opposition leader, however, there has been no sign of
any break with on-going french policy to support the dictatorship, nor
any departure to break away from its close alliance of support and
friendship with the junta, accused by international orgiansiations
around the world, including the UN and the European Parliament, for drug
trafficking and money laundering. Total's burmese partner in the Yadana
deal,the state company MOGE, has repeatedly been attacked for drug
money laundering by the Paris-based Observatoire Geopolitique
(DrugWatch), and Total criticised for "blanchissement", or cleaning
dirty money through its pipeline business. Total's partner, Unocal,
continues to face indictment in a federal court in Los Angeles, charged
with the use of forced labor and other human rights violations.

Chirac would have done well to take the opportunity to declare a
suspension of Total investment in Burma, as called for by the July
European Parliament resolution, instead of merely harping along with the
doves of peace while repression wields its ugly hand under the 
French-supported generals in Burma.

dawn star
EuroBurmanet
MOGE


> Chirac backs Suu Kyi on Human Rights Day
> 01:53 p.m Dec 10, 1998 Eastern
> PARIS, Dec 10 (Reuters) - French President Jacques Chirac expressed his
> support and respect for Myanmar democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi on Human
> Rights Day on Thursday and urged her to continue her struggle.
> 
> Suu Kyi, the 1991 Nobel Peace Prize winner forced by the military to live in
> semi-isolation at her home in Yangon, addressed by videotape a ceremony
> marking the 50th anniversary of the United Nations Universal Declaration of
> Human Rights.
> 
> This and another tape, both made at her home recently and brought out of the
> former Burma by human rights campaigners, deeply impressed the activists and
> dignitaries here with their message never to despair in seeking justice.
> 
> ``Your testimony has reinforced our determination to struggle (for human
> rights,'' Chirac said in his message.
> 
> ``I regret you could not come to Paris, but you can rest assured that you
> have been heard,'' he said. Suu Kyi declined to travel to Paris out of fear
> she would not be allowed back in Myanmar.
> 
> ``In these days of difficulty for you and your compatriots, I express my
> full admiration for your courage and France's support in your struggle,''
> Chirac added.
> 
> ``Let me express my hope and my conviction that Burma will return to the
> path of democracy, the rule of law and development thanks to you and your
> supporters, with the help of the international community.''
> 
> Suu Kyi, whose father Aung San led Burma to independence from Britain in
> 1948, is head of the National League for Democracy (NLD) which won 392 of
> the 485 seats in the 1990 elections but was not allowed to take office.
> 
> She and the NLD have come under growing pressure since they formed a
> committee in September to represent the would-be deputies elected in 1990.
> 
> Copyright 1998 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication and
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> written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or
> delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon.
> 
> 
>