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U.S. Government's Fundings to Burme



Subject: U.S. Government's Fundings to Burmese Dissident Groups and NGOs in

1998
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U.S. Government's Fundings to Burmese Disident Groups and NGOs in 1998
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The following is the latest data regarding USG's fundings to Burmese
dissident groups and NGOs during 1998.The funding was through NED[National
Endowment for Democracy].Some of the fundings are  from the US Department of
State.I hope the data is useful to you all.

Sincerely,

Julien Moe
**************

HUMAN RIGHTS DOCUMENTATION UNIT (HRDU)
COUNTRY(IES): Burma 
REGION: Asia
SUBJECT(S): 1. Media and Publishing. 2. Human Rights
GRANT AWARDED: 1998
AMOUNT: $15,000
PUBLICATION(S): Burmese-language human rights manual; Burmese-language
translation of "Getting Past No"; Burmese-language political science primer
PROGRAM SUMMARY: The Bangkok-based Human Rights Documentation Unit (HRDU) of
the National Coalition Government of the Union of Burma will publish 1,000
copies each of a Burmese-language human rights manual, a Burmese-language
translation of Getting Past No, and a Burmese-language political science
primer. The three publications will be distributed widely among
pro-democracy forces and ethnic groups to improve their knowledge of human
rights, negotiation and democratic political systems. 


BURMA INFORMATION GROUP
COUNTRY(IES): Burma
REGION: Asia
SUBJECT(S): 1. Media and Publishing
GRANT AWARDED: 1998
AMOUNT: $18,000 (DOS Funds)
PUBLICATION(S): Irrawaddy
PROGRAM SUMMARY: The Burma Information Group (B.I.G.) will continue to
function as an independent news service by maintaining its extensive
documentation and information center and publishing its English-language
newspaper, The Irrawaddy, which provides a valuable resource both for the
international community and for Burmese in exile who have limited access to
other sources of credible information. This newsletter is distributed to
roughly 1,000 organizations and individuals worldwide, including individuals
inside Burma. 


DEMOCRATIC VOICE OF BURMA
COUNTRY(IES): Burma
REGION: Asia
SUBJECT(S): 1. Media and Publishing
GRANT AWARDED: 1998
AMOUNT: $150,000 (DOS Funds)
PROGRAM SUMMARY: Partial NED core support will enable the Democratic Voice
of Burma (DVB) to continue to produce and transmit a daily shortwave radio
program from Oslo, Norway. DVB, in 1998-99, will focus on purchasing
additional broadcasting frequencies to improve reception inside Burma and

additional time to allow for expanded programming. The DVB will also work to
further professionalize the radio, enabling its staff to produce more
quality programming and to increase ethnic-language program. 

HUMAN RIGHTS FOUNDATION OF MONLAND
COUNTRY(IES): Burma
REGION: Asia
SUBJECT(S): 1. Media and Publishing
GRANT AWARDED: 1998
AMOUNT: $12,500
PROGRAM SUMMARY: The Human Rights Foundation of Monland (HURFOM) received
Endowment support to produce English-language human rights reports on
conditions in Mon State and southern Burma and to produce a bi-monthly
Mon-language newsletter for citizens in Mon state and for refugees along the
Thai-Burma border. This newsletter Khit Poey, or New Era, provides a
valuable resource for the Mon community in Burma, in refugee camps along the
Thai-Burma border, and in exile in Thailand by providing an alternative news
source for the Mon in their own language. 

INTERNATIONAL REPUBLICAN INSTITUTE (IRI)
SUB-GRANTEE(S): National League for Democracy/Liberated Areas; India and
Thailand; Political Defiance Committee
COUNTRY(IES): Burma
REGION: Asia
SUBJECT(S): 1. Public Policy. 2. Conflict Resolution
GRANT AWARDED: 1998
AMOUNT: $100,000
PROGRAM SUMMARY: The International Republican Institute (IRI) received
Endowment support to continue funding the National League for
Democracy/Liberated Areas (NLD/LA), and Political Defiance Committee (PDC)
to strengthen Burma's democratic opposition. These funds will be used as a
bridge grant until funds earmarked for Burma and administered by the State
Department become available, allowing the NLD/LA and the PDC to maintain
their current activity level for up to six-months. The NLD/LA will continue
its political organization work that cannot be done by democracy advocates
inside the country, in addition to providing organizational assistance to
internal democracy groups to build support among the grassroots and Burma's
ethnic minorities. The PDC will strengthen the development and
implementation of a strategic plan that coordinates the efforts of its
member groups in using non-violent struggle and the only means for opposing
the military regime. 

KAREN INFORMATION CENTER
COUNTRY(IES): Burma
REGION: Asia
SUBJECT(S): 1. Media and Publishing
GRANT AWARDED: 1998
AMOUNT: $8,230
PUBLICATION(S): KIC News
PROGRAM SUMMARY: The Karen Information Center will continue to produce KIC
News, a 28-page monthly newsletter published in English, Karen and Burmese.
This newsletter is a valuable resource for the Karen community in Burma, in
refugee camps along the Thai-Burma border and in exile in Thailand since it
provides an alternative news source for the Karen in their own language. 

NATIONAL HEALTH AND EDUCATION COMMITTEE
COUNTRY(IES): Burma
REGION: Asia
SUBJECT(S): 1. Education
GRANT AWARDED: 1998
AMOUNT: $6,800
PROGRAM SUMMARY: The National Health and Education Committee (NHEC) received
NED funding to allow committee members and staff to travel to refugee camps
and the NHEC project areas to monitor on-going projects and to provide
stipends for six full time NHEC staff. This Thailand-based organization is
responsible for setting priorities and coordinating aid from foreign donors,

as well as ethnic groups' own resources, to meet the health and education
needs of refugee populations in Thailand and ethnic populations inside Burma
affected by junta offensives. 


AMERICAN CENTER FOR INTERNATIONAL LABOR SOLIDARITY
SUB-GRANTEE(S): 1. The Federation of Trade Unions Burma (FTUB)
COUNTRY: 1. Burma 
REGION: Asia
SUBJECT(S): 1. Labor. 2. Education
GRANT AWARDED: 1998 
AMOUNT: $300,000
PROGRAM SUMMARY: The American Center for International Labor Solidarity, on
behalf of the Federation of Trade Unions Burma (FTUB), will support the
activities of the FTUB as it works inside Burma to educate, organize, and
strengthen Burmese workers and other pro-democracy groups to assert their
rights and push the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) to enter
substantive tripartite negotiations with the National League for Democracy
and the leaders of Burma's ethnic peoples. FTUB will conduct outreach and
coalition building with sympathetic organizations in the region and around
the world, continuing to support the movement for democracy in Burma, as
well as education programs on democracy, human rights, and trade union
principles in villages and towns throughout the country. It will expand its
efforts to organize democratic trade unions in ethnic areas and publish
teaching materials, in a variety of languages, for the concepts of democracy
and trade union rights. FTUB will continue research and communication with
groups in all sectors of the international community. 


BURMA LAWYERS' COUNCIL
COUNTRY: 1. Burma 
REGION: Asia
SUBJECT(S): 1. Rule of Law
GRANT AWARDED: 1998
AMOUNT: $40,000
PROGRAM SUMMARY: The Burma Lawyers' Council (BLC), an organization of
Burmese lawyers in exile, received Endowment funds to enable it to undertake
a multi-faceted program to promote the rule of law in Burma. The BLC will
document violations of human and civil rights, publish a quarterly Burmese-
and English-language journal, conduct seminars and training, produce a
series of legal rights programs for airing on the NED-supported Democratic
Voice of Burma radio program, and disseminate materials to the international
community, Burmese inside Burma, the pro-democracy forces in exile, and
ethnic groups. It will work with ethnic groups to draft state constitutions
to complement the NCUB draft federal constitution. 

NATIONAL COALITION FOR DEMOCRACY, INC.
SUB-GRANTEE(S): 1. National Council of the Union of Burma
COUNTRY: 1. Burma
REGION: Asia
SUBJECT(S): 1. Political Parties
GRANT AWARDED: 1998
AMOUNT: $65,000
PROGRAM SUMMARY: The National Council of the Union of Burma, the most
inclusive political coalition of Burma's pro-democracy political parties and
ethnic groups, will continue its "National Reconciliation and Political
Solidarity Program," which promotes unity among the pro-democracy forces in
the liberated and cease-fire areas along Burma's borders. The NCUB will send
three or four person delegations to several previously visited ethnic areas
to solidify cooperation. It will also maintain contact with and encourage
commitment to common goals among all the groups that are essential to the
process of working towards a federal democracy in Burma. 


NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTE FOR INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS (NDI)
SUB-GRANTEE(S): 1. National Coalition for Democracy (NCD)
COUNTRY: 1. Burma 
REGION: Asia
SUBJECT(S): 1. Equipment. 2. Public Policy
GRANT AWARDED: 1998
AMOUNT: $83,905
PROGRAM SUMMARY: The National Democratic Institute for International
Affairs, with the National Coalition for Democracy, received Endowment funds
to conduct a five-month program to encourage greater dialogue and
cooperation among Burmese democratic forces and to assist in furthering
their ability to communicate information about the democratic movement among
themselves in and outside of Burma. NDI will continue funding of
communications centers, technical assistance to the center, an extended
field presence, and development of a support network in Asia. 

NEW ERA JOURNAL
COUNTRY: 1. Burma
REGION: Asia
SUBJECT(S): 1. Media and Publishing
GRANT AWARDED: 1998
AMOUNT: $135,000
PUBLICATION(S): New Era Journal
PROGRAM SUMMARY: The New Era Journal received continued Endowment support
that will enable it to provide an alternative source of printed news and
information to Burmese living under the SPDC military junta. Published by
exiled journalists and editors and distributed inside the country, The New
Era provides extensive and accurate information about current conditions in
Burma, the pro- democracy movement, and complete texts of speeches and
policy statements of human rights and democracy activists. It also will
continue to provide a forum in which exiled Burmese writers and journalists
may freely express their viewpoints and opinions on the situation in Burma
and the prospects for the restoration of democracy. 

NONVIOLENCE INTERNATIONAL (NI)
SUB-GRANTEE(S): 1. Committee for Nonviolent Action in Burma (CNAB);
Democratic Party for a New Society (DPNS)
COUNTRY: 1. Burma 
REGION: Asia
SUBJECT(S): 1. Media and Publishing. 2. Education
GRANT AWARDED: 1998
AMOUNT: $90,000
PROGRAM SUMMARY: Nonviolence International (NI) received continued Endowment
funds to provide advice, support for strategic planning and coordination,
and targeted skills training for the Democratic Party for a New Society
(DPNS) on the Thai border, and the Committee for Nonviolent Action in Burma
(CNAB), a coalition operating in India and along the India-Burma border. The
two subgrantees will distribute publications, cassettes, calendars, and
other materials, conduct a phone and fax campaign to deliver news and
information to a variety of recipients inside Burma, and, using their
extensive network of supporters, bring information about the situation
inside Burma to the outside world. NI will organize democratic and education
activities for both the DPNS and the CNAB. 

Source:NED,Dept. of State
End of Document