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Mizzima: European Corporate Interes



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European Corporate Interest

By: Kanbawza Win
Mizzima News Group (www.mizzima.com)

Winnipeg, Canada, December 11, 2000: "Business always over rules
conscience and morality" was once again demonstrated when the European
Union (EU) and ASEAN began their 13th ASEAN-EU ministerial-level meeting
in Vientiane today.

This is despite the fact that EU vigorously condemn repressive measures
taken by the Junta against the democratic movement led Nobel Peace
Laureate Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. Even though she was virtually placed
under house arrest, Europe is unable and unwilling to pressure its
corporate sector.

EU ministers have not attended a ministerial meeting with ASEAN since
the 1997 admission of Myanmar that refuses to recognize a 1990 election
results in which the pro democracy groups won more than 82% of the vote.
In spite of the European governments? high sounding rhetoric on the
virtues of democracy the multinationals apparently have the last word.

Taking a page out of ASEAN?s Constructive Engagement policy the
multinationals have justified increased international trade and the
globalization of economic activity on the grounds that they lead to
economic growth and prosperity and contribute to the fostering of
democratic institutions. Such untenable claims have proved hollow in
Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Malaysia, China etc. The US alone has invested
$85 billion in China and yet one would be hard pressed to find
commensurate gains in democratic institutions or the enhancement of
human tights in China (not to mention Burma). It is widely known that
the French company TOTAL, partly owned by the French Government, has
invested in the offshore oil drilling in Burma giving the Junta annually
$400 million just for the right of extraction. The French were very
worried over the disruption of EU-ASEAN meeting, and so it was no wonder
when Verdine (the French Foreign Minister) commented would be like
"shooting ourselves in the foot" by linking the ASEAN dialogue with the
question of human rights in Burma. This is typical French thinking that
overwhelms the whole European community

Britain, with its interest in the Premier Oil would not oppose this new
round of talk either. This make a mockery of James Mawdsley, a British,
?lone ranger? who suffered 415 days in solitarily confinement of Burmese
jail, just to tell the true story of the Junta to the world. The British
government?s short memory still indicates its obsession with ruling the
waves. Instead it eulogizes the role of Premier Oil in the release of
James Mawdsley.

The attitude of the German government has been known since 1991 in
Luxembourg when German Foreign Minister, Klaus Kinkle, borrowing some of
the human rights stance of the Nazi, elevated the bilateral relations at
the Karlsruhe meeting in 1994 and skillfully showed his "superior race
mentality" by not taking up human rights, nor democracy issues. "The
theory of Lebensraum" has made its presence felt even in the EU-ASEAN
meeting. What more proof is wanted when Germany will be the only major
country in EU that will be represented by its Foreign Minister. Britain
will send its junior Minister John Battle and even France will not send
its Foreign Minister but will be represented by its minister of
International Co-operation

The fact is that in Europe, multinationals depend on democratic systems
of governance, the rule of law and open societies to protect their
interest and enable them to operate. These multinational corporations
make enormous profits in countries like Burma where authoritarian
regimes deliver on the promise of discipline labour, low wages and lax
controls on environmental protection and human rights.

The Burmese people know that these corporations go to foreign countries
first and foremost to make money. All else is secondary. The Burmese
people do not expect them to justify their conduct on an ideal of
supporting democratic institutions or the Burmese Nobel Peace laureate.

In the real world, the multilateral corporations? influence on local
government especially dictatorial regimes is minimal. Moreover,
multinationals are unlikely to exercise whatever influence they might
actually have it their intervention adversely affects the efficiency and
profitability of their normal business operations.

What the Burmese people expect from these multinationals is
accountability for their conduct in their own operations and the
operations of their local supplies and strategic partners.
Multinationals must demonstrate that they are not abusing their
bargaining leverage against their workers and the villagers as the
French TOTAL is doing in Tenasserim division. Burmese workers should not
be treated as if they were appendages to machines and disposable humans
as the German arms and heavy industry in the West Bank of the Irrawaddy
River are doing. As leaders of European Corporate they should help
workers enhance their skills via investments in human capital. If all
these are implemented then there is no question of ILO coming to Rangoon
or threatening to take punitive actions.

If the European Corporate can easily implement human rights in their
respective country why can?t they do less under condition that cry for
human decency and fairness, and still call themselves socially
responsible? The leading European governments should stop calling wolf,
when they themselves are wolves in sheepskin if they don?t want to face
the wrath of the Burmese people and suffer the loss of public trust
including its shareholders at home. Corporate Europe, especially working
in the oil industry should note that it is already enough that the Junta
has subjugated the Burmese people. At least the EU should not encourage
their multinationals on the Junta?s behalf.

(The author, a former Foreign Affairs Secretary to the Prime Minister of
the Union of Burma is a Distinguished Visiting Professor at the Faculty
of International Development Studies, University of Winnipeg, Canada.)


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<b><font size=+2>European Corporate Interest</font></b>
<p>By: <b>Kanbawza Win</b>
<br>Mizzima News Group <font color="#3333FF">(www.mizzima.com)</font>
<p><b>Winnipeg, Canada,</b> December 11, 2000: "Business always over rules
conscience and morality" was once again demonstrated when the European
Union (EU) and ASEAN began their 13th ASEAN-EU ministerial-level meeting
in Vientiane today.
<p>This is despite the fact that EU vigorously condemn repressive measures
taken by the Junta against the democratic movement led Nobel Peace Laureate
Daw Aung San Suu Kyi. Even though she was virtually placed under house
arrest, Europe is unable and unwilling to pressure its corporate sector.
<p>EU ministers have not attended a ministerial meeting with ASEAN since
the 1997 admission of Myanmar that refuses to recognize a 1990 election
results in which the pro democracy groups won more than 82% of the vote.
In spite of the European governments? high sounding rhetoric on the virtues
of democracy the multinationals apparently have the last word.
<p>Taking a page out of ASEAN?s Constructive Engagement policy the multinationals
have justified increased international trade and the globalization of economic
activity on the grounds that they lead to economic growth and prosperity
and contribute to the fostering of democratic institutions. Such untenable
claims have proved hollow in Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Malaysia, China etc.
The US alone has invested $85 billion in China and yet one would be hard
pressed to find commensurate gains in democratic institutions or the enhancement
of human tights in China (not to mention Burma). It is widely known that
the French company TOTAL, partly owned by the French Government, has invested
in the offshore oil drilling in Burma giving the Junta annually $400 million
just for the right of extraction. The French were very worried over the
disruption of EU-ASEAN meeting, and so it was no wonder when Verdine (the
French Foreign Minister) commented would be like "shooting ourselves in
the foot" by linking the ASEAN dialogue with the question of human rights
in Burma. This is typical French thinking that overwhelms the whole European
community
<p>Britain, with its interest in the Premier Oil would not oppose this
new round of talk either. This make a mockery of James Mawdsley, a British,
?lone ranger? who suffered 415 days in solitarily confinement of Burmese
jail, just to tell the true story of the Junta to the world. The British
government?s short memory still indicates its obsession with ruling the
waves. Instead it eulogizes the role of Premier Oil in the release of James
Mawdsley.
<p>The attitude of the German government has been known since 1991 in Luxembourg
when German Foreign Minister, Klaus Kinkle, borrowing some of the human
rights stance of the Nazi, elevated the bilateral relations at the Karlsruhe
meeting in 1994 and skillfully showed his "superior race mentality" by
not taking up human rights, nor democracy issues. "The theory of Lebensraum"
has made its presence felt even in the EU-ASEAN meeting. What more proof
is wanted when Germany will be the only major country in EU that will be
represented by its Foreign Minister. Britain will send its junior Minister
John Battle and even France will not send its Foreign Minister but will
be represented by its minister of International Co-operation
<p>The fact is that in Europe, multinationals depend on democratic systems
of governance, the rule of law and open societies to protect their interest
and enable them to operate. These multinational corporations make enormous
profits in countries like Burma where authoritarian regimes deliver on
the promise of discipline labour, low wages and lax controls on environmental
protection and human rights.
<p>The Burmese people know that these corporations go to foreign countries
first and foremost to make money. All else is secondary. The Burmese people
do not expect them to justify their conduct on an ideal of supporting democratic
institutions or the Burmese Nobel Peace laureate.
<p>In the real world, the multilateral corporations? influence on local
government especially dictatorial regimes is minimal. Moreover, multinationals
are unlikely to exercise whatever influence they might actually have it
their intervention adversely affects the efficiency and profitability of
their normal business operations.
<p>What the Burmese people expect from these multinationals is accountability
for their conduct in their own operations and the operations of their local
supplies and strategic partners. Multinationals must demonstrate that they
are not abusing their bargaining leverage against their workers and the
villagers as the French TOTAL is doing in Tenasserim division. Burmese
workers should not be treated as if they were appendages to machines and
disposable humans as the German arms and heavy industry in the West Bank
of the Irrawaddy River are doing. As leaders of European Corporate they
should help workers enhance their skills via investments in human capital.
If all these are implemented then there is no question of ILO coming to
Rangoon or threatening to take punitive actions.
<p>If the European Corporate can easily implement human rights in their
respective country why can?t they do less under condition that cry for
human decency and fairness, and still call themselves socially responsible?
The leading European governments should stop calling wolf, when they themselves
are wolves in sheepskin if they don?t want to face the wrath of the Burmese
people and suffer the loss of public trust including its shareholders at
home. Corporate Europe, especially working in the oil industry should note
that it is already enough that the Junta has subjugated the Burmese people.
At least the EU should not encourage their multinationals on the Junta?s
behalf.
<p><b>(The author, a former Foreign Affairs Secretary to the Prime Minister
of the Union of Burma is a Distinguished Visiting Professor at the Faculty
of International Development Studies, University of Winnipeg, Canada.)</b>
<br>&nbsp;</html>

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