[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index
][Thread Index
]
BurmaNet News April 22 FBC Update
- Subject: BurmaNet News April 22 FBC Update
- From: strider@xxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Sun, 21 Apr 1996 17:03:00
Received: (from strider) by igc2.igc.apc.org (8.7.5/8.7.3) id RAA03115; Sun, 21 Apr 1996 17:00:38 -0700 (PDT)
Date: Sun, 21 Apr 1996 17:00:38 -0700 (PDT)
------------------------ BurmaNet ------------------------
"Appropriate Information Technologies, Practical Strategies"
----------------------------------------------------------
The BurmaNet News: April 22, 1996:
SPECIAL ISSUE - FREE BURMA CAMPAIGN UPDATE
Issue #389
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BURMANET EDITOR'S NOTE:
This is only a partial update of everything that has been happening in the
Free Burma Campaign over the last month. Updates on FBC activities
are compiled and posted approximately once a month.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HEADLINES:
==========
THE PEPSI CAMPAIGN
SELECTIVE PURCHASING RESOLUTIONS
HEINEKEN BOYCOTT CAMPAIGN
BEYOND RANGOON AVAILABLE FOR SHOWINGS
FREE BURMA CAMPAIGN PACKETS
TOTAL AND YOUR LOCAL FRENCH CONSULATE
FBC REPORTS FROM OTHER CAMPUSES
FBC: RE-ORGANIZED FOCUS GROUPS
FBC'S INVITATION TO OCTOBER 1996 WORLDWIDE HUNGER STRIKE
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
THE PEPSI CAMPAIGN
BURMANET EDITOR'S INTRODUCTION:
Students at approximately 75 schools around the United States are now
involved in the Pepsi Boycott Campaign. Actions range from pasting
appeals on Pepsi machines to convincing campus dining services to stop
purchasing Pepsi and lobbying for university trustees to support shareholder
resolutions condemning Pepsi and other companies for doing business in
Burma.
The All Burma Students Democratic Front has called for a global boycott
of Pepsi, and the International Union of Students and Asian Students
Association have joined many, many organizations in endorsing this
boycott.
Since Harvard decided against a contract with Pepsi because of its dealings
in Burma, there has been extensive media coverage on the Pepsi Campaign
including stories in the International Herald Tribune, Washington Post, and
the Journal of Commerce. The BBC also did a story on the campaign on
April 18, 1996. The Voice of America (Burmese Language Program)
broadcast news of the Free Burma Campaign worldwide in two part series
in late March.
FBC: OVERALL PEPSI STRATEGY
from zni@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
1. Make the Pepsi boycott a national SEAC (Student Environmental Action
Coalition) campaign.
2. Focus on a DOLLAR GOAL. Pepsi made about $5.6 million in Burma in
1995. U.S. sales exceed $10 billion. SEAC can make a joint statement with
the Free Burma Coalition saying we will target more than $6 million worth
of Pepsi contracts for denial and/or cancellation. Concerned shareholder
groups can bring this to the attention of the other shareholders. When they
realize that Pepsi is going to lose more money over stubbornness in Burma than
they're actually MAKING in Burma, the shareholders will want some answers.
Consider how far we are towards that goal: Harvard Food Service's
cancellation already covers the first $1 million! Hopefully we'll get some
figures on what a Taco Bell at Stanford would have meant for Pepsi, and we
can start to get an estimate on Pepsi's numbers at all the campuses where
groups are working anti-Pepsi boycotts.
Maybe someone would be willing to work on a graphic that could be posted on
one of the web sites showing a tall white bar with red going up to the total
boycotted dollar amount to date -- like a telethon. Only $4.6 miilion left to document...
----------------------------------------------------------------------
PEPSI'S FORM LETTER
Below is Pepsi's form letter sent to all persons and groups who directly
write questioning their policies in Burma. It is also sent to any admistration
that questions their policy in Burma. It is very poorly written and ill-informed.
Mr. Peter Webber, Director of Auxiliary Services
Syracuse University
Dear Mr. Webber:
I am writing to explain Pepsi-Cola Company's business dealings in Burma.
Pepsi-Cola's and PepsiCo's business around the world is conducted
lawfully and within guidelines set by the State Department and other
agencies of the U.S. government. We do not establish our own
country-by-country foreign policy. As you can imagine, we do not agree
with every government or system. On the other hand, we strongly believe
that over the long term, trade is a positive factor in opening up markets
and liberalizing systems.
We neither invest in nor support political or military systems of
government. (nice huh?) We invest in businesses and people. In the case
of Burma, we are not in business with the Burmese government. In fact,
we compete with the government, which before our arrival had a monopoly
on soft drinks. We are the minority investor in a local privately owned
joint venture called Pepsi Products Myanmar. The venture provides jobs
to local people, buys products from local farmers, and contributes to
sports and youth programs in Burma. (can you guys believe this!?!?!?!)
Thank you for the opportunity to explain our business in Burma.
Sincerely,
David Egner
Manager, Public Relations
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY'S PEPSI DIVESTMENT MEETING
First off, the Director of Auxillary Services handed us a letter with
Pepsi's statement and basically figured that this would ruin our case. Of
course, we were able to refute just about every line of this letter. (see
above) At that point we were in his office for another hour!
-After listening to us for a while he really began to come around to our
side. He suggested using the university's clout to pressure Pepsi to
pull out of Burma and to use him as a middleman. He also said that SU's and
Penn State's contracts alone are much more than Pepsi's Burma profits.
We are also planning a vigil outside of the building where SU houses Taco
Bell, KFC, and other food places that distribute Pepsi products. We will be
tabling and working on campus-wide awareness too.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ADIRONDACK COMMUNITY COLLEGE
To promote the Free Burma Campaign:
1. Get a copy of the schools/colleges spending portfolio. Find out where
the schools spends their money.
2. Talk to the person in charge of the food/drink. My school is small so it
was just one person. The food service department is usually a good place to
start. Find out when the Pepsi contract is up. Price isn't the issue. I have
personally contacted other distributers and they told me that they would
honor any other price of any other distibutor. I told that to the person in
charge and he said "awesome, all it will take now is for the school to want
to change." So..to do this we have created a petition simply stateing that
the undersigned people would prefer that Pepsi be taken off campus and
Coke/Adirondack Soda/Canada Dry be brought in. In the eyes of the school
they want to make money so if 1/3 of the students sign this it would probably
be all we need.
3. Write a letter to the schools senate expressing your views of Pepsi. Once
you convince the senate then, with the senates backing you can write a letter
to the dean or whoever the next step up is.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WARREN WILSON COLLEGE
contact: ghobart@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
We are planning a hugh action for the Pepsi Boycott on campus. We
will be doing a display at our annual Spring Festival in April. We
will be video taping this event and hope to attract media attention of
the Burma situation here. The Dean of Students said that she is under no
contract with Pepsi and if students want the machines removed than she
will order them off campus.
A college development adminstrator informed us that Pepsi -Asheville, NC
contacted the college and were stressed over our Pepsi Boycott campaign.
Pepsi said that either the college tell our group to cool it, or Pepsi will
pull out of Warren Wilson permanently.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
STUDENTS FOR A DEMOCRATIC BURMA AT PENN STATE
The primary organizing approach of the Students for a Democratic Burma
at Penn State University is to continue pressuring PSU to vote its shares in
Pepsico against Pepsi management and in favor of shareholder resolution 6,
a human rights code of conduct resolution which specifically focuses on
Pepsi's involvement in Burma.
At our last meeting, an AP wire photographer took pictures of the
meeting for inclusion with a wire story on the Free Burma Campaign.
The photo coverage we've been afforded has to do with a catchy
phrase that we've been using, "the choice of a new genocide", that
caught the attention of the AP assignment editors. We would encourage the
use of catchy counter advertising phrases in order to take advantage of
Pepsi's high public in order for people to connect with the situtation in Burma.
We are beginning to hear daily that our efforts in this regard are paying off.
Our long term objectives are:
* To get Penn State University to adopt selective purchasing with regards to
corporations in Burma;
* to vote against PepsiCo management in the proxy item on human rights; and
to issue a statement against PepsiCo's support of the SLORC dictatorship
in Burma
Spring, 1995:
* We researched Penn State's investments in Burma. When we asked if PSU
had direct stock in Pepsi, they lied but we caught them
* We staged a "die-in" protest where we went to where many students already
were lounging on an open field, held signs, had a few speakers speak
briefly, and then all fell down, dead. The reporters liked it...
* Major pieces ran in our school paper and the paper's editorial board took
up our cause and pressured student government to get involved in our issue.
* Boycott Pepsi stickers found their way onto machines across campus.
Fall, 1995:
* I researched the Alumni Association to find out about their sponsorship of
a trip to Burma and used that information to revitalize the Pepsi/Burma campaign.
* Undergraduate Student Government came out strongly against the Alumni
Association and recommended that students boycott them
* Major news coverage detailed the Alumni Association's role in Burma.
Although they followed through with the trip, there is essentially zero
chance that they will risk doing such a thing next year.
* We had members of Amnesty and Womyn's Concerns help chalk up the
sidewalks and streets of the university with dead body outlines and numerous
slogans regarding PepsiCo State University's marriage.
* We crashed the homecoming parade with a protest at Pizza Hut (along the
parade route) where we flyered the crowd, parents and all.
* By this point, it was common knowledge among Penn State's 40,000 students
that Pepsi (quite prevalent on campus) was involved with a dictatorship in
Burma. Students across campus were requesting info from us for papers,
speeches and documentaries on Pepsi/Burma.
Spring, 1996:
* We gave the university an ultimatum to provide us with their position on
our demands by the end of January and had this printed in the paper.
* We succeeded in getting information through to the Alumni traveling to
Burma before they left for the trip.
* We held a viewing of a video detailing the use of slave labor to support
travel to Burma.
* The university responded to our ultimatum within the time we gave them,
taking the same position in favor of constructive engagement, even though
our new president is quite progressive, having helped house Nelson Mendela
in South Africa when his family lived there.
* We attacked this hypocrisy in a large story in the campus' alternative
paper, Voices. The cover was a mockery of Penn State's logo: "PepsiState:
Penn State and PepsiCo's Investment in Tyranny." This is still on racks
throughout the campus.
* To celebrate the anniversary of the first student gunned down in Burma
(March 13th), we hung our banner (legally) in the center of campus... "Pepsi
out of Burma -- The Choice of a New Genocide -- Students for a Democratic
Burma." This was covered in the papers.
* That night, we held a public viewing of "Beyond Rangoon."
* Currently, we are working on a call-in campaign to the university president
* We just held a panel discussion with Josef Silverstein (expert on Burmese
history), Ohmar Khin (former Burmese student; co-founder of All Burma
Students Democratic Movement; current research associated for Refugees
International), and Joseph La Mar (Maryknoll's Social Responsibility
Investment Coordinator). Penn State's person in charge of investments
showed up to check out what we were up to!
* The campus paper has taken it up themselves to run a number of political
cartoons, periodically, mocking the university's ties to PepsiCo, Nike and
other large corporations.
* We're considering threatening to protest Penn State's graduation ceremonies
if they don't vote the right way this year with their PepsiCo stock.
* Other tactics under consideration are a statewide letter-to-the-editor
effort to get the word into every parent and Penn State football fan's
newspaper about Penn State and slavery in Burma.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NYU BIG SLAM PEPSI
Yesterday (April 15) NYU Earth Matters held a demostration with street
theater in front of the student center where Pepsico Subsidiaries reside.
We passed out over 200 flyers and collected signitures on a petition to give
Pepsi the boot.
Our demo recieved front page coverage in the Washington Square News (NYU
Daily with 25,000 circulation)
Representatives from the administration and protection services met with
our advisor before the demo to try and find out "What they're planning on
doing" They then offered us a microphone and PA in the student center for
our next demonstration.
We are having a Beyond Rangoon screening tomorrow and another demo
next week.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
STANFORD REJECTED TACO BELL, PASSED BURMA RESOLUTION
Greg Wright, Stanford junior who is with the Student for Environmental
Action at Stanford, said, "The Free Burma campaign at Stanford has gained
a lot of momentum with recent victories. About 2,000 students signed a
petition to reject to have Taco Bell as a restaurant at our student union
because of their parent company PepsiCo's involvement in Burma.
Associated Students Stanford University has passed a selective
purchasing agreement and they have urged Stanford University to vote in
favor of shareholder resolutions which promote human rights and democracy
in Burma and call on corporations to withdraw from that country. The vote
was 9 to 6.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BOSTON COLLEGE - GET PEPSI OFF MY CAMPUS!!!
I am a co-director of Amnesty International at Boston College, and in
coordination with the Environmental Action Center on campus, AIBC has
begun the second year of trying to eliminate Pepsico purchasing by the
campus dining services. We have met with dining services numerous times
and have been continually met with the motto 'let the consumer decide'.
We have been tabling in the dining halls and simply offering information
and trying to spread the word of Pepsico's abuses. Recently, we have spoken
to the undergraduate government and tried to unite with other clubs and have
recieved some support. We have also begun petitioning the students
(three hundred signatures this month) in order to present our opposition to
pepsico to the trustees and offered information to those with stock in pepsico
about shareholder resolutions.
We will be raising the issue supported by the petition at the next
trustee/board meeting in late April, and are currently planning more visual,
hopefully intense rallies in the academic quads and at the earth day festival,
as well as trying to contact sales representatives for non-pepsico snack
products to offer concrete alternative options to the board.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
SIENA COLLEGE, NEW YORK
I'm a student at Siena College and president of our enviro club, Students for
a Better World. We are just starting our campaign to get Pepsico off campus.
April 20th is our earth day festival, so we will be getting signatures then.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
INDIANA UNIVERSITY
The Indiana Uuniversity Administrators are just considering bringing Taco
Bell to campus dorms. The Burmese Student Association has written to
them asking that they refrain from contracting with PepsiCo. subsidiaries
due to Pepsi's business investment and participation in Burma.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HIGH SCHOOL GROUP IN LAWRENCE, KANSAS
>From: Superfly <superfly@xxxxxxx>
Right now, we are in the midst of getting petitions filled out by
kids at my school.. If we get 1/4 of the kids signatures to have Pizza
Hut removed, then we will have it removed.. After that, we are gonna
start working on Frito Lay, then Pepsi drinks.. I gave a presentation to
the student council on Mynamar, and they all seemed pretty interested,
and wanted to work on this issue together.. Luckily, the student council
at my school controls the vending machines, and they choose what goes in
and out!! So, after the Pizza Hut ordeal goes down, we will work together
with them to nuke all other pepsi co. products..
------------------------------------------------------------------------
PEPSI UNOCAL STICKERS STILL AVAILABLE
Pepsi-Unocal stickers are still available, but supplies are low, so get your
orders in, esp. now when Pepsi is weakening! Max order size is 1000 for now.
If you're interested in ordering 5000+, talk to us about a discount in the
next printing. Stickers cost US$1.00 for 5, $10.00 per 100, and $90 per 1000,
shipping included in above costs. For Canada please add US$1.00 per 100 for
shipping. Overseas add $2.50 for shipping. Send checks to Burma Action
Committee, PO Box 1926, Portland OR 97207. First orders are shipped upon
receipt of checks, later orders are shipped upon request.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PEPSI/BURMA BOYCOTT T-SHIRTS
We have Pepsi/Burma Boycott shirts at JMU- they are red w/ white
lettering reading on the front "Boycott Pepsi" with a picture of a hand
in shackles, and on the back "Free the Burmese People" and under that
"Slavery is NOT the Choice of Our Generation". I get alot of comments
when I where mine- they do stand out!
If interestested - my e-mail address is <abercrew@xxxxxxx> they are $8 each.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CARLETON UNIVERSITY
contact: Len Bush and Corinne Baumgarten, OPIRG-Carleton
During the past months, our group has initiated a letter-writing campaign
to raise awareness about the PepsiCo Boycott in other high schools and
post-secondary education systems.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
other campus groups that are working on the Pepsi Boycott campaign:
CONNECTICUT COLLEGE
UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO
SOUTH HIGH SCHOOL, COLUMBUS CITY, INDIANA
NORTH HIGH SCHOOL, COLUMBUS CITY, INDIANA
******************************************************
SELECTIVE PURCHASING RESOLUTIONS
On April 15, 1996 Ann Arbor, Michigan (home of University of Michigan)
became the fourth city in the United States to pass Burma Economic
Sanctions Resolutions.
RESOLVED, The Ann Arbor City Council hereby establishes a policy
prohibiting contracts for personal services with those who do business in
Burma and prohibiting the purchase of any goods produced in Burma or
provided by those who do business in Burma;
RESOLVED, That a business supplying goods or services to the City
shall be required to state that it, its parent, subsidiaries or franchises
do not counduct business in Burma (Myanmar);
RESOLVED, This resolution shall not apply if the City Administration
makes a finding both that the particular goods or services to be supplied
are necessary for the efficient operation of the City or for the health,
safety and welfare of the public and that no comparable product is
available from another or without incurring substantial additional cost; and
RESOLVED, That this resolution shall apply to all purchases of
goods and service solicited after April 15, 1996.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
SAN FRANCISCO RESOLUTION PASSES FIRST READING
On April 15th, the Board of Supervisors of San Francisco also voted
unanimously for passing the Burma selective purchasing legislation at the
first reading. The two (significant) hits of the legislation are UNOCAL
(current contract @ $98,000.00) and UPS (current contract @ $28,0000.00).
The second reading (proforma) is on April 22. After the second reading, the
legislation needs to be approved by the mayor within 10 days. Oakland
is considering similar legislation next week.
Three other cities that already passed similar bills are Berkeley, CA
(February 29, 1995), Madison, WI (August 17, 1995), and Santa Monica
(November 30, 1995).
Other US cities where similar selective purchasing bills will be considered
include:
New York City Cambridge, MA
Chapel Hill North Carolina Seattle, WA
Normal, Oklahoma Minneapolis, MN
Tempe, Arizona St Louis, MO
Bloomington, Indiana (first hearing will be this summer)
********************************************************
HEINEKEN BOYCOTT CAMPAIGN
A SEED Europe: Boycott Heineken Campaigners in Europe
Our Heineken campaign is still going strong, at least press wise,
but we want to start a boycott on a global level soon (May, June),
because they don't want to listen to us. We will publish an ad in some
Dutch newspapers, calling on Heineken to leave Burma.
SEAC National, a US-based student environmental coalition has also
signed on to the petition against Heineken.
A SEED Europe
P.O.Box 92066, 1090 AB Amsterdam, The Netherlands
tel. +31 20 6682236 fax. +31 20 6650166
********************************************************
BEYOND RANGOON AVAILABLE FOR SHOWINGS
Thanks to Bill Rubenstein, the script writer of the movie, we have received
copies of Beyond Rangoon (the video version) from the Castle Rock.
FYI: Beyond Rangoon is banned in Burma and United Nations officials
would not let the showing of Beyond Rangoon in the UN building because
they did not want to "offend the member state" (in other words, SLORC).
Our colleagues in countries where Beyond Rangoon is not available at
rental stores will be given first priority. They include: Japan, Canada,
Australia, New Zealand, Switzerland, Slovenia, Germany, Finland, England,
France, the Netherlands, and Norway
For those in the US, if your group wants to do the screening, the Castle
Rock is prepared to ship the film reel for free of charge. We can collect
donations for our campaigns, if your group is interested in using Beyond
Rangoon as a fundraiser. Please send me a note at zni@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
if your group wished to do the screening and we will get the reel in
several days.
The only restriction: we can not show the movie on any TV station. That
would be the violation of copyrights.
******************************************************
FREE BURMA CAMPAIGN PACKETS
1. INTRODUCTION TO FBC PACKET: for outreach purposes
*Intro FBC packet* is meant for any individual or groups--students, labor,
environmental, religious, women's rights, human rights, or otherwise--that
wish to start a Free Burma campaign in their localities. Info on just
about every Free Burma campaign is provided with referral info to
coordinators. For instance, there is info on how to work on selective
purchacing ordinace in a city. If people need more info on a particular
campaign, they can contact the coordinator/resource person of that
campaign. There IS a wealth of info in the packet including major relevant
articles which can be used for various actions (e.g., writing an op ed
piece in a newspaper, getting on radio talk show, giving a speech, and
writing to different authorities and corporate executives).
Along with the packet, we will ship a videotape which contains a 12" BBC
documentary, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi's Keynote speech at the NGO's forum at
Beinjing Women Conference (17"), and a 10" edited footage on various Free
Burma protest rallies in the U.S
2. TRUSTEES PACKET: Burma packet for university trustees/regents and
procurement officers.
*Trustees' packet* is designed for our groups that are working with (or
against) university authorities at various levels, from the Board of
Regents to Dining Services director to alumni association directors. It
has major Human Rights documents put out by U.S. State Department, Amnesty
International, Human Rights Watch (Asia Division), letters from
corporations which withdrew from Burma citing human rights reasons, Daw
Aung San Suu Kyi's letters, Desmond Tutu's call for economic sanctions,a
testimony before the US House sub-committee on foreign relations, UN
Special Rappoteur's Report, a copy of House Version of Burma Freedom and
Democracy Act, and selective articles from "respectable" newspapers, etc.
The whole thing is bound neatly at Kinko's.
Also a sample cover letter is enclosed seperately so that you can tailor or
modify it to your institution.
******************************************************
TOTAL AND YOUR LOCAL FRENCH CONSULATE
You may be in an area where there are no UNOCAL or TOTAL gas stations,
but you can make a tremendous impact on Total with a visit with your local
French consulate. The consulates in the U.S. were hit pretty hard on the
nuclear testing issue, and while it didn't exactly stop the tests, it will
mean that the French government will think twice before testing nukes again.
With all of the violence, forced labor and forced relocations recently
reported in the pipeline area, it's important for us to keep the pressure on
Total, Unocal and SLORC. We hope that the yet-unscheduled forced labor
hearings in Europe will bring Total's complicity to light and embarass the
French leaders about this project. But we can also help create some
momentum by a) arranging meetings with local French consuls general, and
b) arranging demonstrations against the Unocal/Total pipeline at the consulates.
These could happen on the same day.
CALL TOTAL AND LET THEM KNOW WHAT YOU THINK
ABOUT THEIR PIPELINE PROJECT IN BURMA
Here is a U.S.-based toll free number for Total Petroleum:
1-800-525-9091
********************************************************
FBC REPORTS FROM OTHER CAMPUSES
UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA
Here at the University of ARizona the FBC chapter has had a busy and fast
passed start. In February SEAC and Amnesty International had a free
showing of "Beyond Rangoon" and asked if anyone wanted to help start a
FBC after the movie. Made up of mostly members from SEAC and Amnesty
and some other individuals we quickly became an official campus group. We
made a great "Burma Primer" geared towards UA students and a "Burma
Reader" as well as other info. WE've had a good response from
tabeling and tonight we are showing Aung San Suu Kyi's address to the
Bejing Conf. We want to focus on education for the rest of this semester
and hopefully that will provide a good base for next year.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WARREN WILSON COLLEGE.
On April 19 we are planning an information table in front of the Student
Union about all the great Free Burma campains and actions happening
around the country. This will be the preliminary display to our huge
display and action on April 27th.
Also the Western North Carolina Regional United Nations meeting will be
held here this coming Saturday. I will be holding a discussion session
surrounding the situation in Burma and about our group's actions and
etc. concerning the entire Free Burma campaign.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ABSDO (AUSTRALIA) PROTESTED THAI PM'S BURMA VISIT.
The members of the ABSDO (Australia) rallied in front of the Thai Consulate
in Sydney on 13th of March 96. The protest was started at 12:30 pm and
against Thai Prime Minister Banharn Silpa-archa's official visit to
Burma on 17th of March 96. Joining the protest were ABSDO and
Australian students' NUS (National Union of Students). The protest
released the demands on Thai authorities, international communities and
Australian government;
* To abolish the Constructive Engagement that lead by Thailand.
* To boycott the SLORC' Visit Myanmar Year 1996.
* To promote Economic Sanctions and Arms Embargo.
* To condemn Thai Prime Minister's official visit to Burma.
* To stop the investment of Australian companies in Burma.
* To release Burmese students, who are detained in Thai Detention
Center by the Thai authorities, immediately.
The protesters handed the letter to the representative of Thai High
Commissioner in the office of the Thai Consulate in Sydney. The
protest was finished at 1:30 pm.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
U OF MICHIGAN UPDATE
On March 13, U of M's Amnesty International and Burma Action
Coalition hosted a six hour petition/information drive and a free
showing of Beyond Rangoon and a BBC documentary on Burma.
The petition was written in support of the Burma Freedom and
Democracy Act. We collected over 150 signatures, which will now be
mailed to Michigan Senator Carl Levin with a letter requesting a response.
We distributed a lot of information about the situation in Burma,
as well as talking with many students. Beyond Rangoon was fairly well
attended. We are now aiming to have it and other videos (BBC, A.S.S.K
address, etc.) shown on public television. The day was a great idea and a
wonderful success.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
U. OF ILLINOIS-URBANA - BURMA TALK AND WORKSHOP
from Linda Kwon (UIUC-SEAC)
There was a Burma talk and workshop at the activist training at UIUC in
late March. It was part of a weekend long training that focused on
organizing skills and issue awareness. Friday was a panel discussion that
featured Zarni (FBC coordinator), Nathan (the high school coordinator from
Madison), John Wallace (with Native Forest Nework and Heartwood) and
Joanna Marshall (seacer & works on issues of Anti-semetism) - the purpose
was to illustrate the range of the movement for social change.
Folks from Michigan, Wisconsin, Indiana and Illinois were represented.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BURMA ACTIVISTS IN JAPAN: MARCH 13 ACTION IN JAPAN
Flower Power on Burma Human Rights Day
March 13 is Burma Human Rights Day, and Burmese democracy activists in
Tokyo marked the occasion with a peaceful protest in front of Mitsubishi
headquarters in Otemachi. Protestors handed paper padauk flowers to
Mitsubishi employees on their way to work on Wednesday morning, along with a
letter which explained the conglomerate's involvement with the Burmese
military dictatorship and encouraged Mitsubishi employees to raise the issue
with their company's leadership.
In Osaka on March 20, Burmese Relief Center--Japan, a Nara-based NGO, in
cooperation with U.S.-based Rainforest Action Network, staged a "Haiku
d'Etat" -- an outdoor exhibition of haiku and other artwork spotlighting
Mitsubishi's responsibility for environmental destruction and human rights
violations in developing countries.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AUSTRALIA FREE BURMA ACTION (MARCH 13)
Made a flyer and held a demonstration on 13th March at 75 Pitt Street
Thai Consulate/Thai Airways.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CORNELL UNIVERSITY - BURMA PRESENTATION
On March 7, 1996, Shwe Htee (8.8.88), a Burmese student activist, made a
presentation on the current political situation in Burma at the
International Living Center in Cornell University. Co-sponsored by
Cornell's Amnesty International group, the presentation highlighted issues
of human rights, the refugees, and displacement of ethnic groups in Burma.
The presentation begin with the a video showing of "The Burma Deception"
followed by a question-and answer-period.
Shwe Htee (8.8.88) and I are also working on Amnesty International's
Committee on Burma. We have focused on three major activities: an intense
letter writing campaign to free Burmese students jailed in Burma,
especially, Min Ko Naing, Aung Kyaw Myint, and Saw Sanda Nwe, an "Unchain
Burma" event in which students make paper chains and send them to the
embassy of Burma, and a petition campaign urging United States Senators and
Representatives to support the Freedom and Democracy Act of Burma pending
in Congress.
-----------------------------------------------------------
BURMA ACTION COMMITTEE - CANDIDATE ENDORSES BURMA BILL
>From Brischmidt@aol.
Oregon's District #3 is holding a special election in May to fill a vacancy.
The Republican endorsed 2892 -excerpts from letter to follow. Feel free to use
excerpts to push your reps. along. The heavily favored Democrat has not yet
taken a stance, but we'll try and get it (his staff designed a City Council letter
criticizing doing business in Burma.)
Letter:
April 16, 1996
Dear Brian:
I applaud the Burma Action Committee's efforts to expose, confront, and
stop injustice wherever it is found, and I commend your willingess to reach
out to a broad coalition of individuals, educate them, and appeal to their
common sense.
HR 2892, the Burma Sanctions bill, sponsored by US House member Rep. Dana
Rohrabacher-R and Senator Mitch McConnell-R is a classic example of what can
be done when people who really care about life and liberty focus on the same
objective.
If I am elected to Congress I will co-sponsor and vote for the bill.
Sincerely,
Mark Brunelle
Republican Candidate
US House, Oregon District #3
PO Box 22644, Milwaukie OR 97269
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NEW GROUPS ACTIVE ON BURMA
>From zni@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Madison High Schools, notably West High and Shabazz have been very
active. Five students, Nathan and Leah from West High and three from
Shabazz, went on a local radio station and gave their perspectives on
Burma's struggle for freedom and democracy. They also shared their
involvement in the Free Burma campaign. They have organized successful
protests against Pizza Hut pizza and Pepsi at their schools.
There are also new Free Burma groups at the College-conservatory of
Music in Zurich, Switzerland and in Auckland, New Zealand.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
BURMA ACTION IN FRANCE
>From Christopher Dietrich: cd@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Free Burma Action Group France vigorously condemns the harsh sentences
given on Monday, March 18, to four members of the Burmese political
opposition and said they were not given a fair trial. FBAGF will
communicate this gross human rights outrage to leaders in the French
Government, in the French Parliament, in the oppostion parties, and on the
Web, as well as in its news organ, UVI.net.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NOTRE DAME - AMNESTY INTL CONCERT AND PETITIONS
On April 18, Amnesty International at Notre Dame had its annual
Spring concert. We had a petition available focusing on Burma.
We targeted President Clinton and Indiana congresspersons.
********************************************************
FBC: RE-ORGANIZED FOCUS GROUPS
1) MEDIA (responsible for working with the press, TV media, as well as for
creating webpages or any use of info tech to further the goals of our
movement, or video-documentation) CONTACT: larry dohrs at
dohrs@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx or glen norris at freeburma@xxxxxxxxxx or
alex turner at alturner@xxxxxxxxxx
2) PEPSI {responsible for organizing and coordinating Boycott Pepsi
campaigns around the and dissemination of relevant info amongst FBCs and others
working in coalition with FBC)
CONTACT: brian schmidt at brischmidt@xxxxxxx or reid cooper at
ai268@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx;
3)TOURISM (Responsible for coordinating "Don't Visit Burma" campaign,
stopping US alumni trips, collecting documents, pictures, and other
evidence of the use of slave labor for tourism-related projects) CONTACT:
for europe: yvette at bagp@xxxxxxxxxx or contact (elsewhere): brad simpson
at simpsonb@xxxxxxx;
4) OIL (responsible for coordinating the campaign against oil multinationals
such as Unocal, Texaco, ARCO, and Total).
contact david wolfberg at freebrma@xxxxxxxxxxxxx or
dang ngo at rag@xxxxxxxx or
Contact for France's Total: Chris Dietrich at cd@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
5) DIVESTMENT/SHAREHOLDER/ORDINACE (responsible for getting
anti-apartheid-style city ordinances passed, getting universities to take a
stand on Burma, etc.)
CONTACT: simon billenness at simon_billenness@xxxxxxxxxxxx or
conrad mckennon at 1-800-786-2998
6) FUNDRAISING - CONTACT ann stewart at 75361.1143@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
7) SPEAKERS' BUREAU {creating the list of Burma speakers for various
events in US and Canada (our colleagues in Europe can create something
similar as well) and coordinating speaking events}
CONTACT: zni@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx for us or christine at
cfob@xxxxxxxxxxx for canada
8) OUTREACH AND INTERNATIONAL COORDINATION (bring in new
participants and initiating and coordinating major events worldwide
such as March 13)
CONTACT: zni@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx or ko maung maung than at
hazell@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
9)NEWLY FORMED PRE-COLLEGE FOCUS GROUP:
As the number of pre-college (kindergarten-12 in US) students interested in
Burma increases, we would like to form a pre-college focus group. We
envision the goal of this focus group as doing outreach, networking, info
dissemination, and coordination among pre-college students, teachers,
teacher educators, and school adminisrators)
CONTACT: nathan culwell-kanarek at nculwell@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx or
Leah S. Whitesel at lwhitesel@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
**************************************************************
FBC'S INVITATION TO OCTOBER 1996 WORLDWIDE HUNGER
STRIKE FOR A FREE BURMA
Contrary to the time-honored tradition of tolerance, growth, renewal, and
reconciliation, Burma's ruling military dictators that call themselves the
State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC) have indicated no sign that
they, too, are prepared for genuine reconciliation with forces of
democracy, self-renewal,tolerance, or such constructive act as opening
meaningful diaolgues with the people's leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the
National League for Democracy (NLD).
It is against this background that the Free Burma Coalition wishes to
invite our fellow freedom fighters around the world to:
join us in launching a Worldwide Hunger Strike for a Free Burma
When: Early fall (tentatively in late September or October)
Where: your own locality (i.e., campuses, SLORC's embassies, United Nations
Buildings, consulates and embassies of the goverments of the Association of
South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), corporate headquarters and branch
offices, city councils, state capitols)
Objective: to create a grassroots international outcry with the aim of
building international pressure against SLORC
We in the Free Burma Coalition feel strongly that the time has come for
us to upgrade our movement by attempting to transform the existing one
into a broad-based international mass movement.
To further explain, it is often said that Burma is becoming South Africa of
the '90s. While the extremity of the two cases seems to parallel, Burma,
there are several major factors that distinguish the two. First, unlike
South Africa, Burma shares a 2,000 kilometer border with China whose
equally oppressive government serves as the mentor to SLORC. Second, the
greedy and unprincipled ASEAN and Japanese governments will most likely to
continue with their so-called constructive engagement in the absence of
United Nations-led economic boycott and arms embargoes. Third, the world's
leading democratic governments have paid lip-service to supporting Burma
democratic movement whereas their trade and commerce departments look at
our country as "a new market" having tremendous potential for
commercialization and profiteering. Fourth, Burma lacks the "organic"
historical and racial link with major European and North American countries
which was a major deciding factor for success in the anti-apartheid South
Africa movement. And finally, Burma's regime has survived politically
through the use of naked force and in the absence of foreign investment
over the past threed decades.
A key part of the U.N. General Assembly's Burma Resolution--the toughest
ever-- passed on December 13, 1994, called on the UN secretary-general to
assist the facilitation of a political dialogue between the SLORC,
democratic opposition, and indigenous minorities. So far, the
international community at the governmental level has failed to provide the
UN Secretary-General with adequate support to exert pressure on the SLORC.
In light of the above-mentioned, nothing short of a genuinely grassroots
international outcry/movement will result in the desired outcome:
democratization in Burma. And the first step toward this end is opening
meaningful dailogues between SLORC and forces of democracy led by Daw Aung
San Suu Kyi. This IS the ultimate goal of the movement and one of the
means to accomplish this goal is the call for corporate withdrawal at the
corporate sector and worldwide economic sanctions and arms embargoes.
The proposed Worldwide Hunger Strike will catapault our already growing
grassroots movement onto a higher level in the history of transnational
Free Burma movement.
The details of this plan for Worldwide Hunger Strike are yet to be worked
out. However, the Free Burma Groups in such educational institutions in the
US as Stanford, Indiana University, UCLA, Wisconsin, and Northwestern
University are committed to making this event a resounding success. At
places like the University of Wisconsin-Madison, even department
secretaries and professors have signed up for this worldwide call for
hunger strike. Many Burmese student expatriates will be participating in
the hunger strike and so are their American counterparts.
We feel certain that many of you will stay with us in writing a new chapter
in the Free Burma movement.
Free Burma Coalition
***********************************************************