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Why Only Pepsi -- from soc.culture.



Subject: Why Only Pepsi -- from soc.culture.Burma

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This just appeared on soc.culture.Burma.  Would someone like to reply
pithily?  (Cobun Tun?!)

We find plenty of junk on that newsgroup sometimes but perhaps people are
influenced! 

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Reply-To: ingameeik@xxxxxxx (Inga Meeik) 
Newsgroups: soc.culture.burma 
Subject: Pepsi ! Out of Myanmar, only-why? 
Date: 18 Apr 1996 02:07:21 -0400 
Organization: America Online, Inc. (1-800-827-6364) 
Message-ID: <4l4m6p$rid@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>

PEPSI! OUT OF MYANMAR, ONLY-WHY?
   Being a U.S citizen for a quarter of a century with an origin
from Burma/ Myanmar, I have much interest in the
developments taking place in the country since  the previous
Socialist  Government  collapsed.  I have been studying with a
lot of interest through the U.S media and of course the
Myanmar media as well. But I must admit that through my
experience the best way to really understand the country is to
go there to see things for oneself. Because just by reading
materials through others writings or visualizing through their
lens is very difficult or to put it in other words, unrealistic to
get the true picture.

  After the military government took over the country in 1988,
unfortunately we in the U.S had to learn about what is going
on in  Myanmar mainly from the western media and from
some people  who claim that they have good sources of
information from within Myanmar. The situation we hear from
them sounds like Myanmar is a pure hell governed by fanatics
and thugs. Of course, we had  no choice but to take it for
granted that these are hard solid facts and naturally,
anti-SLORC sentiments grew  among us. We even heralded
those who claim to have escaped from the clutches of the
military government and contributed funds and attended
seminars held by those individuals and groups in many U.S
cities. 

But later on beginning from about 1991/1992 the country
opened its doors and welcomed all the Myanmar people living
in various countries abroad to come to visit the country and
even granted Myanmar citizenship to those who desired to
have it back.

In the economic sector, Myanmar changed her Socialist
Economy to Market Economy and more importantly,
encouraged the private business sector, especially the
Myanmar entrepreneurs to develop and modernize their skills.

  So to put it all on a silver platter we travelled to Myanmar
frequently and have talked to people from all walks of life
there. We have also visited many areas outside of the capital
where our relatives and friends reside. To our amazement
when we first arrived in Yangon in 1992 we were all very
pleasantly surprised to see for ourselves that Yangon is totally
different from the way our media and the people we admired
and heralded had presented to us. We later travelled to various
places in the country meeting and talking with whomever we
come across. Of course,  we met some  people who were totally
against the military government and presented us with the
similar picture we were presented in the U.S before coming to
Myanmar; and some who were against or not in favour of
some of the policies the government was implementing and
also some who were quite neutral ( the wait and see type ). 

But to my amazement the majority of its citizens were very
optimistic and confident of the new policies their government
has implemented and many of them were happy with the
steadily developing economy especially the private sectors. It
is also with much delight that I have learnt about the
privatization of the business sector the government is now 
implementing and statistic say that about  70 percent of the
foreign exchange earned last year was made by the private
sector and the rest was a combination of co-ops and
government sector.

   Whether Myanmar is a full fledged democratic country or
not is not the arguing point at this moment. What we have to
keep in our mind is that a high percentage of business is now in
the hands of the private business sector and these are the
people who are now steadily growing and forming a strong
middle class level.

  I do hope we in the United States do not forget that a strong
educate middle class is essential in building up a democracy.
True and stable democracy will not come to a country with a
big lower class. We must also remember that the upper class is
always well - off whether it may be democracy, autocracy or
what so ever. 

Our concern should concentrate on the middle class and
encourage them to become a big and strong growing class. But
to my dismay, I have been reading about the Havard
University incident where Pepsi was being boycotted for
having its business in Myanmar. I do also feel sad to learn that
the American College kids are now being misled by the same
group of people who had once misled us. Fortunately for us,
we have managed to see the whole scenario from various
angles and cannot be misguided again. 

   More importantly, let me point out that Pepsi in Myanmar is
being operated by the private sector and it is the same sector
and class we the people from the land of democracy is suppose
to encourage and support. But the trend the Havard University
is taking is like finishing off the innocent private entrepreneur
because they dislike his government.

  If, we Americans are very much pro-human rights, why do
we not boycott Pepsi for doing business in China, Vietnam,
Indonesia, Saudi Arabia and many other countries that we feel
are undemocratic.

  In conclusion, on behalf of the sensible, pragmatic Americans
of Myanmar origin, I would like to ask the Havard University
why they chose only Myanmar from the vast list of
undemocracies, military governments and human rights
abusers. Come on Havard, Wake-up! Please do not try to earn
ourselves the title of " Mr. Double Standards, Weak Country
Bashers or Mr. Goliath " just for the sake of fulfilling the
interest of a group of people with their own agendas.

Thank You.
A.K. Ye Naung
  L.A  (   U.S.A.)
                    


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