Burma/Japan

[moe@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]

DATE=2/27/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-227364
TITLE=JAPAN/ BURMA (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=THOMAS CALDWELL
DATELINE=TOKYO
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:  

INTRO: HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS AND BURMESE EXILES IN JAPAN SAY 
THEY ARE CONCERNED THE JAPANESE  GOVERNMENT WILL SOON  RESUME 
DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE LOANS TO THE BURMESE MILITARY GOVERNMENT. 
AS THOMAS CALDWELL REPORTS FROM TOKYO, THE ACTIVISTS ARE CALLING 
ON JAPAN TO CONTINUE ITS BAN ON AID TO BURMA.

TEXT:   JAPANESE NEWSPAPERS AND MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT SAY THE 
GOVERNMENT IS PLANNING  TO EXTEND A SO-CALLED OFFICIAL 
DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE LOAN OF NEARLY 20 MILLION DOLLARS TO THE 
BURMESE GOVERNMENT.  THE MONEY WOULD BE EARMARKED FOR REPAIR WORK
AT RANGOON'S INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT.   

THE MOVE -- WHICH HAS NOT BEEN OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCED BY THE 
GOVERNMENT -- WOULD EFFECTIVELY END JAPAN'S DECADE-LONG FREEZE ON
LOANS TO THE COUNTRY, THAT BEGAN AFTER A BLOODY MILITARY 
CRACKDOWN ON PRO-DEMOCRACY DEMONSTRATORS IN 1988. THE MAIN REASON
GIVEN  FOR RENEWING AID IS THAT THE RUNWAY AT THE NATION'S 
PRIMARY PORT OF ENTRY HAS BECOME DANGEROUS TO TRAVELERS, AND 
FIXING IT WOULD BE A HUMANITARIAN ACT.   

MEMBERS OF THE BURMESE COMMUNITY IN JAPAN, MANY OF WHOM BECAME 
EXILES FOLLOWING THE MILITARY CRACKDOWN 10 YEARS AGO, SAY THEY 
ARE INCENSED BY THE REPORTS.  ANG THU, EDITOR AND CHIEF OF THE 
VOICE OF BURMA, A BURMESE LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER PUBLISHED IN TOKYO, 
HAS BEEN LIVING IN JAPAN FOR SIX YEARS. HE SAYS HE FLED HIS 
HOMELAND FOLLOWING HIS RELEASE FROM CUSTODY FOR HIS PART IN THE 
1988 DEMOCRATIC UPRISING IN RANGOON.  MR. THU SAYS JAPAN SHOULD 
NOT PAY FOR THE REPAIR OF RANGOON'S RUNWAY.

             // THU ACT // 

 THEY CAN BUILD RANGOON RUNWAY BY THEMSELVES. I DON'T THINK THEY 
NEED THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT TO SUPPORT THIS.

            //END ACT// 

KEN KAWASAKI, THE DIRECTOR OF THE BURMA RELIEF CENTER IN JAPAN, 
WHICH ASSISTS BURMESE REFUGEES, SAYS FUNDING THE AIRPORT REPAIR 
PROJECT WOULD BENEFIT JAPANESE INDUSTRY AND THE BURMESE MILITARY 
GOVERNMENT, AT THE EXPENSE OF THE BURMESE PEOPLE.

            // KAWASAKI ACT //

 ANY LOANS SIMPLY GO TO ENRICH THEM AND PROLONG THEIR POWER. 
JAPANESE CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES, TRADING COMPANIES WANT TO 
ESTABLISH THEMSELVES AND TO HAVE BUSINESS THERE. AND IF THE 
JAPANESE GOVERNMENT IS LOANING MONEY TO THE MILITARY GOVERNMENT, 
WHO WILL TURN AROUND AND GIVE IT TO A JAPANESE COMPANY, THEN THEY
ARE BENEFITING; BUT THE PEOPLE CERTAINLY ARE NOT GOING TO 
BENEFIT.

           //END ACT//

SEVERAL MEMBERS OF THE RULING LIBERAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY EXPRESSED 
DISMAY AT THE REPORTS OF THE RESUMPTION OF ASSISTANCE TO BURMA. 
THERE ARE PLANS FOR A DISCUSSION OF THE ISSUE IN PARLIAMENT NEXT 
WEEK. (SIGNED)

NEB/TC/GC/FC/WFR



27-Feb-98 5:52 AM EST (1052 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
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