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Burmese Students Denounce Japan For (r)



Yes, it is right time to denounce Japan. I still unable to see how Japan 
will help democracy if ever. I wish they do not use my tax money to 
secure survival of their old friend.

>Myanmar students denounce Japan for providing loans
>
>.c Kyodo News Service    
>
>BANGKOK, Feb. 27 (Kyodo) - The All-Burma Students' Democratic Front (ABSDF)
>blasted Japan on Friday for its plan to provide loans to Myanmar's ruling
>junta. 
>
>''To the dismay and disappointment of Burmese democrats, the Japanese 
>Ministry
>of Foreign Affairs announced on Feb. 26, 1998, to resume official development
>assistance (ODA) to the military junta in Burma, officially known as the 
>State
>Peace and Development Council (SPDC),'' said the organization in a statement
>issued in Bangkok. 
>
>The ABSDF said Myanmar democrats viewed this decision as a boost to the cash-
>strapped military government, which has been widely condemned for its human
>rights violations against its own people. The organization said the 
>assistance
>would strengthen the military government's non-compromising stance toward the
>democratic opposition. 
>
>Japan is considering providing 2.5 billion yen in loans to the SPDC to help
>repair the runway of the country's international airport. ODA was suspended
>following the 1988 military crackdown on the pro-democracy movement. 
>
>''This decision comes at a time when all major international lending agencies
>such as the World Bank, IMF (International Monetary Fund) and ADB (Asian
>Development Bank) have stayed away from the SPDC,'' said ABSDF Secretary
>General Aung Thu Nyein. 
>
>The ABSDF urged Japan to reconsider its decision to reopen ODA assistance to
>the SPDC, and to deny any assistance until the military government agrees to
>open a substantive dialogue with the democratic opposition and ethnic
>minorities. 
>
>The SPDC, formerly known as the State Law and Order Restoration Council
>(SLORC), has been in power for 10 years and runs the country with an iron
>rule. The junta has refused to recognize the landslide victory of the 
>National
>League for Democracy in the 1990 general election.