24/8/98: CONFLICT SIGNALS FROM JAPA

[uneoo@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

/* Written Mon 24 Aug 11:00am 1998 by drunoo@xxxxxxxxxxxx in igc:reg.burma */
/* --------------" Conflict signals from Japan "------------------ */

CONFLICT SIGNALS FROM JAPAN
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It becomes increasingly evident that certain elements in Japan
are directly moving aganist our works for democratization in
Burma. Japan, in previous years, said to have adopted a policy
of 'constructive engagement' similar to that of ASEAN. I began
some political lobbying to Japanese political establishment
in early this year, primarily the Japanese Government to
enforce economic blockade against the Burmese junta. While
I am not a long-term observer to the Japanese policy towards
Burma, I become increasingly concerned that certain elements
within Japan's political and economic establishments are working
against our efforts for democratization in Burma.

There are also some indication of possible policy conflict with our
current effort of restoring a democratically elected government
of May-1990 and the Burma policy-thinkings by Japanese political
establishments. Some Japanese elites appears to have favoured a
fresh new election to be held in Burma. Japan's efforts to
persuade the military junta to release Aung San Suu Kyi in 1995
as well as to get few other concessions were probably based on
the assumption that a fresh new election in Burma would be held
in an appropriate time. One Japanese business consultant wrote,
in a satirical way, "Americans love elections and democracy is
America's religion". The Generals in Rangoon, too, seems to love
elections: A fresh election will give them legitimacy to stay in
power without being criticized for not handing over power to
the elected representatives.

Followings I summarised of these facts:

1. On December 1997, Kenichi Ohmae, a Japanese consultant wrote
articles in Asiaweek and few other journals in favour of existing
military regime. Earlier to that, an organized tour to Burma was
arranged for Japanese business executives.

2. Japan's MOFA, under Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto, is not
quite helpful to enforce the economic blockade against junta.
For example, soon after our request to cancal Japan's debt-relief
grants to Burma, it sought to extend such grant. Debt-relief grant,
to my understanding, was to primarily cancel Burma's loan/interest
repayments to Japan. Our request, simply, was Japanese Government
to take its very own money from the Burmese junta.

3. The Japanese Government extension of its loan in March 1998,
though small in amount($20 Mln), to repair Burma Airport Runway
was also very confusing as regards the government's policy standing
towards both pro-democracy groups and military junta. It came
amidst the pro-democracy groups were intensifying efforts to
further isolate the junta from its usual financial supports.
The amount of US$ 20 million is small, for sure, but in politics
the timing is often everything.

4. Around April/May, there were some initiatives from Japan for
the United Nations sponsored drug-eradication program in Burma.
To my way of thinking, such issue is international in nature
and, therefore, Japan's efforts should be coordinated with United
States and all other European countries, in order to be more
effective in drug eradication purpose as well as to persuade
junta to become more cooperative. This didn't seems to have
happened. Japan appeared go out on its own to make initiative
for a regional drug seminar with nothing of the result seems to
have eventuated. It is to be concluded as a simple immaturity
of some Japanese political corps for such internationally
coordinated efforts.

5. More obvious case of the existence of pro-junta group in
Japanese political establishment was seen last June. The AFP has
reported of 20 MPs from ruling LDP, headed by Kabun Muto MP, formed
a pro-Burma-military support group.

6. Recent self-styled-repatriation of two refugees doesn't also
helped the Japan's standing as regards its support to Burma's
democracy movement. It is nothing new to the Burma activist
community about this two individual's political stance and we
were not surprised that they went back to Burma. However, the
Japanese immigration threatening to forcibly repatriate some
Burmese asylum seekers in recent weeks --causing humiliation
to the Burmese refugees-- may have triggered these two
individuals to take such drastic action. Whilst no country
on this earth welcomes refugees with a red carpet, atleast some
dignified treatment is required from the Japanese government
to our Burmese refugee applicants.

7. Last weekend (22/8/98) decision by Mitsubishi Corp. to extend
significant amount of loan is a direct challenge to the authority
of democratically elected parliament. The Mistubishi Corp. is
extending its loan, in an illegitimate and provocative way, to
Myanmar Oil and Gas Corporation. Any attempt to accept such loan
by MOGE, a state owned enterprise, must have the approval of
Burma's Parliament. On the other hand, the Mitsubishi Corp. must
be made aware of the fact that it is dealings with an illegal
military junta. Any contract Mitsubishi Corp. signed with military
junta is illegitimate and any loan given without expressed
consent of Burma Parliament amounts to the company aiding and
abetting the illegal junta.

8. The political signals receiving from current Japanese government
is somewhat encouraging. Nonetheless, we must also taken into account
of the possibility of the existence of certain pro-junta elements
within Japanese political/business establishment. To my estimation,
none of Japanese business interests in Burma will be threatened
regardless of Burma having either of military or democratic
government. This is simply because of Burma's traditional links with
Japan as well as Burmese people's admiration of Japan's economic
success after World War-II. Nevertheless, it is from the part of
Japanese politicians not to take it in for granted about such
good relation between the two people.

As for our part from the pro-democracy campaigners, we are not only
to counter those moves by Japanese pro-junta groups, we must also
educate the Japanese public and those groups in particular that it is
not in Japan's best interest to support the military junta.

With best regards, U Ne Oo.
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SOURCE-- http://www.nikkei.co.jp/enews/TNKS/page/asiaset.html

Mitsubishi Inks 130 Mln Dlr Loan Deal for Myanmar Gas Project

TOKYO(Nikkei)--MItsubishi Corp. signed a deal Friday to extend
$130 million in syndicated loans to Myanma Oil and Gas Enterprise
jointly with NIchimen Corp.(8004), Malaysia Export Credit Insurance
Bhd and Export-Import Bank of Thailand, among others.

The Myanmar public oil and gas corporation will use the loan,
to be repaid over seven years from the year 2000, to develop a
na;tural gas field off the Myanmar coast.

The natural gas field is under development jointly with Premier
Oil Plc of the U.K., Nippon Oil Co.(5001) and a Thai public oil
corporation, among others, at a total cost of $800 million.

The porject is designed to channel 1.4 million tons of gas a
year to thermal power plants in Thailand via pipelines. It is
scheduled to go into commercial production in 2000.

Mistubishi has previously arranged syndicated loans totaling
$150 million for Myanmar energy projects, and aims to use the
financing deal as a springboard for future business expansion
in the country.

The company and other Japanese trading houses are supporting
energy projects in Myanmar on perceptions of the high economic
growth potential, industry analysts said.

(The Nihon Keizai Shimb8un Saturday morning edition)
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