[burmanet2-l] Question on Calls for

[dawnstar@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]

Subject: Re: [burmanet2-l] Question on Calls for "Humanitarian Aid"

Dawn Star wrote:
> 
> Dawn Star wrote:
> >
> > Advocates of constructive engagement arguing that they consider economic
> > sanctions ineffective policy against military dictatorships which force
> > isolation and retard economic developement, as in the case in Burma are
> > flying in the dark with their eyes closed. As we have seen during the
> > past seven years since the signing of the TOTAL Yadana pipeline, only
> > recently, in the less than two years since President Clinton signed
> > sanctions effective in April 1997, has there been any significant
> > political change, and a very real change here in Europe as the European
> > Union, the European Parliament, and even here in TOTAL country, where
> > the French National Assembly are now finally taking a serious look at
> > TOTAL, as they have been forced to do at ELF during the slush fund
> > scandal forcing out foreign minister Roland Dumas, which is a side
> > point, but goes to say that the oil companies have one thing in mind
> > while saying another, that is, profits first, shareholder dividends,
> > revenue, net earnings, while paying only lip service to economic
> > development for the people and the country. Do not kid yourself, do not
> > try to wash our brains with more of this corporate soap, while
> > belittling the statements of people like Suu Kyi, Dr. Sen Win and others
> > who say quite clearly that sanctions hurt the military leaders who
> > control import export, and not the ordinary poor people of the country.
> > And isolation we have seen since 1962 forced upon the people from the
> > military leaders. Now when companies tried to rush in, before US
> > presidential sanctions, since then we have not seen an economic boom,
> > rather a debilitated crippled and corrupt drug regime on its last legs
> > begging for IMF and World Bank funds.
> >
> > Why dont the pro-investment anti-sanctions lobby start seriously
> > thinking about economic development based on democratic institutions

> > rather than sing the song that first you must have totalitarian
> > stability inorder to guaranteee investment profits while the people are
> > maimed, butchered and killed into submission.
> 
> It seems time and again that these anti sanctions pro investment pro
> military
> advocates of a free society and free trade talk their melodious
> philosophy of
> growth, development and prosperity, from their poised and comfortable
> vantage point
> far away from the ground level reality that passes below and
> unrecognized.

If these foreign companies are so interested in development and
democracy for the people's benefit, then why dont they put their money
where there mouth is, why doesnt TOTAL and Unocal and other companies
establish Funds specifically for these Democratic
institutions and parties, instead of paying their Slorc SPDC partners
with whom they are by law forced into business relationships, otherwise
they can not do business in Burma. 
They are already interfering in the internal affairs of the country, by
promoting business and doing business with the military drug regime.
They are already involved in the internal affairs of the country, and to
say that they are not is sheer wishful thinking and lacks common sense.
And since they are involved in the internal affairs of the country via
their business partner payoffs, they are forced to keep silent or at
best applaud the illicit and corrupt murderous drug regime. And at the
same time, talk to us and ask us to step over the line and do like them. 
> If they were not already stare-crazy by their obsession with bottom line
> market plans, constantly revised by up and down volatile markets, with
> their eyes turning around backwards in circles, then perhaps they might
> read up and follow the reports
> from eye witnesses, victims, and those who take the time and risk to
> report
> what these pro economic planners would have us sooner forget, and not
> see at all in
> the established press. Have these investment hounds read the Mon
> Information reports, the Karen information reports, the ncgub reports on
> the Slorc SPDC military
> stabilisation Four Cuts strategy of displacing populations, forced
> labor, and
> pacification, forcing tens of thousands, now over a 100 000 refugees
> from the pipeline area over the past five years and before? Or the
> military strategy that went with
> pacification, and Slorc terror in the Shan and Chin States during the
> massive logging
> campaign, destroying tribal and traditional homelands so only a FEW
> individuals and their families can profit!
> 
> Why do these profit enthusiasts talk so much about profit, so that only
> a few realize realise that profit today, while the others suffer for it.
> Their eyes are rolling backwards again, you can see it, so stare crazy
> they are for that money.
> >
> > Isnt this the better way to have an influence on contemporary society,
> > instead of perpetuating the same insanity that is passed off as
> > constructive engagment.
> >
> > Sooner than later, the FRench and Europeans will follow the american
> > example and heed the call for an economic boycott of burma they have

> > already denounced the oil companies and tourism, short of a full fledged
> > boycott.
> >
> > These pro investment lobbyists trying to move us all one step closer to
> > embrace fascism in order to satisfy their profit levels and shareholders
> > are a grotesque insult to us all. But they are there, destroying the
> > beauty of the environment for precious metals, for consumer products,
> > for more indulgent and indifferent life styles to demonstrate their
> > satisfaction and success with the modern style of life today, that is
> > brought to you by your favorite sponsor of terror and repression.
> >
> > Thanks but no thanks. Your argument is full of the brain pollution that
> > renders your corrupt argument mindless fodder to perpeutate more
> > killing, and waste our time sadly needed to help the living survive.
> >
> > Dawn Star
> >
> > W. Kesavatana-Dohrs wrote:
> > >
> > > >> Tony Albrecht of the US-ASEAN Business Council wrote the following:
> > >
> > > > >      Re HR situation - I think I have made clear that the Council
> > > > > believes  that economic engagement rather than sanctions and
isolation
> > > > > is more likely to improve the deplorable human rights situation.
We also
> > > > > support  greater humanitarian aid to alleviate the suffering of the
> > > > > people.
> > >
> > > I wonder if he would be so kind as to respond to the query his post
> > > generated:
> > >
> > > >
> > > > Before this discussion can become useful, we need to agree on our
subject.
> > > > When the US-ASEAN Business Council speaks of "the deplorable human
rights
> > > > situation," does it feel able to identify the causes of this
situation?
> > > > Or does it feel unable to pinpoint the causes of the "deplorable human
> > > > rights situation?"
> > > >
> > > > For example, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Burma
wrote that
> > > > his office "is deeply concerned about the serious human rights
violations
> > > > that continue to be committed by the armed forces in the ethnic
minority
> > > > areas. The violations include extrajudicial and arbitrary
executions (not
> > > > sparing women and children), rape, torture, inhuman treatment, forced
> > > > labour and denial of freedom of movement. These violations have
been so
> > > > numerous and consistent over the past years as to suggest that they
are
> > > > not simply isolated or the acts of individual misbehaviour by
middle- and
> > > > lower-rank officers but are rather the result of policy at the highest
> > > > level, entailing political and legal responsibility."
> > > >
> > > > Does the US-ASEAN Business Council agree that the "highest level"
of the
> > > > junta holds "political and legal responsibility" for "numerous" and
> > > > "consistent" crimes such as the arbitrary executions of children?  How
> > > > can "humantatrian aid" be effective with the involvement of those
> > > > "politically and legally responsibe" for "numerous and constistent"
> > > > human rights violations?
> > > >
> > > > I appreciate your willingness to participate in this discussion.
> > > >

> > > > LD
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >