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NEWS - Free Burma Activists Target



Subject: NEWS - Free Burma Activists Target Local Suzuki Dealership

Free Burma Activists Target Local Suzuki Dealership

Wheaton, MD. - Burmese and American democracy supporters will
demonstrate on Saturday, July 17 at 10:00 am in front of the
Fitzgerald's Wheaton Suzuki, 10915 Georgia Avenue.  The protesters are
demanding that the Japanese government and Suzuki, Inc. stop doing
business in Burma and stop supporting the country's highly repressive
military junta.

In April 1999, the Free Burma Coalition announced a boycott of Suzuki,
Inc., because of that company's support for the illegal military junta
in Burma.  Suzuki automotive, motorcycle and marine dealers around the
world are all targeted for boycotts.

Ignoring international opinion and the request of Burma's own
democratically elected leader, Suzuki announced on Oct. 13, 1998 that
is
was investing $10 million dollars into a joint venture with the
generals
in Burma to build cars and motorcycles there.

Aung San Suu Kyi, who is the legitimate representative of the Burmese
people, has asked foreign companies not to come to Burma before
democracy does.  "We are not against investment, " said Mrs. Suu Kyi,
in
a March 30, 1998 interview in Businessweek.  "But we want investment to
be at the right time ...investing now is [not] going to be profitable
either to investors or to the people of Burma."

A rapidly-growing number of U.S. and European companies have withdrawn
from Burma.  "Japanese foreign investment and foreign aid are today
among the last lifelines for an army junta  that is dealing death in
Burma and abroad," said Dr. Zar Ni, founder of the Free Burma
Coalition.  "Without the financial support of companies like Suzuki,
the
generals would be bankrupt.  People who buy Suzuki products should know
that they are giving to dictators."

Burma is ruled by a narco-dictatorship that is widely regarded as one
of
the worst human rights offenders in the world.  Th generals running
Burma international pariahs, banned from setting foot in the United
States or the European Union.  They have been condemned for human
rights
violations, including summary executions, torture, forced relocations,
systematic rape and the ethnic cleansing of Christian, Moslem,
Buddhist,
and other minority groups.  The U.S. State Department of Labor recently
documented the massive use of forced labor in Burma.


In addition, the junta has turned into the world's largest heroin
exporter.  According to the U.S. State Department, the country has
become the global center for narcotics money laundering.

   January 1997:  Pepsi pulls out of Burma
   February 1997:   Compaq pulls out of Burma
   March 1997:  Kodak pulls out of Burma
   April 1997:  Seagram pulls out of Burma
   September 1997:  Texaco pulls out of Burma
   August 1998:  Arco pulls out of Burma
   September 1998:  Ericsson pulls out of Burma
   October 1998:   Suzuki invests in Burma