De Volkskrant. IHC sticks to its de

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Subject: De Volkskrant. IHC sticks to its delivery to Burma

Published todaty, December 8th, in Dutch Daily "De Volkskrant",
circulation 350.850

IHC sticks to its delivery to Burma

>From our reporter

AMSTERDAM

IHC Caland, constructor of oil-platforms and dredgers, will not make
about face on its new, disputed delivery to the military junta of
Burma. "It is better that the colonels buy a dredger from us, than
guns from someone else," is the opinion of chairperson C. de
Ruyter.
Member of Parliament Koenders (Pvda) (Labour, BCN) raised question
about the sale of a cutter suction dredger to Myanmar, the former
Burma. Labour wants to know from minister Van Aartsen (Foreign
Affairs) and underminister Ybema (Economic Affairs) in how far the
sale to Burma is in disagreement with (inter)national
rules. Moreover, Labour wants to know whether there are possibilities
to criticize IHC Holland for its selling to the military junta. For
year humanrights organisations have been saying the regime tortures
and executes people.
President-director C. de Ruyter reacts light-heartedly. "As a private
person you can have an opinion about a country as Burma. As a company
there is no sense in that." He wants to adhere to clear rules by the
European Union and the United Nations. "That is not an easy
escape. But that is where the real specialists are on this field."
According to De Ruyter, the EU and the UN disapprove of investments in 
Burma, but not sales to Burma.
The Burma Centre is disappointed. "This sale goes one step further
than the delivery of a gas-storage tank (for the Yetagun, BCN) last
year," says G. Hillenius. "That one was sold to a consortium. This
sale is direct to the colonels-government." IHC Caland maintains that
a cutter suction dredger cannot be used to violate human rights. "One
has a moral dilemma when one delivers poison gas or guns, not with a
dredger," according to ceo De Duyter. But according to the Burma
Centre the military profit from the dredger. "This way they improve
their infrastructure. The position of farmers in Burma does not become 
better. They do not flee without reason from repression and forced
labour." The dredger-ship will be delivered by IHC Holland, a daughter 
if the company in Schiedam. Burma paus in advance, cash 2 million
guilders.
IHC has for months not budged to those who critisize its
Burma-deals. It even went against mega-investor ABP (Hollands biggest
pensionfund, owns 3 % IHC shares, BCN) who demanded a human rights
code from the company. This code is still not ready.