EBO
News Summary:
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1. Tobacco Giant under Pressure for Joint Venture
2. UN urged to pressure
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Tobacco Giant under Pressure for Joint Venture
Inter Press Service
By Bob Burton
British American Tobacco (BAT) is facing increasing pressure from human
rights groups in
partnership with the Burmese military regime.
The Australian labour movement aid organisation - Union Aid Abroad/Apheda
- is organising protests urging BAT, the world's second biggest tobacco
firm, to withdraw from its joint venture.
"We are calling
for a withdrawal of trade investment in
from International Labour Organisation (ILO) reports and the International
Confederation of Free Trade Unions' (ICFTU) own investigation which found
that forced labour in
O'Callaghan, national programme manager with Union Aid Abroad.
In June 2000, the annual ILO Conference backed a resolution urging
governments unions and trade unions "cease any relations that might aid
its military junta to abet forced labour".
In October last year, the ICFTU released a 350-page report that concluded
that "trade union groups are becoming the focus of violent attacks and
foreign multinational investment is helping keep the junta afloat as the
world's governments look on."
While BAT proclaims it plans on staying in its joint venture partnership
with
attention.
"We have no doubt that they will eventually withdraw. We will find every
point of pressure that we possibly can, and we will continue to push until
we succeed,'' he said.
BAT openly acknowledges
that Rothmans of
owned by the Union of Myanmar Economic Holdings (UMEH), a government-owned
company.
Zin Linn, spokesman for the National Coalition
Government of the
the tobacco company, or any foreign investments''.
''People know that the income from the tobacco multination helps the
generals. That is always the case,'' he said. ''Many people say even if
they are suffering from sanctions, they welcome the pressure on the
military regime because of the suppression they have to live with.''
Activists hope that by yearend, campaign groups in 20 countries will be
publicising BAT's
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UN urged to pressure
group have urged the United Nations to pressure the military government to
release three ailing Mon leaders jailed on political grounds, according to a
letter seen here Wednesday.
Mon National Democratic Front (MNDF) vice chairman Nai Ngwe Thein,
secretary Min Soe Lin and joint secretary Min Kyi Win have been in jail since
1998, the letter to the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in
Min Soe Lin was in critical condition with tuberculosis and it was feared
he could die soon if he remained in jail, according to the letter, dated
February 28.
Nai Ngwe Thein, 80, was suffering from diabetes and a kidney ailment, while
Min Kyi Win had a gastric problem and also needed urgent medical treatment, it
said.
"So Mon National Council, on behalf of Mon communities around the world,
would like to request (the) High Commissioner for Human Rights to take urgent
actions and to put strong pressure upon the State Peace and Development
said.
poor human rights record and urged to release its political prisoners, which
Amnesty International says number between 1,200 and 1,300.
The letter was from the
Mon National Council in
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