The BurmaNet News: April 26, 1996
Issue #393

Noted in Passing:

                We are very encouraged by this international campaign
                for Burma. That is why we decided to act locally in Burma
                - a Burmese student in Mandalay
                (see ABSDF (DAWN GWIN): ANTI-PEPSI CAMPAIGN
                SOARS INSIDE BURMA)

HEADLINES:
==========
ABSDF (DAWN GWIN): ANTI-PEPSI CAMPAIGN SOARS INSIDE BURMA
FBC: PRESS RELEASE - PEPSI "BURMA PULL-OUT" CALLED A SHAM
THE STRAIT TIMES: DON'T SLAP SANCTIONS ON MYANMAR,
AWSJ: U.S. COS. WARY OF BURMA AS PEPSI CANCELS PROJECT
ABSL: HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN NAGA HILLS
S.H.A.N : SLORC PLANS TO DISARM CEASEFIRE GROUPS
THE NATION: UN HUMAN RIGHTS BODY RELEASE 'HARSHEST' RES.
THE NATION: US TOLD TO BE PRAGMATIC ON BURMA
THE NATION: KHUN SA 'PAYING OFF' POLITICIANS
BKK POST: US CITIES PASS TOUGH NEW LAWS AGAINST BURMA
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

ABSDF (DAWN GWIN): ANTI-PEPSI CAMPAIGN SOARS INSIDE BURMA
April 25, 1996
from  <caroline@ksc.net.th>

        Burmese people especially youth in the Burmese cities started to
launch Boycott Pepsi campaign, according to the sources from inside Burma.
The campaign first began in Mandalay, second city in Burma amongst the
youth. We realize how the Pepsi and other foreign investments are
collaborating with the military regime in suppressing our struggle for
democracy and human rights, said one high school student from Mandalay
who arrived in Thailand recently.
        Foreign investment companies including PepsiCo and some giant oil
companies are being accused regionally and internationally for their
dealings with the Slorc who ignores the will of the people in 1990
elections and continues the human rights violations against its people.
"Slorc extensively uses slave labor on its economic projects.  This
includes commercial farming projects that may be he source of the farm
products that PepsiCo exports from Burma. PepsiCo must rely on such
exports to earn hard currency to finance its operation there." according to
Zarni, coordinator of Free Burma campaign, a coordinating body for groups
around the world working for freedom and democracy in Burma. This
coalition is inspired by and modeled after South Africas anti-apartheid
movement. Currently, there are more than 75 colleges and universities in
the US working in the coalition.
        "We are very encouraged by this international campaign for Burma.
That is why we decided to act locally in Burma," student from Mandalay
continued. "The campaign and boycott activities would be risky and
dangerous for the students inside Burma. However, we have to take very
careful plans," he said.
        The Boycott Pepsi campaign would be intensified when the high
school and colleges are reopen in this coming May, according to him. The
campaign for boycotting Pepsi has spread into Moulmein in Mon State and
Pa-an in Karen State.

*************************************************************

FBC: PRESS RELEASE - PEPSI "BURMA PULL-OUT" CALLED A SHAM
ANGRY ACTIVISTS ANNOUNCE HUNGER STRIKE PLANS
APRIL 25, 1996
From: "W. Kesavatana-Dohrs" <dohrs@u.washington.edu>

Madison, WI:  Supporters of Burma's democracy movement have lashed out at
PepsiCo's claim to have exited Burma, calling it a cynical public
relations exercise that intentionally misrepresents the facts.

"We refuse to swallow Pepsi's lies about its Burma operation and its ties
to the military junta" says Free Burma Coalition (FBC) organizer Zar Ni.
"They claim they're leaving Burma, but they're not.  This is nothing more
than some paper shuffling.  The situation on the ground in Burma is
absolutely unchanged.  There's a lot of anger out here."

In response, the FBC has announced an international hunger strike aimed at
Pepsi and the small number of multinational companies, including UNOCAL,
Texaco, Arco and Heineken, that prop up the military regime.  The hunger
strike will begin on October 4 on campuses and in cities worldwide.  Other
actions will target Pepsi's annual shareholder meeting, scheduled for May
1 at PepsiCo's headquarters in Purchase, New York, where sharp questions
from disgruntled stockholders are expected.

Pepsi has been criticized by a network of 100 college and high school
campus groups, and 40 independent organizations from 15 countries, as well
as Burma's democratic leaders in exile.  Student activists at Harvard
recently got a $1 million Pepsi contract scuttled, due to Pepsi's
unwillingness to address questions about ties to forced labor in Burma.
Also, 2000 Stanford students blocked a proposed (Pepsi-owned) Taco Bell
restaurant from their campus.

"I urge the international media not to accept Pepsi's public relations
claims at face value, but to look at the facts of their presence in Burma"
says exiled Burmese Prime Minister Dr. Sein Win of the National Coalition
Government of the Union of Burma (NCGUB).  He was elected as a
representitive of Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD),
whose landslide victory in Burma=D5s 1990 elections the military has refused
to honor.  "Pepsi's presence strengthens the Burmese military junta and
undermines the democracy movement."

Pepsi claims that its Burmese partner, Mr. Thein Tun, is a "private
entrepreneur." In fact he is chairman of a joint venture with the military
called JV3, and was chosen by Pepsi because of his close military connections.

Pepsi claims that it "compete(s) with the government" in the soft drink
business.  In fact, the military, which controls all aspects of business and
the
economy, has essentially granted Pepsi a monopoly in the Burmese market,
where Pepsi now has a 90% market share.  In return, Pepsi sponsors
international trade fairs where the junta woos other foreign investors, and
Pepsi funds youth and sports activities organized by the military.  Pepsi's
support of the military regime has been consistent and steadfast.

Pepsi is a major contributor to the Union Solidarity and Development
Association (USDA), the junta-sponsored "patriotic organization."  Nobel
Peace Prize winning Burmese democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, whose
NLD has been subject to rising violence and intimidation, this week compared
USDA thugs to "Hitler's brown shirts," saying "I want the whole world to
know that the USDA is being used to crush the democratic movement."

Pepsi also purchases agricultural products in Burma to sell abroad, as a
method of repatriating its profits.  With forced labor pervasive in the
agricultural sector, activists are concerned that Pepsi's purchases are
connected to forced labor.  Pepsi has resisted 18 months of requests for
details of its agricultural transactions.

"Pepsi's hypocrisy regarding Burma is positively sickening" says Burma
specialist Larry Dohrs.  "They say they don't support tyranny, when that
is exactly what they are doing in Burma.  They don't fool anyone in Burma,
and they shouldn't be allowed to fool the rest of the world" he said, noting
that students within Burma have initiated a Pepsi boycott of their own.

Recent reports from the United Nations say "forced labor, torture and
arbitrary killing are all still widespread" in Burma.  Aung San Suu Kyi
and the NLD have repeatedly asked foreign companies to stay out of Burma
until there is progress towards democratization and respect for human
dignity.  The Free Burma Coalition supports this position.

Six US cities, including San Francisco and Oakland have passed laws
banning contracts with companies active in Burma, including Pepsi.
Similar laws are pending in other cities, and a Burma sanctions bill has
been introduced with bipartisan support in both the US House and Senate.

Contact: Zar Ni, Free Burma Coalition 608-256-6572
        Dr. Sein Win, NCGUB 202-393-7342
               Larry Dohrs, Seattle Campaign for a Free Burma 206-784-5742

*********************************************************

THE STRAIT TIMES: DON'T SLAP SANCTIONS ON MYANMAR,
SAYS US CHAMBER  (Singapore)
April 26, 1996
From: "Moe K. T." <moe@ori.u-tokyo.ac.jp>

              BANGKOK -- The American Chamber of Commerce in Thailand has
urged the United States government to refrain from sanctions against
Myanmar, amid moves in the US to sever business links with the country.
              Executive Director Tom Seale said on Wednesday that the
chamber had sent a paper to Washington urging a policy of promoting active
business relations with Myanmar.
              "Restrictive policies or "sanctions' should not be adopted
because they will limit contacts and positive influences of US business,
government and individuals in the development of Myanmar and the welfare of
its general population," the paper said.
              "No other nation has adopted or will support such measures.
Such policies would directly benefit foreign investors from Singapore,
Japan, China and other countries."
              The chamber's position paper said US business could benefit
from positive American government policy towards Myanmar.
              It said technology improvements, narcotics control and
improved labour and economic improvements  could all be the results of
increased US investment in Myanmar.
              Some politicians and pressure groups in the US favour
imposing trade sanctions on Myanmar to try and force the ruling military
government to introduce democratic reform and respect human rights.
 -- AFP, Reuter.

*****************************************************

AWSJ: U.S. COS. WARY OF BURMA AS PEPSI CANCELS PROJECT
April 25, 1996  (Asian Wall Street Journal)
From: Imre Der <ider@mail.datanet.hu>
By Fara Warner

   HONG KONG (AP-Dow Jones)--PepsiCo Inc.'s decision to sell
its 40% stake in a joint venture in Burma isn't likely to affect
the handful of U.S. companies already doing business in the country,
say U.S. company executives and foreign observers.
   But its decision, along with legislation now being considered
by local, state and federal governments in the U.S., could keep U.S.
companies from new investment in Burma, reports Thursday's Asian
Wall Street Journal.
   PepsiCo officials confirmed Wednesday that the company would
sell its stake in Pepsi-Cola Products Myanmar Ltd. and move to a
franchise arrangement, most likely with PepsiCo's joint-venture
partner, Burmese entrepreneur Thein Tun. The move follows protests
on college campuses against PepsiCo's investment in Burma.
   'Pepsi's move is significant because it's the first time a
U.S. company with direct investment has decided to liquidate its
holding, as opposed to an importer deciding not to source out of
Burma,' said a foreign observer in Burma.
   Other companies are likely to weigh the political risk that
faced PepsiCo before they consider investing in Burma, he added.
   By contrast, executives at Unocal Corp., the biggest U.S.
investor in Burma, said the Los Angeles-based company has no
intention of pulling out of the once-isolated country; they said
economic investment can only help the country move forward.
   Unocal is one of four companies investing in a natural-gas
pipeline being built by Total, a French petroleum company.
   'Unilateral sanctions won't have an impact,' because other
companies and countries will continue to invest, said Carol Scott,
director of corporate communications at Unocal's offices in Singapore.
'Economic development helps the country. Attempting to re-isolate
the country by pulling out does no good.'
   Despite Unocal's corporate position, the company has been
pressured by activist shareholders to rethink its overall business
code of ethics, including its Burma investments. But Scott said
Unocal doesn't feel it needs to do that.
   She added that Unocal has been setting up schools along the
pipeline and is involved in a malaria research project as well.
Even before protests against investing in Burma gained momentum
in the U.S., investment by U.S. companies had been dwindling.
   According to World Bank statistics, direct foreign investment
from U.S. companies has dropped from a high of $83 million in the
year ended March 30, 1992, to just $16 million for the year through
March 1995.
   Singapore, France and the U.K. are the top investors in the
country, followed by the U.S. and Thailand, according to the World
Bank statistics.
   Mineral exploration companies have been the biggest investors
in the country, with petroleum companies mainly exploring offshore
fields. PepsiCo was one of the few globally recognized consumer-goods
companies that had invested in manufacturing in the country, says
the foreign observer.
   But following protests by students and a push to boycott PepsiCo
products publicized on the Internet, PepsiCo bowed to the pressure.
   'We are divesting in Burma due to business considerations and
public sentiment (against the Burmese government) in the United
States,' said Keith Hughes, a PepsiCo spokesman based at the
company's headquarters in Purchase, New York.
   He didn't disclose the financial terms of the sale and said
the sale is pending. PepsiCo has been operating in Burma since
1991 under a joint venture with Thein Tun.
   Thein Tun is expected to become the sole franchiser in Burma
if the sale of PepsiCo's equity stake goes through. 'Then we will
have no assets or employees in Burma,' Hughes said.
   PepsiCo will supply syrup to the franchiser as well as allow
use of the Pepsi trademarks in Burma, which means PepsiCo products
will still be sold in the country.
   Legislative moves could lead to tighter controls on U.S.
investment in Burma. Four municipalities already have local
ordinances that prevent them from buying products from companies
that invest in Burma. Five other cities and the state of
Massachusetts are considering similar legislation.
   The U.S. Congress is also considering draft legislation that
would severely restrict travel on U.S. passports in Burma,
investments in the country and the import of products from Burma.
However, foreign observers in Burma say that none of the legislative
actions restrict companies from exporting their products to Burma.
--------------------------------------------

On April 24, 1996,REUTER (PEPSICO HAS SOLD ITS SHARE IN BURMA)
added:

Burmese Minister for National Planning and Economic Development
Brigadier General David Abel told a Bangkok-based newspaper that any Pepsi
sale would not hurt Burma's economy.

  "This is a brand only -- a popular brand, but I think that if Pepsi goes
down it won't affect the Myanmar (Burma) economy at all," he told the Asia
Times newspaper in an interview published on Wednesday.

    "It will only affect the people who are working there. And the Japanese
are willing to come in," he added.

    Pepsi controls 85 percent of the Burmese soft drink market share and its
initial capitalisation for the venture, Pepsi Cola Products Myanmar, was
about $4 million, Thein Tun said.

    "Under the exclusive bottling agreement we will have the right to keep
on producing the four existing Pepsi products, namely Pepsi Cola, Mirinda,
7-Up and Mirinda Club Soda, under the same brand name for the next five
years," he said.

"We don't know what will happen after that (the five years)," he added.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

(BurmaNet Editor's Note: Over the past 3 days, numerous articles have
appeared in the United States and international press on Pepsi's partial
pullout from Burma. There was also a 90 second piece on the Pepsi Boycott
on CNN and there will be a big story in USA Today on Monday.)

*************************************************************

ABSL: HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN NAGA HILLS
April 25, 1996
From: tom!absl@unv.ernet.in

March, 1996.

The local tribes, namely, Naga, Shan and Kuki from32 villages tracts of
Nyaungbinthar in Lashi township are being pressed to gang labours in the
construction of Khami-lahel road. The villagers had to crush and carry stones
and earth at the construction site. Any household that failed to perform this
duty had to pay 1565 Kyats as a fine to No(2) regional-based battalion. The
other was issued by regional commander Col. Kyaw Myint.  Actually, the
khamti-lahel road is being constructed for the smooth transportation of
military trucks.

Human rights violation Forced labour in Tamu township.
------------------------------------------------------
March, 1996.

The irresposible speech of the SLORC's minister for the border development,
Maung Thint made the local public busy with the extension of roads in
Tamu. When Maung Thint visited Tamu, he said in his speech to the regional
authorities to extend the roads as they were not wide enough for trucks.
Later local authorities issued a public order that said roads in Tamu township

would be extended 30 feet each to both sides and those buildings or
fences which were within this measurement must be demolished by owners
within one week. Whoever failed to do so would be prosecuted. In fear of
the dire consequences, the local public had to shoulder these unnecessary
burdens dropped by the authorities. In fact, in democratic countries
these kind of work have to be performed by municipal workers since public
are paying tax to the authorities. Futhermore, government must pay
compensation to the owners for demolishing. Insted, public were forced to
demolish their own buildings at their own expenses. Again, another public
order was issued by major Min Swe, the chairman of Tamu township
Law and Order Restoration Council (TLORC). It said every household must
provide one bamboo pole each or (20) Kyats to the Tamu based No(89) light
infantary regiment. In fact, at present, people are already under the burden
of
soaring prices which are direct side effect of SLORC initiated market economy.

SLORC'S INSULT OF THE RELIGIOUS BELIEF OF KUKI ETHNIC TRIBES.

The Christian Kuki tirbes from Manmaw and Htanta Pin villages were ordered
to provide (20) bullock cart loads of sand which was to be used in the
construction of the Pagoda. This order was issued by the signature of Capt.
Zaw
Min of No (89) Infantary Regiment based in Tamu. Kuki villagers had to carry
sand from Yu creek, which was (20) miles distance from their villages. It is
totally inconsistent with their motto of "national unity" loudly raised by the

SLORC. Basides, it was a deliberate insult  of the military authorities to the

religious belief of the Christian Kuki tribes.

SLORC'S ARBITARARY ACTIONS AGAINST CIVILIANS
--------------------------------------------
>From 24 to 26 March,

(4) Europeans escorted by armed military personnels came on a visit to
jade mine by private motor boats. Later local jade diggers were given
order to stop their work and were warned that whoever were found
digging jade would be shot dead. This order was also issued by the
regional commander, Col. Kyaw Myint. As a result, local jade diggers
lost their income and faced with daily ploblems.

In the last week of March, three SLORC's soldiers in KIA uniform came to
the area between Homelin and Khamti and looted about 11/2 kg of gold
dust collected by villagers. In order to get such amount of gold dust,
villagers had to sieve in the chilly river for several days. But their fortune
were grabbed away within minutes by miscreants.

The private owned plots measuring one thousand feet from the both sides
of the Kale-Tamu road,which were located near the compound of No(89)
Infantary regiment were confiscated by the military authorities. The
Christians, Muslims and Buddhist cemetries as well as (70) houmseholds
and their farms on these plots were to remove from the site without any
compensation.

By order of Lt.Gen Khin Nyunt, the local authorities are making arrangement
in the Kabaw valley for some (1000) Hindu families from Pyinmanar and
Zeyawadi townships. They were forced to relocate their native place where they

had been living for decades. Though they did not agree to move to this
unfamiliar
place they dared not refuse the order.

Similarly, in the last year some Burmese families from Pakaukku, Monywa and
Chaun Oo townships were forced to move to the new villages in Kabaw
valley. Later the authorities announced that non-Buddhist people would not
allow
to live in these newly-built villages. This order hurt the majority of the
inhabitants Kuki tribes, who follow the Christianity. Moreover it could
create racial or religious conflict between two communities.

Regarding this, the Kuki students democratic Front (KSDF) sent a letter
to the Tamu township authorities. The letter said that KSDF condemned
the military authorities for praticising racial and religious discrimination
against Kuki tribes.  KSDF demanded the authorities to stop thier
discriminatory policy immediately.

Source :
All Burma Students League
Northeasten Regional Office,
Imphal, Manipur.

*******************************************************

S.H.A.N : SLORC PLANS TO DISARM CEASEFIRE GROUPS
April 7, 1996
From: "SHAN<H.NG.P  SPM" <100706.1311@CompuServe.COM>

In early March, SLORC Eastern Military Commander Maj. Gen. Tin Thut
(who came to meet Khun Sa at Ho Murng during the MTA surrender on
January 7, 1996 ) met with SSA top officers Zao zai Nong and Zao Pang Fah
in Taunggyi. He told them to prepare to give up their policy of armed struggle

( in other words to surrender unconditionally ). Each of the officers, from
captains upwards, would be given a plot of land to build on ( in newly
expanded quarters which were formerly fields confiscated by the SLORC )
and one million kyats in cash.

The SLORC are using all kinds of strategies and temptations to make all the
ceasefire groups eventually lay down their arms.

*******************************************************

THE NATION: UN HUMAN RIGHTS BODY RELEASE 'HARSHEST'
RESOLUTION YET ON BURMA
April 25, 1996
Yindee Lertcharoenchoke, The Nation

THE UN Human Rights Commission in Geneva has adopted a
strongly - worded resolution on Burma which human rights
campaigners noted is "probably the harshest" any UN body has
issued on the situation in the Southeast Asian country.

But while it is stronger than previous resolutions on civil
and political rights, the text also called weak on economic,
social and cultural rights. A Western activist in Geneva
noted it does not refer to the impoverishment of the people
in rural areas due to the Burmese army's policies of living
off villages, looting, forced labour, extortion, multiple
and arbitrary taxation, or other similar issues.

The six-page resolution, while in creasing its support for
UN Secretary General Boutros Boutros-Ghali's "good offices"
mission and criticising the Burmese junta's lack of co-
operation with his representative, failed to support
recommendations made by UN Special Human Rights Rapporteur
Yozo Yokota, added the activist.

In his final report on the human right situation in Burma
submitted to the Human Rights Commission on April 16, Yokota
recommended that the UN panel place "a team of human rights
field officers in such location as would facilitate improved
information flow and assessment and would help in the
independent verification of reports" on the human right
situation in the country.

The resolution expressed particular concern that despite the
electoral process initiated in the form of general elections
in May 1990, the Burmese junta "has not implemented its
commitments to take all necessary steps towards democracy."

It expressed grave concern at human right abuses "which
remain extremely serious, in particular the pratice of
torture, summary and arbitrary execution, forced labour,
including forced portering for the military, abuse of women,
politically-motivated arrests and detention, and forced
displacement of the population". The document, which was
sponsored by 36 countries, mainly from the West, also
expressed grave concern over the continued fighting with
ethnic and other political groups, including the Karenni
National Progressive Party, despite ceasefire agreements the
ruling Slorc has struck with those forces. The Statement
also deeply regretted that while a number of political
prisoners were released in the past year, many political
leaders continue to be deprived of their freedom and fundamental rights.

While it welcome the release of opposition leader Aung San
Suu Kyi from six years of house arrest, it urged the Slorc
"to allow her freedom of movement ad to open immediately a
substantial political dialogue" with her and other political
leaders, including representatives of ethnic groups. "as the
best means to arrive at national reconciliation and the
complete and rapid installation of democracy." (TN)

****************

THE NATION: US TOLD TO BE PRAGMATIC ON BURMA
April 25, 1996
Reuter

BANGKOK - The US should be more benevolent and pragmatic in
its financial dealings with Burma, a senior Burmese official
said yesterday.

Burma Minister for National Planning and Economic
Development, Brigadier General David Abel, said he was still
holding talks with the International Monetary Fund (IMF)
over loans to help devaluation of the local currency.

'The US is the only super power in the world and I think the
leadership of the only superpower should  be more pragmatic
and more benevolent," he said.

Impoverished Burma has been isolated from much Western aid
and investment after its ruling generals crushed a pro-
democracy uprising in 1988. Japan resumed limited aid after
the release of Aung San Suu Kyi last year. Washington
welcomed her release but said at the time it wanted to see
'a genuine effort to try to improve the political situation  in Burma".

Abel said the American business community wanted to invest
in Burma, which the country encouraged 'with open arms".
Japanese and Association of Southeast Asian Nations
investors were already involved in Burma, he said. (TN)

******************************************************

THE NATION: KHUN SA 'PAYING OFF' POLITICIANS
Western diplomats implicated
April 25, 1996
Yindee Lertcharoenchok

OPIUM warlord Khun Sa, wanted by the US on 10 drug
trafficking counts, has undergone debriefing at a safe house
in Rangoon since early March and has claimed that five
prominent Thai politicians were on his regular payroll,
according to a highly-placed source.

The source said Khun Sa, who struck an undisclosed peace
deal with the Burmese junta in January after a series of
secret negotiations beginning last October, also named two
Western diplomats posted to a neighbouring capital as being
on his payroll. The source could not confirm the identities
of the seven, nor whether the diplomats are still working in
the region.

A colonel in the Directorate of the Defence Services
Intelligence, recently promoted to brigadier general, was in
charge of debriefing Khun Sa at a safe house in the Burmese
capital, the source said on condition of anonymity.

The source believed Khun Sa had agreed to the debriefing as
part of a secret deal so that he would not be extradited to
stand trial in the US nor be prosecuted for his alleged
crimes in Burma.

Several sources confirmed this week that Khun Sa and his
chief-staff, Chang Shu-chuan - known as Sao Fahlang in the
Shan language - still remain at a safe location in Rangoon
under tight security.

While some sources said the two men are staying at a house
on Inya Lake, others said they are living in a house in the
same compound as Burmese junta leaders and top military officers.

The Slorc sent a helicopter to pick up Khun Sa in early
march, his third trip to Rangoon since he surrendered his
well-equipped Mong Tai Army and his Ho mong headquarters to
the Slorc in early January, the sources said. His first trip
took place in January, while his second was in February.

Chang Shu-chuan left for Rangoon during the third week of
march, the sources said.

Khun Sa's uncle, Khun Seng, who shuttled back and forth as
one of the mediators between Rangoon and the 62-year-old
drug warlord, has remained in rangoon since late last year,
where he is said to have opened a number of businesses.

The sources said Khun Sa has appointed his second son, Sarm
Hurng, to look after the Ho Mong and daily administration
during his absence.

Although Washington insisted on Khun Sa's extradition and
placed a US$2 million price tag on his head after Rangoon
flatly rejected its extradition call, it has not attempted
to apprehend the man it accuses of being responsible for
more than 60 per cent of heroin flow into the US. Several
sources expressed surprised that the US has not pursued Khun
Sa's extradition and said Washington might become trapped by
its own policy on dealing with the situation. (TN)

*****************************************************

BKK POST: US CITIES PASS TOUGH NEW LAWS AGAINST BURMA
April 25, 1996
Washington, AFP

TWO more US cities have banned or restricted contracts with
companies that do business in military-ruled Burma to
protests human rights abuses there, activists said yesterday.

Oakland and San Francisco, both in northern California and
the largest cities yet to pass such legislation, join four other US cities
with 'selective purchasing" laws targeting firms that operate in Burma.

Oakland's new law 'is the most stringent to date," said Simon Billenness,
senior analyst at Boston-based Franklin Research and Development Corp.,
which is pressing multinationals to pull out of Burma.

"This raises the ante," Billenness said by telephone from Boston, adding:
"These are by far the two largest cities yet" to pass such laws.

Passage of both ordinances was widely expected and follows a
decision by PepsiCo Inc this week to sell off its 40 per cent stake in a joint

venture in Burma under public pressure to pull out of the military-ruled
country.

Pepsi is the largest US corporation to date to pull out of Burma in response
to pressure from students and civic groups aiming to make the Southeast
Asian country 'the South Africa of the 90s."

In Rangoon, Pepsi's Burmese franchise, Pepsi Cola products
Myanmar, said yesterday it had agreed to buy out the US soft
drink company's interests in Burma.

San Francisco passed its ordinance restricting contracts with firms operating
in Burma on Monday, California-based  activists said in statement received
here.

Oakland followed suit with a tougher ordinance on Tuesday
barring the deposit, investment, or use of municipal funds
with banks or financial institutions that do business with
the Burmese junta or private sector.

Other cities with similar laws now on the books are Madison,
Wisconsin; Berkeley and Santa Monica, California; and Ann
Arbor, Michigan.

'Those are mostly collage towns," Billenness said, noting  that such
legislation was easier to brush aide when it came from small-town bastions
of liberalism such as Ann Arbor and Madison.

New York City is expected to pass similar legislation soon, and federal
sanctions legislation will be the subject of a US Senate hearing in the next
several weeks. The White House opposes the sanctions legislation.

Several large US companies have recently pulled out Burma as
a result of that pressure, including garment retailers Eddide Bauer,
Liz Claiborne, and Federated Department Stores.

Activists aiming to make Burma 'the South Africa of the
90s"have meanwhile set their sights on multinational oil
companies with a substantial presence there, including
Unocal, Total, and Texaco.

Their aim is to pressure the Slorc, to hand over power to
elected leaders. The Slorc has so far refused to negotiate
with the opposition.

Students in particular have mobilized against multinational
corporations in Burma, and they credit easy global communications
through the Internet for the speed of their success.

Harvard University this month scrapped a million-dollar deal
under which its dining halls were to switch from Coca-Cola
to Pepsi after students objected to the scheme.

Some 2,000 Stanford University students also signed a
petition urging their university to prohibit Pepsi
subsidiary Taco Bell from opening a restaurant. (BP)

----------------------------------------------------------
BURMANET SUBJECT-MATTER RESOURCE LIST

BurmaNet regularly receives enquiries on a number of different
topics related to Burma. If you have questions on any of the
following subjects, please direct email to the following volunteer
coordinators, who will either answer your question or try to put you
in contact with someone who can:

Campus activism:        zni@students.wisc.edu
Boycott campaigns: [Pepsi] ai268@freenet.carleton.ca
Buddhism:                    Buddhist Relief Mission:  brelief@gol.com
Chin history/culture:        [volunteer temporarily away]
Fonts:                                  tom@cs.colgate.edu
History of Burma:            zni@students.wisc.edu
International Affairs:   Julien Moe: JulienMoe@aol.com
Kachin history/culture:      74750.1267@compuserve.com
Karen history/culture:  Karen Historical Society: 102113.2571@Compuserve.com
Mon history/culture:         [volunteer needed]
Naga history/culture:   Wungram Shishak:  z954001@oats.farm.niu.edu
Burma-India border            [volunteer needed]
Pali literature:                 "Palmleaf":  c/o burmanet@igc.apc.org
Rohingya culture                volunteer needed
Shan history/culture:   Sao Hpa Han: burma@ix.netcom.com
Shareholder activism:       simon_billenness@mail.cybercom.net
Total/Pipeline          Dawn Star: cd@utopia.EUnet.fr
Tourism campaigns:              bagp@gn.apc.org     "Attn. S.Sutcliffe"
World Wide Web:              FreeBurma@POBox.com
Volunteer Coordinator:  [volunteer needed]

[Feel free to suggest more areas of coverage]
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