Visit our website: HTTP://WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK --------------------------------------------- So far, I've seen the call to support the U.S. Senate bill for a Burma Import Ban on only one of the lists I'm subscribed to. I'm Cc'ing this reply to other lists where the issue may come up, so I won't have to reply separately each time. My comments are entered at appropriate points of the quoted text, below. - Aaron >To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >From: *STRIDER* <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Date: Tue, 14 Aug 2001 14:53:43 -0700 >Subject: !b_a_Act: Fwd: Friends of Burma:Please Call Boxer > >Date: Mon, 13 Aug 2001 15:36:43 -0700 >Subject: Friends of Burma:Please Call Boxer >From: Shannon Wolfe <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >To: SF Burma Roundtable <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, > Burma e group <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, > >Burma needs Boxer!!! > >She has STILL NOT signed on to the bill > >Please call and email Senator Boxer and ask that she cosponsor Senate Bill >#926 "The Burma Import Ban" the bill that responds to the International >Labor Organization's unprecedented call for action to end forced labor in >Burma. [SNIP] >Let them know all the Senators that have already signed on: >Democrats: 11 >Tom Harkin (IA), Patrick Leahy (VT), Joseph Lieberman (CT), Ernest Hollings >(SC), Charles Schumer (NY), Russell Feingold (WI), Dianne Feinstein (CA), >Mark Dayton (MN), Robert Torricelli (NJ), John Corzine (NJ), and Paul >Wellstone (MN). > >Republicans: 2 >Jesse Helms (NC) and Mitch McConnell (KY). So Jesse Helms, Dianne Feinstein, and Joseph Lieberman are among the early sponsors of this bill. That should be enough to make any decent person, even a very naive one, at least hesitate. But see my comments on the bill itself, below. [SNIP] >Background info about this bill: > >Last November, the International Labor Organization called on all of its members, >which include governments, labor unions, and employers--unlike the United Nations, >which is represented by governments only, to review their relationship with Burma to >ensure that they are not contributing to forced labor in Burma. > >This is the first time in history that the International Labor Organization has taken >such an extraordinary step, largely because the scale of forced labor in Burma is >horrifying and widespread. > >In theory, these governments, including the U.S., U.S.labor unions, and employers >should respond to the International Labor Organization with action they have taken to >make sure they are not supporting forced labor in Burma. > >Since imports from Burma support forced labor in the country, several Senators have >chosen to co-sponsor legislation to ban imports. This Senate action is in response to >the ILO resolution. > >HOW and WHY imports to the United States are tied to forced labor in Burma: > >A. The junta charges a 5% tax on all exports from Burma--this money is used for the >military, which exploits forced labor in Burma. > >B. Almost all factories in Burma are owned in large part by the junta. Profits from >the factories are used for the military, which exploits forced labor in Burma. > >C. Nearly all roads and infrastructure in Burma are built with forced labor. It has >been said that it is virtually impossible to go anywhere in Burma without crossing >one made with forced labor. Many of these roads are built to facilitate exports. > > >Text of the Legislation > >Bill Introduced into 107th Senate to respond to ILO Call for Action > >Co-sponsored by Mr. Harkin (D-IA) Mr. Helms (R-NC), Mr. Schumer (D-NY), Mr. Hollings >(D-SC), Mrs. Feinstein (D-CA), Mr Leahy (D-VT), Mrs. Clinton (D-NY), Mr. >McConnell(R-KY), Mr. Feingold (D-WI), Mr. Lieberman (D-CT) > >A bill to prohibit the importation of any article that is produced, manufactured, or >grown in Burma; > >(Referred to the Committee on Finance.) >================================================================== >S.926 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States >of America in Congress assembled > >SECTION 1. FINDINGS. Congress makes the following findings: > >(1) The International Labor Organization (ILO), invoking an extraordinary >constitutional procedure for the first time in its 82-year history, adopted in 2000 a >resolution calling on the State Peace and Development Council to take concrete >actions to end forced labor in Burma. > >(2) In this resolution, the ILO recommended that governments, employers, and workers >organizations take appropriate measures to ensure that their relations with the State >Peace and Development Council do not abet the system of forced or compulsory labor in >that country, and that other international bodies reconsider any cooperation they may >be engaged in with Burma and, if appropriate, cease as soon as possible any activity >that could abet the practice of forced or compulsory labor. So, if you support the ILO resolution, why not call on the International Longshoremen's Association (ILA, on the U.S. East and Gulf coasts) and the International Longshoremen's and Warehousemen's Union (ILWU, on the U.S./Canada Pacific Coast) to refuse to handle Burmese cargo? Unlike the U.S. government, the ILWU has a good record of supporting boycotts against various repressive capitalist regimes, not usually the ones the U.S. ruling class wants to attack. And action by these workers would strengthen the global anti-capitalist movement, not the U.S. government. Unfortunately, there's still the danger that even honest working-class groups can have their choice of enemies manipulated by the imperialist media. Barring evidence to the contrary, however, I am willing to accept that the Burmese government is, in fact, doing most of the things it's accused of. I am not thereby supporting Aung San Suu Kyi and the National League for Democracy, the favorites of ANglo-American imperialism. >SEC. 2. UNITED STATES SUPPORT FOR MULTILATERAL ACTION TO END FORCED LABOR AND THE >WORST FORMS OF CHILD LABOR IN BURMA. > >(a) Trade Ban.-- > >(1) In general.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law, until such time as the >President determines and certifies to Congress that Burma has met the conditions >described in paragraph (2), no article that is produced, manufactured, or grown in >Burma may be imported into the United States. > >(2) Conditions described.--The conditions described in this paragraph are the >following: > >(A) The State Peace and Development Council in Burma has made measurable and >substantial progress in reversing the persistent pattern of gross violations of >internationally- recognized human rights and worker rights, including the elimination >of forced labor and the worst forms of child labor. And who is to decide that such "measurable and substantial progress" has been made? The Imperial Presidency, as specified in (1), above! >(B) The State Peace and Development Council in Burma has made measurable and >substantial progress toward implementing a democratic government including-- > >(i) releasing all political prisoners; and (ii) deepening, accelerating, and bringing >to a mutually- acceptable conclusion the dialogue between the State Peace and >Development Council (SPDC) and democratic leadership within Burma (including Aung San >Suu Kyi and the National League for Democracy (NLD) and leaders of Burma's ethnic >peoples). So the imerialist U.S. government gets to decide what constitutes "democratic government" in yet another country? >(C) The State Peace and Development Council in Burma has made measurable and >substantial progress toward full cooperation with United States counter-narcotics >efforts pursuant to the terms of section 570(a)(1)(B) of Public Law 104-208, the >Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 1997. Thus, by supporting this bill, you support the same "War on Drugs" that has been used to keep an extra million people (mostly Black and indigenous) in prisons in the U.S., to invade Panama and now attack the people of Colombia. >(b) Effective Date.--The provisions of this section shall apply to any >article entered, or withdrawn from warehouse for consumption, on or after >the 15th day after the date of enactment of this Act. ------------------------------------------------- This Discussion List is the follow-up for the old stopnato @listbot.com that has been shut down ==^================================================================ EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?a84x2u.a9spWA Or send an email To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] This email was sent to: archive@jab.org T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================
