Written by U Ne Oo on 2000-07-24
To all our friends on Internet:
Following is the letter to the Prime Minister of Japan, Mr Yoshiro Mori, regarding with drug trafficking and money laundering in Burma. An appeal has been made to Government of Japan to instrucJapan to instruct companies such as Mitsubishi, which has given franchise agreement to companies owned by drug kingpins, to sever the contracts with such companies. I have also ask Gov.of Japan to encourage ASEAN to join group such as FATF and APG on money laundering. It doesn't appear that PM Yoshiro Mori himself is going to ASEAN meeting in Bangkok this weekend, however FM Yeoho Kono may be at the meeting. Please Fax/Write letters to the PM and FM of Japan.
CHANGING MOODS IN JAPAN
In previous years, there ha years, there have been perceptions that Japanese Administrations are sympathetic towards the military junta in Burma. The principal position of the Government of Japan has been to promote democracy in Burma and to solve conflicts through dialogue, of which the main objectives are the same as opposition National League for Democracy. However, in promoting these objective, the GOJ used the policy of constructive engagement rather than hard-line stance, such as economic sanctions, taken by United States and EU.
Nevertheless, there are signs that Japan begin to loose its patience on the Burmese junta. Along with the rest of us, Japanese policy makers are beginning to realise that the main obstacle towards dialogue in Burma has been the moronic junta leaders, who refusing to enter dialogue with the opposition.
INFORMATION ON ILLICIT DRUG & HEROIN USE IN JAPAN
By the way, I have never come across any report regarding
illicit drug
use in Japan. This is probably because such information is not
usually
available illy
available in far away places like Adelaide in Australia. Or is
it that
the abuse of illicit drug being considered as unimportant issue
in Japan
? In any case, please forward reports, if you have any, to us
the statistics
on the amount of illicit drug use (or gross monetary value
etc.)
in Japan and where these drugs usually originate.
--- Regards, U Ne Oo.
Dr U Ne Oo
18 Shannnon Place
Adelaide SA 5000
Australia
July 17, 2000
Hon. Yoshiro Mori
Prime Minister of Japan
Office of the Prime Minister
1-6 Nagata Cho, Chiyoda-ku
Tokyo 100, Japan.
Dear Prime Minister:
Re: Drug Trafficking and Money Laundering in Burma
I am a Burmese exile residing in Adelaide Australia. I would like to call your attention to the problems of drug trafficking and money laundering by the Burmese military government, the State Peace and Development Council (SPDC), and their associate drug kingpins. In the enclosed report, �Burma: Drugort, �Burma: Drug Trafficking and Money Laundering�, I have outlined a brief summary of illicit drug money laundering situation along with my recommendations. Since Japan has been a member of the Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering (FATF), I appeal to the government of Japan to enact legislation similar to the Drug Kingpins Act of the United States, and to prohibit Japanese business farms and Japan nationals from dealing with drug kingpins and military junta in Burma.
In particular, the Government of Japan shoulof Japan should instruct companies such as Mitsubishi, which reported to be engaged in business with Burmese drug kingpins, to immediately cancel their franchise agreement.
I would also like to appeal to the government of Japan to put restriction of entry visa to those Burmese military leaders, such as Lt. Gen. Khin Nyunt and General Maung Aye, who have been implicated in illicit drug production and trafficking activities. I also request government of Japan to put a freeze of funds owned by Burmese junta leaders and their imm and their immediate family. This is because the Burmese military leaders will likely to open bank accounts under the names of their spouses or immediate family members. I therefore request to the government of Japan to apply the freeze of funds to the bank accounts that belong to the immediate family members of Burmese military leaders.
As Japan has been the influential dialogue partner of the ASEAN group, I appeal to you and government of Japan to encourage the ASEAN group to join the Financial Action Task Force and Asia-Parce and Asia-Pacific Group on anti-money laundering.
In closing, I thank you for your kind attention to these matters.
Yours respectfully
(U Ne Oo)
cc. (1) Yoheo Kono, Foreign Minister; (2) Takeo Heranuma,
Trade Minister.
